Angkor Wat is an absolute bucket list must isn’t it? And here’s how to get your tickets.
Yes if you haven’t yet visited Cambodia’s amazing Angkor Wat, then I highly suggest you put it on your travel plans soon.
And by soon, I mean this year, because yes, after a covid shutdown, Cambodian travel is officially back and open for business!
And with less tourists heading there than in previous years, plus a current special offer on Angkor Wat tickets to tempt travellers back, there really has never been a better time to visit this historic marvel.
So if Cambodia has been on your “must visit” list for a while, then take the hint and start planning a trip there today – starting with my complete guide to buying your Angor Wat tickets.
This article is going to give you all the info you need to plan your visit to this UNESCO gem so you can make sure you’re ready and prepped to enjoy it to the max.
Let’s get stuck in…
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Quick Intro to Angkor Wat
So first up, I thought it was probably wise to give you a little background info on Angkor Wat.
This should prove helpful if you’re deciding when to visit and which tickets you want to buy, especially because (unless you’ve been there before), very few of us tend to know much about this place.
And that was certainly true for me!
Yup, to be honest, before I first went to Angkor Wat, I didn’t know much beyond the fact that there was a large, old stone temple here!
Shameful I realise now, but I honestly didn’t really have any understanding of just how many temples and how huge the Angkor Wat site is!
So let me fill you in now because, if you weren’t in the know, Angkor Wat is a huge temple complex that stretches for over 1.6 km² and is comprised of 72 major temples, as well as the remains of several hundred minor ones.
Built in the early 12th century and UNESCO listed in 1992, it is now thought to be the largest religious complex in the world.
Phew, have I convinced you how special and huge this place is yet?
I hope so!
And the main point of me doing this is to really show you how much there is to see at Angkor Wat and how long it will take you to absorb it all.
This is certainly worth bearing in mind when it comes to choosing and buying your tickets!
Angkor Wat Ticket Types
So in essence, there are 3 main types of Angkor Wat tickets…
- 1 Day Pass
- 3 Day Pass
- 7 Day Pass
All 3 passes will give you unlimited entry during these times (within the Archeological Park opening hours of 5am to 7pm).
And, as a special deal in 2023 to tempt tourists back, these passes, now offer bonus days.
This means that the 1 Day Pass is now valid for 2 days, the 3 Day Pass is now valid for 5 days and the 7 Day Pass is now valid for a whopping 10 days!
This amazing offer will save you a decent chunk of cash (as we’ll learn in the ticket prices below), so is well worth taking advantage of.
It runs until 31 December 2023 and is just another reason to visit Cambodia this year!
If you are travelling to Cambodia on a longer term visa (one that’s valid for 3 months+), you are also eligible for a special discounted Angkor Pass as per the below details…
- 100 USD for 2 months
- 150 USD for 6 months
- 200 USD for 12 months
Angkor Wat Ticket Prices
I’m now going to stick to talking about the 1, 3 and 7 Day Angkor Wat Tickets (or passes as they are really known) because this cover the vast number of ticket types that travellers go for.
And for these passes, there are essentially 2 prices – an online price and in-person price.
Weirdly, the online price is actually more expensive that the in-person one – Angkor Wat might be one of the only places in the world where this is the case!
Here’s the info:
1 Day Pass In-person: $37 USD Online: $59 USD
3 Day Pass In-person: $62 USD Online: $91 USD
7 Day Pass In-person: $72 USD Online: $105 USD
Entry for children under 12 is free.
Where & When to Buy Your Tickets
This means that despite the convenience of buying tickets for Angkor Wat online, I would actually recommend buying your tickets in-person once you get to the complex instead.
This will also help you mitigate against any fraud because, as the official Angkor Wat government website states, “The Angkor Ticket Office (Angkor Enterprise) is the only place where you can purchase entrance tickets for the Angkor Archaeological Park. Tickets purchased elsewhere are not valid.”
You have been warned!
But fear not, buyinh your Angkor Wat tickets on arrival at the site entrance is totally easy to do and very simple.
There may be a bit of a queue, but if you prepare well, this should be no problem and you’re unlikely to be standing in line for anything longer than 10 minutes.
If you’re taking a tour when you arrive at Angkor Wat (more about this later), the guide will likely help you to buy the tickets, which makes things even easier still!
If you’re arriving for sunrise on the first, or only, day of your Pass, then make sure to get there a little bit earlier to allow time for ticket buying! The ticket office opens at 5am – be there on the dot, to ensure you can get into the park and to the temple of your choice from 5:3am.
People say you can’t achieve this, but I did without any problems, so it’s totally possible and saves you the least amount of hassle in my opinion.
If you do want to be very keen and organsied, then you can buy your ticket after 5pm the previous day and this will allow you to head straight to the gates at sunrise and get your ticket stamped for day 1 of your entry then.
Tips for your Angkor Wat Pass
Tickets are regularly checked by guards across the Angkor Wat site, as well as being stamped on each day of entry.
Because of this, you’ll need to carry your ticket with you throughout your visit to the site, so make sure you store it safely in your bag, or a plastic wallet, to ensure it doesn’t get wet, sweaty or damaged!
Children under 12 will also need to carry proof of age to ensure they don’t get asked to pay for a ticket.
If you’re thinking about trying to sneak into Angkor Wat and not pay for a ticket or pass, then forget it, you’re highly unlikely to get away with it and the penalty fines are hefty!
Personally, I think paying to visit a site this amazing – and contributing to its upkeep – is the responsible thing to do.
You also need to buy tickets independently even if you are taking a tour and that’s because most guided excursions don’t include ticket rates.
Which Angkor Wat Pass to Opt for?
I highly recommend opting for the 3 Day Angkor Wat Pass, as this will give you a great amount of time to explore the temple complex at a relaxed pace.
Honestly, there’s so much to take in here and so many different ways to do this (see my perfect 2 day itinerary and recommended tours below), that anything less than 3 days is likely to have you feeling like you either a) missed out or b) rushed your visit so much you don’t really enjoy it or take enough in.
The exception to me recommending the 3 Day Pass for Angkor Wat is the 2023 special entry deal.
With this offer, you may want to consider the 1 Day Pass, which will actually give you a bonus day to visit Angkor Wat (making it a 2 day ticket in reality), so if you’re short on time, this may prove a suitable option for visiting.
Angkor Wat 3 Day Itinerary
And with my Angkor Wat ticket recommendations in mind, here’s the best 3 day itinerary I think you should follow during your visit…
Day 1: Head to the Angkor Wat Archaeological Park, buy your tickets and then enjoy a sunrise tour, which includes a morning guided trip to all the main temples. Learn about how to get the best sunrise experience at Angkor Wat here.
Day 2: Enjoy a lie-in and opt to visit Angkor Wat from late morning when crowds have thinned. I recommend a cycling tour on day 2, as this will allow you to travel further from the entrance and explore more of the outlying and quieter temples.
Day 3: Close your time in Angkor Wat with a sunset tour that includes an afternoon tuk-tuk ride around to some of the temples you haven’t visited yet, and then finishes at the best temples you can climb on top of to enjoy an incredible golden hour display.
Top Angkor Wat Tours
And here’s my pick of the top Angkor Wat tours you can’t miss.
Just remember that these tours don’t include your Angkor Wat tickets, so you’ll need to buy these separately.
Or, if you want to take a longer tour through Cambodia, that includes a visit to Angkor Wat, then check out these great options.
Top 10 Tips for Visit Angkor Wat
#1 Wear clothing that covers the shoulders and extends below the knees – either a T-shirt or a thin scarf draped around your shoulders will do and then thin pants or a long skirt for the bottom. If you don’t have any clothes that fit this bill you can pick some up cheaply in the Siem Reap market.
#2 Wear comfortable walking shoes – you’ll spend a lot of time on your feet here!
#3 Buy a good camera – you’ll absolutely want to preserve these memories.
#4 Take your own snacks and water in to save money. Please stay hydrated – it’s incredibly humid here.
#5 A good day pack is a great thing to ensure you have everything you need for your trip to Angkor Wat as it can be a long and exhausting day.
#6 I really recommend exploring Angkor Wat via different methods, so go for a tuk-tuk ride, jeep tour, walking and cycling if you can, in order to get the whole experience.
#7 Angkor Wat is a site that closes daily – you can’t stay here and must travel the 30 minutes’ drive from the nearest town each time you enter.
#8 The nearest town to Angkor Wat is Siem Reap – it’s actually a city, but pretty small and does have an airport. You can also easily arrive here overland from Bangkok. Find out how I made this journey here.
#9 Everyone stays in Siem Reap when they visit Angkor Wat, so you can expect all the tourist services you need here including markets, restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels and hostels.Check out this list of recommended Siem Reap accommodation options for every budget and learn about my picks for the top 10 things to do in Siem Reap here.
#10 Visit Angkor Wat during the dry season of November through March. Temperatures and humidity will be the lowest during these months, making sightseeing a lot more palatable.
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Mini Travel Guide to Cambodia
Best Time to Visit Cambodia?
No question that the best time to visit Cambodia is during the winter season, when the humidity and temperatures are slightly lower in this tropical country and the chance of rain is greatly reduced.
December through February forms the main high season in these parts, but honestly, I’d avoid these times as crowds at Angkor Wat then will be insane!
Instead, bat for the shoulder season months of either October and November or March and April; prices will be better and although there will still be a lot of tourists around, it won’t quite be as bad!
How to Get to Siem Reap?
With an international airport, it’s easy to fly directly into this city if you’re travelling from further afield.
It’s then just a short tuk-tuk or taxi ride to the city centre, where your accommodation is likely to be.
Alternatively, if you’re travelling to Siem Reap from a nearby destination – perhaps from the Cambodian capital Phnom Pehn or Bangkok in Thailand, then you can easily use a good bus service to make the journey.
As always, I use Skyscanner to get the best deal on flights to Siem Reap and highly recommend 12Go if you want to find the best bus prices, as well as book them online in advance safely and securely.
How Long to Spend There?
I think 3-4 days is a good amount of time to visit Siem Reap, including Angkor Wat.
Travel Insurance
World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while travelling and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Alternatively, if you’re a long-term traveller, digital nomad or frequent remote worker seeking travel health cover, check out Safetywing’s Nomad Insurance policies.
5 Packing Essentials for Cambodia
#1 Lonely Planet Guidebook – The Cambodia Lonely Planet is excellent and very helpful for any trip to this country with lots of top tips and recommended places to eat.
#2 Walking Shoes – There’s likely to be a lot of walking in Siem Reap, especially around those temples at Angkor Wat. As such, I advise packing a pair of good runners, like these New Balance trainers, which are perfect for strolling and climbing the big temple steps.
#3 European & British Power Adapters – Cambodia has a mix of power outlets, but generally opts for a mix of the European and British ones, so make sure you come prepared with a Skross world adapter.
#4 Camera and Lens – I love my Sony A6000 mirrorless, which was ideal for snapping the amazing temples of Angkor Wat. Alternatively, a Go Pro Hero would be awesome for capturing the more active side of your trip here.
#5 Travel Wrap – A great multi-purpose travel item that can be used to safely store valuables and cover your shoulders while you explore Cambodia’s temples, I love mine from Sholdit.
Travel Money in Cambodia
When it comes to paying for things in Cambodia, you want to ensure you’re not being charged overseas transaction fees or getting poor exchange rates when using your card abroad, which is why I always take my Wise Card away with me wherever I travel.
The easy way to spend abroad with real exchange rates, no markups and no sneaky transaction fees, you can use your Wise card just like a debit card in Cambodia… and it links easily with Google and Apple pay – sold! Get yours here.
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And there you have it, my complete guide to buying your Angkor Wat Tickets in 2023.
Hope I’ve convinced you to visit this amazing site and helped you plan your trip there too.
Have any more questions about this top Cambodia spot?
Then drop them into the comments below and I’ll get back to you…
I will be coming from an island is south Vietnam. Phu Quoc I think there is an airport there and hoping I can fly into Siem reap. Do you know if that is possible. I will be with a friend in Vietnam but will continue on my venture solo. Do you know about crossing the border into Cambodia from Vietnam? After 3 days in Angkor I will fly (I guess.) to Bangkok so again have to cross a border. Since I will be solo I like to double check and ask every dumb detail I can. I have found talking to people who have actually been there really helps. Thank you. Dorothy
Hi Dorothy, thanks for your questions. I crossed the southern border from Vietnam to Cambodia that you speak about, as well as the border between Siem Reap and Bangkok, by myself using buses. There’s 2 posts on my blog that cover these 2 journeys in step-by-step detail. Please check them out and they should have all the answers you need. Best wishes, Steph