Beat the Crowd at Angkor Wat - Siem Reap

Besides exploring the secrets of the once hidden temples of Angkor, my absolute best experience in Siem Reap was finding the spots away from the crowds and watch one of the most amazing sunrises I have ever seen.

Go with a Private Guide

There are many beautiful temples around Siem Reap and they are all worth a visit. Angkor Wat, which is the largest and most famous temple, was in my opinion not the one that amazed me the most.

I went with a private guide from Go Beyond who gave me an incredible tour to some of the less popular temples. Besides the beauty of the temples themselves, i fully enjoyed the guide’s knowledge of where to go to beat the crowds.

(Scroll to the end of the article to see our Angkor Wat experiences) 

His knowledge made it possible to enjoy the ruins, carvings and architecture in peace and tranquility.

Watch the sunrise at Phnom Bakheng

It is every popular to watch the sunset or sunrise from the temples, so popular that you have to get lucky (or get up really early) to find a good spot. I got a good insider tip where to enjoy the sunrise without having to share the experience with 200 other people.

There is a small but beautiful temple called “Phnom Bakheng” located between “Angkor Wat” and “Angkor Thom”. Phnom Bakheng is located on a hill which gives you a beautiful view overlooking the entire area around Siem Reap, it is literally the highest point in the area.

It got up at 5:00 in the morning and asked a Tuk-Tuk to take me to the temple. To reach the temple I still had to walk for about 20-30 min through a pit dark jungle on a trail going up hill. Even though it was a bit scary walking there alone with my flashlight, it is truly worth the experience.

One I reached the temple, I had a front seat view for one of the most amazing sun rises I have ever seen.

Apart from seeing the sun rising I could hear the jungle waking up and see the sun rays hitting the surrounding temples.

Truly an astonishing view and my best experience in Siem Reap.

Our experiences in Siem Reap: 

• Countryside Cycling and Cooking (Half Day)
• Temples of Angkor Wat & Sunset Boat Cruise on the Tonle Sap (Full Day) 
• Siem Reap & Angkor Wat Explorer from Bangkok - (4 Days)