Plan Your Siem Reap Trip
Six steps, in the order they actually matter. Work down the list and you’ll land with the paperwork done, the right pass in hand, and the only two things that sell out already booked.
Step 1
Sort your entry
The $30 tourist e-visa plus the free e-Arrival card (two separate things, both required for air arrivals), a passport valid six months out, and the 40 km transfer from the new airport.
Step 2
Pick your dates
November–February is dry-season peak; June–October’s green season means full moats, thin crowds, and softer rates; mid-April is Khmer New Year, when the country travels.
Step 3
Decide how many days
One day covers the icons, two adds the quiet circuits, three is the sweet spot, four is the connoisseur’s number. Your answer sets which Angkor Pass you buy ($37 / $62 / $72).
Step 4
Choose your base
Old Market for walkability, Wat Bo for riverside quiet, the Angkor road for resort pools and fast sunrise starts, Sala Kamreuk for local texture and value.
Step 5
Book the things that sell out
The flagship sunrise tour and Phare tickets genuinely fill in high season. Everything else can wait until you land.
Step 6
Pack, then eat well
Shoulders and knees covered for the temples, small US dollar bills, and a plan for fish amok on night one.
Then read everything else
Temple deep-dives, the food canon, day trips, and the honest ethics calls — the full library is organized by topic.
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