“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown”
We woke up at 5am and rushed down to the tuk tuk that would take us through the night to Angkor Wat.
Once the driver let us out, we continued our journey on foot. It’s kind of creepy walking through old ruins in complete darkness. Angkor Wat is huge, and you know it’s in front of you, you just can’t see it yet.
There are a couple places to get breakfast or coffee (although if you plan ahead you can have your hotel make a to go baggie). Otherwise, you take a seat in the grass with hundreds of other people who are also waiting for the sunrise.
TIP: Everyone goes to the left off of the bridge to watch the sunrise, if you go right instead you can get better pictures (with fewer people in the background) and avoid the crowd. Yes, there will be a crowd, don’t let these pictures fool you.
Sometimes you’re lucky and will see a sunset like this…
… and sometimes you’ll be less lucky and all you’ll see is this:
..either way it is still worth the experience to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat. To get the best shot, make sure to stay in the lawn until the sun actually rises (a lot of people actually leave early to visit the temple).
The inside of Angkor Wat is pretty amazing, and not as crowded as you may think. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, a lot of the stairs are pretty steep (it’s a bit of a workout).
Tips for Visiting Angkor Wat
- You can easily book tickets (with transportation included) through your hostel/hotel, so don’t worry about doing it ahead of time.
- They do serve breakfast/coffee there, but it may be smarter to bring breakfast along
- Go to the lawn to the right of the bridge to avoid some of the crowd
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Stay until the sun actually rises!
If you plan on visiting Siem Reap, you may want to check out these posts:
Have questions about visiting Angkor Wat at sunset? Feel free to ask away below!
I didn’t do the sunrise visit but nevertheless the temples are amazing. Good for you girls for waking up so early!! xx
I know, it was rough after a night out in Siem Reap but totally worth it! Also, it’s good to get there early before it get’s too hot!