Cambodia - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 456

EXPLORING THE TEMPLES
One Day
If you've got only one day to spend at Angkor, that's unfortunate, but a good itinerary would be
Angkor Wat for sunrise, after which you can explore the mighty temple before the crowds arrive.
From there, drop by Ta Prohm before breaking for lunch. In the afternoon, explore the temples within
the walled city of Angkor Thom and the enigmatic faces of the Bayon in the late afternoon light.
Biggest mistake: trying to pack in too much.
Three Days
With three days it's possible to see most of the important sites. One approach is to see as much as you
can on the first day or two (as above), then spend the final days visiting other sites such as Roluos and
Banteay Srei. Better still is a gradual build-up to the most spectacular places. After all, if you see
Angkor Wat first, then a temple like Ta Keo just won't cut it.
One Week
Angkor is your oyster, so relax, enjoy and explore at will. Make sure you visit Beng Mealea and Kbal
Spean. Do at least one overnight trip further afield, to Koh Ker, Banteay Chhmar, Sambor Prei Kuk or
even Prasat Preah Vihear. For a change of pace, take a boat to the floating village of Kompong Pluk or
Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary.
Tickets & Guides
The Angkor ticket booth (1-day/3-day/1-week tourist pass US$20/40/60, children under 12 free;
5am-5.30pm) is on the road from Siem Reap to Angkor. Three-day passes can be used on any three
days over a one-week period, and one-week passes are valid over the course of a month. Tickets is-
sued after 5pm (for sunset viewing) are valid the next day. Tickets are not valid for Phnom Kulen or
Beng Mealea. Get caught ticketless in a temple and you'll be fined US$100.
The Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association ( 063-964347; www.khmerangkortourguide.com )
can arrange certified tour guides in 10 languages (US$25 to US$50 a day).
Eating
All the major temples have some sort of nourishment near the entrance. The most extensive selection
of restaurants is opposite the entrance to Angkor Wat. Some excellent local Khmer restaurants line the
northern shore of Sra Srang.
Transport
Bicycles are a great way to get to and around the temples, which are linked by flat roads in good
shape. Various guesthouses and hotels rent out White Bicycles ( www.thewhitebicycles.org ; per day
US$2), and proceeds go to local development projects.
The most popular way to see the temples is the trusty remorque . These cost US$15 to US$25 for
the day, depending on the destination and number of passengers.