Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the Cambodian city most Angkor trips start from, with temple mornings, floating villages and an old town to walk.
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Siem Reap is Cambodia's second-largest city and the capital of Siem Reap province in the northwest of the country. It is the country's main tourism hub because it lies close to the Angkor temples, built during the Khmer Empire, and it is the gateway town for visiting them. Angkor Wat, with its five towers and long walls of bas-reliefs showing Hindu myths, is the best-known site. The wider Angkor Archaeological Park holds many more temples, including Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom, the walled royal city built by Jayavarman VII.
Plan a few days in town for the Old Market, the Old French Quarter with its French-colonial and Chinese-style buildings, Apsara dance shows and silk farms. Day trips reach rice paddies, floating villages on Tonlé Sap and the rose-pink carvings at Banteay Srei, about 30 km northeast of the city. November to April is the drier season and the easier time to visit, while May to October brings the wet season.
Siem Reap in five
- Buy the Angkor pass from the official sellerPasses are sold online and at the ticket office on Road 60: $37 for 1 day, $62 for 3 days within a week, $72 for 7 days within a month.Angkor Enterprise
- Start at 5am for Angkor WatAngkor Wat opens at 5:00 for sunrise. Go out early and keep the midday for rest.
- Cover shoulders and kneesThe visitor code of conduct asks for covered shoulders and no shorts or skirts above the knee in sacred places, and entry can be refused.
- Allow an hour from the new airportSiem Reap Angkor International (SAI) is far outside town. Arrange a shuttle, taxi or hotel pickup before you land.
Things to do in Siem Reap
See all attractions in Siem Reap
Need to know
- Airport
- Siem Reap Angkor International (SAI)
- Getting there
- Buses from Phnom Penh, about 6 hours; flights from regional hubs
- Getting around
- Tuk-tuk by the day, e-bike or bicycle for the inner temples
- Best base
- Near Pub Street for food, the river for quieter nights
- Time needed
- 3 days for the main temples and one far site
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryClear2 rainy daysHigh32°Low22°Dry, busyJanuaryClear
Best
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 20 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, busy
- FebruaryClear4 rainy daysHigh34°Low23°Dry, clearFebruaryClear
Good
- High
- 34°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 27 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, clear
- MarchClear10 rainy daysHigh35°Low25°HotMarchClear
Mixed
- High
- 35°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot
- AprilRain15 rainy daysHigh35°Low26°HottestAprilRain
Poor
- High
- 35°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 124 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hottest
- MayRain25 rainy daysHigh34°Low26°Rains startMayRain
Poor
- High
- 34°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 236 mm
- Rainy days
- 25
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rains start
- JuneRain23 rainy daysHigh33°Low25°Green, wetJuneRain
Poor
- High
- 33°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 174 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, wet
- JulyRain26 rainy daysHigh31°Low25°Wet, quietJulyRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 242 mm
- Rainy days
- 26
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- AugustRain26 rainy daysHigh32°Low25°Wet, quietAugustRain
Poor
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 252 mm
- Rainy days
- 26
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- SeptemberRain28 rainy daysHigh31°Low25°WettestSeptemberRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 359 mm
- Rainy days
- 28
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wettest
- OctoberRain24 rainy daysHigh31°Low24°Rain easingOctoberRain
Poor
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 295 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain easing
- NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh31°Low23°Dry season startsNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 114 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry season starts
- DecemberPartly cloudy4 rainy daysHigh30°Low22°Dry, busyDecemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 22°
- Precipitation
- 29 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, busy
Average daily high and low in Siem Reap, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Siem Reap
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
25
- Feels like
- 29°
- Humidity
- 92%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 73%
Siem Reap
03:07 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today32°24°73%Tuesday: Thunderstorms. High 32°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 73%.
- Wed31°24°73%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 31°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 73%.
- Thu31°24°76%Thursday: Rain. High 31°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 76%.
- Fri32°24°35%Friday: Rain. High 32°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 35%.
- Sat32°24°39%Saturday: Thunderstorms. High 32°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 39%.
- Sun32°24°39%Sunday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 39%.
Updated 01:13 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 4,107 KHR
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Banteay Sreiabout 45 min by tuk-tukSmall pink-sandstone temple with the finest carving at Angkor. Covered by the pass.
- Beng Mealeaabout 1.5 hours by carA jungle-wrapped temple outside the main park, with its own ticket.
- Tonle Sap floating villages30–60 min by roadStilt villages and boats on the lake. Water levels decide what you see.
Before you go to Siem Reap
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Siem Reap, checked
- Angkor Temples Park passes: US$37 for 1 day, US$62 for 3 days, US$72 for 7 days. Open 5:00 to 18:30.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Plan around Siem Reap
The capital, about 6 hours by bus
Read the guideKampotPepper farms and Bokor mountain on the coast
Read the guideBangkokThailand's capital, reached by air
Read the guideAll of CambodiaEntry, money and routes beyond the temples
Read the guideEntry rules for CambodiaVisa and arrival steps before you fly
Read the guideSiem Reap FAQ
How many days do I need for Angkor?
Three days covers Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm, the Grand Circuit and Banteay Srei without rushing. The 3-day pass can be used on any three days within a week.
Is the Angkor pass checked?
Yes. It carries your photo, is not transferable and is checked at the main temples. Keep it with you all day.
When is the best time to visit Siem Reap?
November to February, when it is dry and a little cooler. April and May are the hottest months; the wet season brings green moats and fewer visitors.
Can I cycle around the temples?
Yes, for the inner circuit around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. The distances to the outer temples are long in the heat, so most people take a tuk-tuk for those.
Tuk-tuk or car for Angkor?
A tuk-tuk by the day suits the main circuits, with shade and open sides. A car with air conditioning is easier in April and May, on rain days and for far sites like Beng Mealea. Agree the route and price before you set off.