What time does the Angkor Wat sunrise tour start?

Most sunrise tours pick you up between 4:15am and 4:45am so you reach the reflecting pond before the gates open at 5am. Sunrise itself is usually around 5:45am to 6:15am depending on the season.

Do I need an Angkor pass for a sunrise tour?

Yes. Every visitor needs an Angkor Archaeological Park pass — $37 for one day, $62 for three days or $72 for a week — and it is not included in most tour prices. You can buy it the evening before (valid for sunrise the next morning) or at the ticket booth on arrival.

Can you see Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm in one day?

Yes — this small-circuit route is designed to cover all three comfortably in a full day, starting at sunrise and finishing by early afternoon before the worst of the heat. A guided tour keeps the timing tight so you avoid the busiest crowds.

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Full day · Siem Reap itinerary

Angkor Wat at Sunrise: A Full-Day Temple Itinerary

Watching the sun rise behind the five towers of Angkor Wat is the moment most people come to Siem Reap for. Here is how to plan the classic full-day temple circuit — sunrise, the Bayon and Ta Prohm — plus the best-rated guided tours and what to know about the Angkor pass before you go.

At a glance

1Angkor Wat sunrise, gates at 5am
2Angkor Thom & the Bayon faces
3Ta Prohm's jungle temple
4Small circuit with a licensed guide

Before dawn: Angkor Wat sunrise

The gates open around 5am, so most sunrise tours collect you from your hotel by tuk-tuk or van at 4:30am. You will need an Angkor pass — $37 for one day, $62 for three — bought the day before or at the entrance booth, with your photo taken on the spot. Arrive early to claim a spot by the reflecting pond, where the towers mirror in the water as the sky turns pink.

Mid-morning: Angkor Thom and the Bayon

After sunrise, most itineraries head north to the walled city of Angkor Thom. Its centrepiece is the Bayon, a mountain of stone carved with 216 serene faces that seem to follow you through the ruins. Nearby stand the Terrace of the Elephants and the Baphuon. Go now, before the midday heat and the tour buses arrive, and a guide will point out carvings you would walk straight past alone.

Late morning: Ta Prohm's roots and ruins

No temple day is complete without Ta Prohm, the atmospheric ruin left half-swallowed by giant strangler figs and famous from the Tomb Raider film. The roots pouring over doorways and walls make it the most photogenic stop on the small circuit. A licensed guide keeps you ahead of the crowds and explains why this one temple was deliberately left to the jungle when others were cleared.

Planning tips

The small circuit — Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm — fills a comfortable full day and suits a first visit. A three-day pass lets you slow down and add Banteay Srei or the grand circuit later. Bring water, sun cover and shoulders-and-knees-covered clothing, which is required to climb to the upper level of Angkor Wat. Book a guided tour a day or two ahead in high season (November to February).