Siem Reap Cambodia: The Best 3 Day Adventure

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Spending three days in Siem Reap, Cambodia merely scratched the surface of what there is to see there. We truly only got a taste of what this incredible city has to offer. But we experienced a variety of flavors. From deep exploration of a myriad of ancient temples, to the eye-opening communities on the Tonle Sap, we made the most of our three days here. I instantly fell in love with this mystical city, and I’m sure that it will capture your heart as well.

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3 Incredible Days in Siem Reap Cambodia

In This Article
When to Go to Cambodia
What to Wear in Cambodia
Where to Stay in Siem Reap
Angkor National Museum, Pub Street, Floating Village Tour
Angkor Wat Sunrise and Small Circuit Temple Tour, Pub Street
Banteay Srei, Koh Ker, Beng Mealea, Phnom Bakheng
Angkor Wat Temple and Head Home

When to Go to Cambodia

There are basically two seasons in Cambodia, wet season and dry season. From May to October, the southwest monsoon causes heavy rain during the wet season. There are less crowds during this time and it’s a lot greener. But with the rain also comes more mosquitos and risk for illness. Dry season is typically from November through April, with the best months being December to March. The landscape is less green and lush, but there is minimal rain. The best part? Less mosquitos, which means lower risk for mosquito-borne illness.

We went during February and although crowded, there was barely any rain. We also didn’t see many mosquitos except within the cities. The weather was still hot and humid, but tolerable. If you want to visit an elephant sanctuary in Mondulkiri Province, we recommend to go during dry season. With risks of malaria, it’s definitely the safer bet.

What to Wear in Cambodia

Let’s be honest, Cambodia can get very hot and humid. Like any other tropical climate, it’s best to wear loose fitting clothes. I practically lived in maxi skirts and t-shirts there. I also brought a lot of harem pants, and yoga pants which were so airy and comfortable in the heat. Loose boho style summer dresses are also great.

For our daughter we brought along a lot of summer dresses, loose tops, and capri leggings. We definitely made sure to bring a sunhat as well. For men it’s fairly simple, just t-shirts and shorts! There is also a lot of suitable clothing to buy in the markets, but make sure to check the quality of them as they can rip easily. We actually packed minimally and ended up buying some items while there.

More Tips: How to Prep for Travel to Cambodia.

Where to Stay in Siem Reap Cambodia

Siem Reap is full of hotel options within a wide range of prices. For our trip, we decided to splurge a bit more here. I wanted to have comfortable haven to come back to after a long and tiring day out in the temples.

In the end I booked Mane Village Suites, a beautiful place located within a quiet street not far from Pub Street. Since there were five of us, we chose the family suite and it was so spacious with lots of room to enjoy. There’s a pool surrounded by gorgeous flowers and plants, and a relaxing outdoor dining area. They also have a restaurant with amazing food, both local and western cuisine. Free breakfast is also included with your stay.

We absolutely loved the service here. They always had cold bottled water ready upon our return, and we received complimentary foot massages during our stay. I also loved the daily afternoon tea served with sweets. It was such a great way to wind down after being out in the heat. At night when we went to Pub Street, they offered a free tuk tuk ride there. We highly recommend to stay here while you’re in Siem Reap!

Looking for more options? See more.

Day 1: Angkor National Museum, Pub Street, Floating Village Tour

Since we arrived in Siem Reap at night, we didn’t explore until the next day. But this meant getting up bright and early to make the most of our day!

Tuk Tuk Driver

I wanted our trip to be as stress-free as possible, so I booked a tuk tuk driver in advance. I found Tuk Tuk Roben on the TripAdvisor forums and decided to book since he got raving reviews. He helped to work out a three day temple itinerary for us which really saved us the burden of planning. Although you can easily find tuk tuks everywhere there, it was so nice to have it all taken care of for you. Anything that makes life more convenient while traveling is a win in my book!

Angkor National Museum

It was highly recommended that we visit the Angkor National Museum before we head off to the temples. I’m really glad we did because it really helped give context to everything we saw. We learned about Khmer history, Hinduism, Buddhism and how this all relates to the temples. In addition, we also learned a lot about the various kings, when and why they built the temples. The displays explained more about a lot of details repeated through the temples. For instance the animals, the carvings, and the ancient scenes. It was all very insightful and made more sense as we explored later.

There are several rooms to explore, but our favorite was the 1000 Buddhas room. On display were the various Buddhas seen throughout the temples. It also depicted and explained several of the poses and what they mean. If you decide to purchase the audio guide definitely plan for it to take a bit longer. There are also several videos playing throughout the exhibits with deeper insight.

Tip: We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the exhibits, so plan to leave your camera at the hotel.

Pub Street: Lunch

After the museum we headed to Pub street to stroll around and have lunch. There are plenty of options available, but we settled on Amok Restaurant. The ambiance was lovely from our table and we enjoyed views of the little alleyways in between. The food was on the pricey side, but quite delicious. It seemed very geared towards tourists, rather than a place locals would go, but it was still good. Once we finished lunch, we did a little shopping then headed back to our hotel to relax.

Floating Village Tour: Siem Reap Cambodia

Separately from the tuk tuk tour, I had booked a floating village tour on the Tonle Sap. After researching, we decided to book the Community First Kompong Khleang tour. If you’re into responsible tourism like us, then this will be the perfect choice for you.

The tour takes you on an adventure through Siem Reap Province. You’ll stop at local roadside vendors and snack on sticky rice, Cambodian donuts and other sweets. Once you reach Kompong Khleang you will get a glimpse of the Bridge of Life school, an educational opportunity for local children that is funded by tour proceeds. The tour ends with a beautiful boat ride to a Vietnamese floating village on the Tonle Sap where you’ll watch the stunning sunset. It was a highlight of our trip and a must see while here. If there is no availability on this tour, this one looks like another great option.

More details on our experience: Kompong Khleang Floating Village Tour.

Day 2: Angkor Wat Sunrise and Small Circuit Temple Tour, Pub Street

Millions of tourists flock to Siem Reap, Cambodia every year to see the Angkor Wat temples. This was of course the main reason why we came here too. Seeing all the temples has been on my bucket list for quite some time, so it was surreal to finally see them.

Angkor Wat Sunrise

First up is the Angkor Wat sunrise. We recommend to save this for at least the second day of your trip. You may want to recover from travel on the first day, and it’s also easier to have your ticket already purchased. It is quite touristy, but it’s an incredible experience not to be missed. Keep in mind that you’ll have to leave your hotel around 4:30am in order to have the best viewing spot. If you’re not as serious about photography and being in front doesn’t matter as much, then you can afford to go a bit later.

Learn more: How to Capture the Sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat

After sunrise it’s a perfect time to explore inside Angkor Wat. Most people head straight for the tower queue, however we explored some of the inside. We spent about an hour walking around and admiring the beauty of such an ancient masterpiece. It’s huge, so it can easily take 2-3 hours to really cover it all. Despite the crowds, there were still some quiet areas with practically nobody around. Seeing all the carvings of the scenes we learned about at the museum was pretty amazing. Take the time to really absorb all the details here, it’s mind-blowing.

Unfortunately our time here was cut short since Terra was pretty hungry, so we decided to eat at one of the restaurants nearby. Because the hotel had packed us breakfast boxes, we only had to order drinks.

Siem Reap Cambodia: Small Circuit Temple Tour

The Angkor Wat temple complex generally consists of two tours, the Small Circuit and Grand Circuit. It’s usually recommended to start with the Small Circuit, then continue with the Grand Circuit the following day. You can also add or remove as you choose, combining temples from both if you have less time here.

The common temples included in this tour are Angkor Wat, South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon, The Terrace of the Elephants and Leper King, Phimeanakas in Royal Palace, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Kdei. Some optional stops are Prasat Kravan and Ta Keo. For our tour we decided to remove a few and added a few in. Read more about the various circuits, including detailed maps.

Explore more: 13 Siem Reap Temples You Must See

Our Customized Temple Tour

Our tour started with the South Gate of Angkor Thom, then moved on to Bayon. We spent a good 1-2 hours exploring Bayon, admiring the famous faces located on the several towers. It ended up being one of our favorites, and we highly recommend coming in early morning when it’s less crowded.

Next up are three temples all located close to one another, Baphuon and Terrace of the Elephants and Leper King. Due to lack of time, we didn’t spend too much time here. They are quite small and easy to explore in less than an hour if you’re rushed.

Along the way to Ta Prohm we decided to stop at Ta Keo and Pre Rup. These are both optional temples in this circuit, but we are glad we added them in. Pre Rup is actually made out of brick and is a beautiful reddish tone. Ta Keo was fascinating to climb, but you have to be pretty careful since the steps are very narrow and rustic. We spent around 30-45 minutes at each of these.

Before exploring our last spot of the day it was time for lunch. After eating we then headed to Ta Prohm aka the “Tomb Raider” temple. It’s famous for the overgrown trees interweaving throughout and practically taking over the structure. There are large roots in various spots which tend to be photography hotspots. You should take time exploring some of the more quiet parts too, you’ll be surprised to be the only one there. We spent a few hours here just marveling at the power of nature.

Off The Beaten Path Tour
Finding places without the crowds definitely feels refreshing! Heading to some of the more quiet temples in this photo tour is a nice balance from all the touristy spots. You’ll see Banteay Srei (one of the most gorgeous temples), Kbal Spean, and the Roluos group.

Pub Street

With a long day of temple tours behind us, it was a bit difficult to have motivation to go back out. However after some relaxing at the hotel, we felt recharged. Pub Street is a famous nightlife spot located in downtown Siem Reap. It’s filled with night markets, bars, clubs, and other interesting sights. There’s plenty of street food to try, fried rolled ice cream, and you can even get a foot massage from a tank of fish. It’s quite popular to try bugs here, and most people head to Bugs Cafe. Although we didn’t go there, we sampled some from the street. It really comes alive at night here and is a must-see at least once during your visit.

What to Eat

With there being plenty of food options here it can be pretty overwhelming. I usually search Yelp for tips and reviews, so I did a quick search for some pizza. We had been eating so much Cambodian food, that we wanted to try something different. So we checked out Flying Zebra Pizza. Coming from NYC, we tend to have high standards for pizza. But I must say, the place had really cool vibes inside and the pizza was actually decent. It was fresh, wood-fired, and they had some interesting topping options. For families it’s the perfect spot for a quick and cheap meal.

One thing we’d love to do next time is take a cooking class with a local family. This takes you to a rural village where you learn how to make a traditional meal, a wonderful experience and perfect activity with or without kids!

Made in Cambodia Night Market
There are several night markets in Siem Reap, but Made in Cambodia is one of the best. It’s filled with higher quality items, all handmade in Cambodia. If you’re looking for something more artisan made, this is the place to go.

Day 3: Banteay Srei, Koh Ker, Beng Mealea, Phnom Bakheng

Banteay Srei Temple

While most people continue with the Grand Circuit for the second day, we decided to explore some of the further temples. We started the day quite early, around 8am and first arrived at Banteay Srei. This temple is also called the “Citadel of Woman” and is made out of a gorgeous pink sandstone.

It’s another one of our favorites and worth the longer trip. The details on it are just stunning and it’s truly a wonder to explore. Afterwards you should make sure to check out the band playing right before the exit. They are land mind victims trying to earn money to support their families. It’s a great opportunity to take a short break and listen to some traditional music.

Koh Ker Temple

Our next stop was Koh Ker, the further temple of the three and located in Preah Vihear. It’s very remote and located within the northern Cambodian jungle. It’s part of a much larger complex, however we only explored the main area. Koh Ker is a seven-tiered structure made out of sandstone. You can climb all the way to the top and enjoy beautiful views of the jungle all around. It takes about 2.5 hours to get here from Siem Reap, and is much less crowded. You may be the only one here if you come in early morning.

Beng Mealea Temple

After exploring Koh Ker, we headed straight to Beng Mealea. The vibes here were pretty similar to Ta Prohm, but more quiet and untouched. There hasn’t been much restoration here, so it’s fairly close to how it was left. There is a lot of crumbling stone, and vines tangled around. It’s immersed within trees with a lot of greenery and moss covering the structure. It’s beautifully mystical and feels like you’ve just discovered it for the first time. It worked out perfectly to combine all three of these temples in one day.

Phnom Bakheng

There are several great places to watch the sunset in Siem Reap. One of the most touristy spots is Phnom Bakheng. Ideally you should start lining up for the queue to go to the top around 4pm. Unfortunately, we did not make it there until around 5pm. There was already a long line by the time we arrived, so the earlier you can get here the better. They only allow 300 people up at a time. I was hesitant to go at first due to how touristy it is, but in the end I’m so glad we went. The views are too incredible to miss! Don’t let the popularity of it keep you from going, it’s something you should see at least once.

Day 4: Angkor Wat and Head Back Home

Depending on how much time you have before heading back home, you may be able to fit one last thing in. We decided to head back to Angkor Wat to explore what we hadn’t seen yet, this time entering from the back gate. Be aware that if it’s a Buddhist holiday, the tower will not be open, so plan around those days. We were quite bummed since we were hoping to see the views. But instead we had a surprise opportunity to be blessed by a monk in the temple. It’s these random occurrences during travel that make it the best sometimes!

Optional Add-On
If you’ve got some extra time in Siem Reap, you could head into the countryside or do a day trip. Doing a motorbike tour of the rural areas outside of Siem Reap will allow you to see more of the authentic side. This tour takes you through villages, remote temples, and rice fields with gorgeous views of Kulen Mountain!

Siem Reap Will Steal Your Heart

We absolutely loved our time in Siem Reap as part of our 10 day Cambodia itinerary. There’s so much rich culture and history here, that it’s hard not to fall in love. Every temple is unique and there is still much more to see beyond just a few days here. We will always remember those hot and sweaty days exploring the temples, followed by the refreshing cool breeze in our tuk tuks during our nights out to Pub Street. The people are so kind, welcoming and exude strength from such a tragic past. We look forward to coming back here again!

Discover: Why You Should Travel to Cambodia

Have you ever been to Siem Reap, Cambodia? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience here!

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