Angkor Wat ToursAngkor Wat Sunrise Tour: Highlights and Sunrise Guided Day
This Angkor Wat sunrise tour from Journey Cambodia is an 8-hour shared day that starts with a hotel pickup between 4:15 and 4:35 AM and ends back in Siem Reap by 1:30 PM. You enter Angkor Wat through the quieter eastern entrance with a flashlight, watch the sunrise from the reflection pools near the library, then continue to Srah Srang, Ta Prohm, Victory Gate and the Bayon. The tour costs $19 per person and the $37 Angkor Pass is paid separately on the day. It holds a 4.9 rating from 1,609 verified reviews on GetYourGuide. This page breaks down the price, the route and who should book a different sunrise day. For the full catalog, see Angkor Wat tours.
About This Tour
Journey Cambodia runs this 8-hour sunrise day in an air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap. The group is capped at 15 people and an English-speaking guide leads you through the temples. The listing is marked skip the ticket line, and last-minute date changes are free up to 7 hours before the start.
The day enters Angkor Wat through the quieter eastern entrance before dawn, walks ancient corridors by flashlight and watches the sunrise from the reflection pools near the library. After Angkor Wat the route covers Ta Prohm, Victory Gate and the Bayon inside Angkor Thom. Breakfast at Srah Srang is optional and paid yourself.
$19 per person. The $37 Angkor Pass is paid on the day, so with the pass you pay $56 in total.
8 hours, from the 4:15 to 4:35 AM pickup to a hotel return between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM.
Hotel pickup in Siem Reap between 4:15 AM and 4:35 AM, with the itinerary showing the pickup point at 57 2 Thnou St.
Not in the price. The 1-day pass costs US$37 per person and is payable on the day of the tour.
Shared standard group of up to 15 people, with an experienced English-speaking guide.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, with reserve now and pay later available.
Check Dates and Availability
The listing gives the pickup as 4:15 to 4:35 AM. Check the calendar for live dates and open seats.
Quick answer Price, pass and route in short
This Angkor Wat sunrise tour costs $19 per person for 8 hours, and the $37 Angkor Pass is paid on the day, so you pay $56 in total.
Key takeaways
- The tour visits Angkor Wat, Srah Srang, Ta Prohm, Victory Gate and the Bayon with a guide, in a group of up to 15. See the full day plan.
- Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The terms sit in what the price covers.
- Not suitable for children under 8 or wheelchair users, and the 4:15 AM pickup is early. Compare the small-group sunrise tour.
- Prefer a private vehicle? The private Angkor sunrise tour takes only your group.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $19 is the seat price. The Angkor Pass and any food come on top, so read this table before you compare totals.
In the Price and Out of It
The listing includes hotel pickup and drop-off, transport by air-conditioned vehicle, an experienced English-speaking guide, bottled water and a cool towel. The Angkor Pass of US$37 per person is not included and is payable on the day, which brings the total with the pass to $56. Breakfast at Srah Srang is optional and at your own expense, bought at the local restaurants near the temples. Lunch, tips and personal expenses are not listed as included.
One conflict to note: the Includes list shows a line for a 1-day temple pass at US$37, while the Know before you go section says an additional US$37 for the Angkor Pass is payable on the day. Treat the pass as an extra and confirm with the operator at booking. The official 1-day Angkor Pass is US$37 on Angkor Enterprise.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tour price | Yes | $19 per person |
| Angkor Pass, 1-day | No | US$37 per person, payable on the day, total with pass $56 |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off | Yes | Between 4:15 AM and 4:35 AM, return by 12:30 to 1:30 PM |
| Guide | Yes | Experienced English-speaking tour guide |
| Bottled water and cool towel | Yes | Included |
| Breakfast | No | Optional at Srah Srang, your own expense |
| Lunch | No | Not stated as included |
| Tips and personal expenses | No | Not stated as included |
Pass Timing and Entry Hours
Two conflicting claims circulate about early entry. MySiemReap describes a special sunrise pass for entry before 7:30 AM and puts opening at 4:30 AM, but the official Angkor Enterprise ticket page lists no such pass and states entry from 5:00 AM to 6:30 PM on all three passes. The official figure stands: the $37 one-day Angkor Pass covers entry from 5:00 AM.
The pass is paid on the day.
Angkor Wat silhouetted against an orange dawn sky and reflected in the pond. Photo: Chi King, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the Day Runs
The listing gives its own clock blocks, from the dark drive out to the ride home before 1:30 PM.
From Pickup to Drop-off
The van collects you at your Siem Reap hotel between 4:15 and 4:35 AM for the 30-minute drive to the park. You enter Angkor Wat through the quieter eastern entrance with a flashlight and watch the sunrise from the reflection pools near the library. The guided visit inside Angkor Wat runs 2.5 hours in total.
The optional breakfast stop at Srah Srang lasts 1 hour and is paid yourself. Ta Prohm follows for 1 hour, then a 20-minute stop at Victory Gate and 1 hour at the Bayon inside Angkor Thom. The drive back to 57 2 Thnou St takes 20 minutes and the listing puts the hotel return between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM.
| Time | Stop | Time there |
|---|---|---|
| 4:15-4:35 AM | Hotel pickup, 30-minute drive | In transit |
| 6:00-8:30 AM | Angkor Wat, eastern entrance and sunrise at the reflection pools | 2.5 hours |
| 8:30-9:00 AM | Srah Srang, optional breakfast | 30 to 60 minutes, extra fee |
| 9:00 AM-12:00 PM | Ta Prohm, Victory Gate, the Bayon | 1 hour, 20 minutes, 1 hour |
| 12:30-1:30 PM | Return to your hotel | In transit |
Breakfast and Coffee After Sunrise
The Angkor Wat block on this tour runs 6:00 to 8:30 AM, and the optional breakfast stop at Srah Srang follows it. Nothing is prepaid.
What You Pay For and When
Breakfast at Srah Srang is optional and at your own expense, bought at the local restaurants from 8:30 AM. A traveller writing for Adventures All Around reported coffee brought round at the Angkor Wat pond for $1.00 a cup. MySiemReap notes that many restaurants near the temples open before 8 AM.
Guiding Cambodia, a different operator, returns its clients to the hotel for breakfast around 8:30 AM, so practices differ between tours.
| Option | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Srah Srang breakfast stop | At your own expense | Srah Srang, 8:30-9:00 AM on this tour |
| Coffee at the pond | $1.00 per cup, reported | Reflection pools, Angkor Wat |
| Hotel breakfast instead | Not stated | Offered by Guiding Cambodia, not this tour |
Why the Stop Fits the Day
The Srah Srang hour also breaks the morning before Ta Prohm, Victory Gate and the Bayon, which fill the 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM stretch. Bottled water and a cool towel are already in the price, and meals are not included.
Source: Adventures All Around, MySiemReapTours, Guiding Cambodia.
How Crowded the Sunrise Gets and When It Thins
A sunrise at Angkor Wat is rarely a private moment. Knowing when the buses arrive decides whether you linger by the pools or move on early.
Before, During and After First Light
Hundreds of visitors gather at the ponds even in low season, and the biggest crowds come during November to March and at the March and September equinoxes. MySiemReap reports that most large tour buses reach Angkor Wat after 8 AM, and Adventures All Around notes that many groups leave for hotel breakfast straight after sunrise and return later. The 6:00 to 8:30 AM Angkor Wat block on this tour covers the sunrise and the stretch after it, with the group capped at 15 people.
| Time | What happens at the ponds |
|---|---|
| 5:00 AM | Park entry opens |
| Sunrise | Hundreds gather at the ponds, most in Nov-Mar and at the equinoxes |
| After sunrise | Some groups leave for hotel breakfast and return later |
| After 8 AM | Large tour buses arrive, grounds busier again |
How This Tour Handles It
The listing marks the tour as skip the ticket line, and the guide leads in through the quieter eastern entrance with a flashlight. If you would rather have the ponds almost to yourself, the Private Angkor Sunrise Tour collects you at 4:45 AM with only your group. A fuller comparison of formats sits in the Angkor Wat tours roundup.
Source: MySiemReapTours, Adventures All Around.
Where the Sunrise Is Best at Angkor Wat
The reflection pools in front of the temple are the classic shot, but the banks are not equal. This tour enters through the quieter eastern entrance with a flashlight and watches from the pools near the library.
The Ponds, the Steps and the Causeway
MySiemReap describes the north pond as the classic reflection and the first bank to fill, the south pond as quieter but still mirroring the towers, the library steps as an elevated view and the entry gopura as a frame for the towers. Wikivoyage advises standing to the extreme left of the entry tower for the best colours in November and December. More viewing positions are on the Angkor Wat sunrise page.
| Spot | What you get | Crowd level |
|---|---|---|
| North pond | Full reflection of the towers | Fills first |
| South pond | Reflection with more space | Quieter |
| Library steps | Elevated view over the pools | Moderate |
| Western causeway | Equinox sun over the central tower | Heaviest at the equinoxes |
The Equinox Alignment
Twice a year the sun rises directly behind the central tower, which stands 65 m above the ground. Seen from the western causeway, the alignment happens at both equinoxes. MySiemReap warns that crowds peak around the equinoxes.
If a calm reflection matters more than the alignment, any other morning gives the same towers with fewer people in the frame.
Source: Wikivoyage, Wikipedia, MySiemReapTours.
Who This Trip Rules Out
The listing states hard limits. Check them before paying.
Stated Limits and Better Fits
The listing says the tour is not suitable for children under 8 or wheelchair users. The pickup between 4:15 and 4:35 AM is a real dawn start. Temples mean stairs and heat, and you must cover knees and shoulders inside the temples. This is a shared group of up to 15 with a guide, not a private vehicle.
The $19 leaves out the $37 pass and all meals, so the day costs more than the headline. If a bigger catalog of stops helps, the Angkor Wat small-group sunrise tour adds Banteay Kdei, Baphuon and the terraces for $15 per person. For a later start, the full-day tour with sunset picks up between 9:10 and 9:30 AM. To ride rather than ride along, try the sunrise cycling tour, and for your own vehicle see the private Angkor sunrise tour. More options sit under Angkor Wat tours from Siem Reap.
Pass, Season and Paperwork
The pass, the dress rule and the heat decide how the morning goes. The figures here come from official and reference pages.
The Angkor Pass
The official 1-day pass costs US$37 and expires in 1 day, and it gives access to more than 50 temples. Park entry runs 5:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Buy it online at ticket.angkorenterprise.gov.kh or through the Angkor Pass app, or pay on the day of the tour as the listing states.
Your photo is printed on the pass, children under 12 enter free with their passport, and passes can be paid by card, US dollars or riel.
Sunrise and Heat
The sun rises at 6:31 am in mid-January, 6:12 am in mid-March and 5:37 am in mid-June in Siem Reap, so the pickup comes well before dawn. The dry season runs November to April and the wet season May to October. January averages a high of 31.7 C and April 35.8 C, so carry water, a hat and sunscreen.
Dress, Visa and What to Carry
Cover knees and shoulders in the temples, with long trousers or a long skirt. A scarf over bare shoulders is not accepted, and short skirts are not allowed on this tour. Bring sunglasses, comfortable clothes, insect repellent and a hat, plus cash for the pass and breakfast.
Most visitors need a visa: the tourist e-visa costs US$30, allows up to 30 days, and the FCDO advises applying at least 4 days ahead. Read more in the Angkor Wat sunrise guide and the Angkor Wat tickets guide.
Cloudy and Rainy Mornings
MySiemReap notes that cloudy mornings still give good light and fewer people at the ponds, and that the wet season from May to October brings storm clouds that can colour the sky instead of hiding it. The dry season from November to February gives the most reliable clear dawns, with the sun rising at 6:31 AM in mid January against 5:37 AM in mid June.
Sources: Angkor Enterprise, Wikivoyage Angkor, FCDO Cambodia, sunrise-sunset.org.
What to Pack for a Dark, Cool Morning
You leave the hotel between 4:15 and 4:35 AM and walk dark corridors by flashlight before the sky turns. A short list covers it.
The Packing List
The tour asks you to bring sunglasses, comfortable clothes, insect repellent and a hat, and it bans short skirts. The dress code in the temples needs covered knees and shoulders, and a scarf over bare shoulders is not accepted. For the dark walk, a small flashlight or a phone light helps on the causeway.
MySiemReap adds a light jacket or scarf from November to February, spare camera batteries and a note that there are no power outlets on site. Small cash covers the optional breakfast at Srah Srang.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Flashlight or phone light | The eastern entrance walk happens in the dark |
| Light jacket or scarf | Mornings from November to February can be cool |
| Spare camera battery | No power outlets on site |
| Small cash | Optional breakfast at Srah Srang, coffee by the pond |
| Long trousers or long skirt | Knees and shoulders must be covered in the temples |
Camera Notes
MySiemReap recommends a camera that performs in low light, with a tripod and bracketing for the pond reflection. It does not recommend phone cameras for the best quality. Verified reviewers on this tour mention guides taking photos of them.
Source: Wikivoyage, MySiemReapTours, MySiemReapTours.
Step by Step
The listing's own blocks, in order.
-
4:15-4:35 AM
Pickup
An air-conditioned van collects you at your Siem Reap hotel and drives 30 minutes to the Angkor Archaeological Park.
-
Before 6:00 AM
Eastern entrance
You slip through the quieter eastern entrance of Angkor Wat and walk the ancient corridors by flashlight.
-
6:00-8:30 AM
Angkor Wat
Watch the sunrise from the reflection pools near the library, then follow your guide through the galleries and bas-reliefs, 2.5 hours at Angkor Wat in all.
-
8:30-9:00 AM
Srah Srang
An optional 1-hour breakfast stop at the local restaurants, paid at your own expense.
-
9:00 AM-12:00 PM
Ta Prohm, Victory Gate and the Bayon
One hour in the tree-rooted ruins of Ta Prohm, a 20-minute photo stop at Victory Gate, then an hour with the stone faces of the Bayon inside Angkor Thom.
-
12:30-1:30 PM
Return
A 20-minute drive back to 57 2 Thnou St and drop-off at your hotel.
Pros and Cons
Where this listing earns its 4.9 rating, and where it falls short.
What we genuinely like
- The listing routes you through the quieter eastern entrance to watch the sunrise from the reflection pools near the library.
- A guide is included all day, in an air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup and drop-off.
- The group is capped at 15 people and bottled water plus a cool towel come in the price.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, reserve now and pay later, and free date changes up to 7 hours before the start.
- 4.9 from 1,609 verified reviews, one of the stronger records among the Angkor Wat tours listed.
The honest downsides
- The $37 Angkor Pass is payable on the day, so the real total with the pass is $56, not the $19 headline.
- The Includes list names the 1-day temple pass while Know before you go says it is an extra, so confirm with the operator.
- Breakfast at Srah Srang is not included and costs extra.
- Children under 8 and wheelchair users are excluded.
- The 4:15 to 4:35 AM pickup is a very early start.
Who it's NOT for: Families with young children, wheelchair users, late risers and anyone who wants meals or the pass bundled into one price should look at the alternatives.
Questions About This Tour
Is the Angkor Pass included in the $19?
No. The 1-day pass costs US$37 per person and is payable on the day, bringing the total with the pass to $56. The official price matches on the Angkor Enterprise ticket page.
What time does the tour start and end?
Hotel pickup runs between 4:15 AM and 4:35 AM and the return lands at your hotel between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM. The day plan lists every stop and its time.
Do I need to cover up inside the temples?
Yes. Knees and shoulders must be covered, a scarf over bare shoulders is not accepted, and short skirts are not allowed. The Angkor Wat sunrise guide covers the dress rule in detail.
Where do I watch the sunrise from?
You enter through the quieter eastern entrance with a flashlight and watch from the reflection pools near the library. More on the viewing spots sits in the Angkor Wat guide.
Can I cancel or change the date?
Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and last-minute date changes are free up to 7 hours before the start. The platform is GetYourGuide.
Is this tour right for young children?
No. The listing rules out children under 8 and wheelchair users. The small-group sunrise tour accepts children from 4.
Is breakfast included?
No. Breakfast at Srah Srang is optional and bought at the local restaurants at your own expense. Bottled water and a cool towel are included. Angkor Wat tours from Siem Reap lists options that bundle meals.
Where is the best spot to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat?
The north pond gives the classic tower reflection and fills first, the south pond is quieter with the same view, and the library steps are elevated. This tour watches from the reflection pools near the library after entering through the eastern side. More options are on the Angkor Wat sunrise page.
How crowded is Angkor Wat at sunrise?
Hundreds gather even in low season, with the biggest crowds from November to March and at the equinoxes. Most large tour buses arrive after 8 AM, so this tour's 6:00 to 8:30 AM block at Angkor Wat keeps you ahead of the heaviest flow.
Is a sunrise tour at Angkor Wat worth it with a 4:30 AM wakeup?
The pickup on this tour is between 4:15 and 4:35 AM and the day runs 8 hours, so the alarm is real. What you get back is the ponds before the buses, 2.5 hours inside Angkor Wat followed by Ta Prohm and the Bayon, and a total of $56 once you pay the Angkor Pass on the day.
What Travelers Said
The guide Sak was extremely knowledgeable and made sure that we arrived early so that we had an excellent position to view the sunrise. Sak took us to see 3 temples and he was able to tell us about the history, architecture and culture of each one. The trip was paced well and we were well supplied with cold water and even cold flannels to help with the intense heat. Being collected and returned direct to our hotel was great. I would really recommend this trip it was an experience of a lifetime.
Mr. Pal was a very thoughtful guide that is passionate to share Cambodian history and culture! We went as a couple on our honeymoon and he took the time to take fun photos shots. The tour was organized and on time, on hot dry season day in late March they had cold waters and the van was comfortable and air conditioned. The tour was paced to show us a lot of the highlights in Angkor Wat and surrounding temples but also allowed us rest stops and breaks to explore. This was a perfect tour for us!
Fantastic trip out - got the best spot for sunrise over Angkor Wat and visited a further 2 temples with excellent guidance from Bun. He gave interesting, informative and open guidance on the sites visited and made sure we were looked after at all times. We were not rushed and given opportunity to explore certain areas for longer. Vireak our driver (apologies if name wrong) was also fantastic making sure we had plenty of water and fearful smelling cold hand towels each time we came back from a site to the transport.
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