The essentials in 30 seconds
- Verdict: Have your ticket ready the day before, set the departure time from your hotel by the 5:00 AM Angkor Wat opening and your ride time, and ask the hotel to arrange the driver the evening before.
- Gate times: A tour operator says Angkor Wat opens at 5:00 AM for sunrise and most other temples at 6:00 AM. The official ticket page shows park entry from 5:00 AM (as listed in October 2026, confirm before you travel).
- Where to buy: The official site states that the Angkor Ticket Office is the only place to purchase entrance tickets and that tickets bought elsewhere are not valid.
- Return: Plan a second breakfast at the hotel, since several hotels in this guide serve breakfast over a long window.
A sunrise at Angkor Wat rewards preparation. The morning flows easily when the ticket, the driver and the breakfast are sorted the night before, and a luxury hotel in Siem Reap can help with most of it. This page walks you through the routine in order.
It belongs to the sunrise and sunset plan on the mother page, when to go for sunrise and sunset. For sunset viewing, see the sister page on the best sunset spots near Angkor. Times and rules change, so confirm them on the official Angkor ticket page and your hotel's page before you travel.
The evening before: ticket, driver, breakfast, bag
Start with the ticket. The official site states that the Angkor Ticket Office is the only place to purchase entrance tickets, and the Road 60 ticket office is about 4 km from the town centre, roughly 15 minutes from the temple checkpoints. Angkor Enterprise describes its website as the official site for purchasing tickets, and a tour operator page adds that tickets are valid if bought through the official website, app, kiosks or the Road 60 ticket office.
Ticket office hours are listed as 5 AM to 5:30 PM, and one operator says that after 4:30 PM next-day tickets can be bought for sunrise. A single guide adds that a ticket dated for the next day allows entry the evening before, which does not count as a pass day. These two points come from single sources, so confirm with the ticket office.
Then arrange the driver with your hotel. Tuk-tuk, motorbike and taxi drivers must be licensed and wear identification when entering Angkor, and tourists are not allowed to drive motorbikes or cars in Siem Reap according to a secondary source, so hire comes with a driver. Lotus Blanc Resort lists tuk-tuk, SUV or luxury limousine as transport options, and Viroth's Hotel offers temple tours in a vintage limousine with trained, experienced drivers.
Pack the bag: ticket, camera, water and clothing that covers shoulders and knees. The official visitor code bans revealing clothes such as shorts and skirts above the knees, and bare shoulders, in sacred places. Drone use is prohibited without written permission obtained ahead of time.
Departure time and arrival at the gate
Work backward from the opening time. Angkor Wat opens at 5:00 AM for sunrise according to a tour operator, and the official page shows park entry from 5:00 AM. Your ride time then sets your departure from the hotel, and the hotels differ.
Stated distances from the hotels in this guide
- Jaya House River Park states the Angkor ticket gate is 5 minutes away.
- Amansara states it is 10 minutes from Angkor Wat.
- Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra states 10 minutes on one page and 5 minutes on its booking page, so confirm which applies.
- FCC Angkor by Avani states it is 15 minutes from Angkor Wat.
- Viroth's Hotel states a 15-minute ride from Angkor Wat.
- Zannier Phum Baitang states approximately 20 minutes from the Angkor Wat temple complex.
- Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor states that the temples of Angkor are an 8 km ride away.
Add time for the approach. Since May 2016 the 300 metre road in front of Angkor Wat is limited to walkers and cyclists, while cars and tourist vans remain allowed on other park roads, so your final approach is on foot. In September 2021 the Apsara National Authority asked visitors to avoid parking on the streets around Angkor Wat. Agree a clear pickup point with your driver for the return.
The morning on site
Arrive at the gate with your ticket in hand. A source notes that guards check tickets across the site and each day of entry is stamped, so carry the ticket at all times. Find your viewing spot in the early light and give the sunrise time without hurrying.
Other views exist for variety. The tethered Angkor Balloon charges 20 USD per adult for a regular ride or 25 USD for sunrise, rises to about 120 m for a 10 to 15 minute ride and flies sunrise to sunset weather permitting, as listed by an operator. An operator sells a small group sunrise e-bike tour at 89 USD per person with guide, pedal assist e-bike, breakfast and tuk-tuk pickup, excluding the Angkor pass. These prices are as listed in October 2026, so confirm before you travel.
Photographers can ask Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor about its photography workshops, called Reflections of Angkor. Viroth's Hotel lists sunrise at Angkor Wat among its tour suggestions.
Back at the hotel for second breakfast
The sunrise morning ends well with a long breakfast. Viroth's Hotel lists a la carte breakfast from 06:00 to 10:00, Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor lists a champagne breakfast at Cafe d'Angkor, and Angkor Village Hotel lists breakfast daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 am at Aaraama Restaurant. Confirm breakfast hours on your hotel's page.
After breakfast, rest. A swim or spa visit makes the afternoon easy: Jaya House River Park lists a spa open daily from 10:00 to 22:00, and Zannier Phum Baitang lists a 50-metre infinity pool. The plan for the rest of the stay is on the sister page, a day-by-day plan for three nights.
A short checklist
Before the sunrise morning
- Ticket from an official channel, or purchased as the ticket office advises.
- Driver confirmed with the hotel, with the pickup point agreed.
- Departure time set from your hotel's stated ride time.
- Clothing covering shoulders and knees.
- Second breakfast confirmed at the hotel.
When you are ready to book, enter the same dates on Agoda and Booking.com, compare totals and read the cancellation terms. The complete guide to Siem Reap luxury hotels lists every hotel with its own page.
Test your knowledge
Five questions on this guide.
Luxury hotels in Siem Reap: frequently asked questions
How does a sunrise visit to Angkor work?
Prepare the ticket and driver the day before, leave the hotel in time for the 5:00 AM opening of Angkor Wat given your ride time, enjoy the sunrise and return for second breakfast.
Where do I buy the ticket?
The official site states that the Angkor Ticket Office is the only place to purchase entrance tickets and that tickets bought elsewhere are not valid. Confirm current details before you travel.
Can I enter the evening before?
A single guide says a ticket dated for the next day allows entry the evening before, and that this evening does not count as a pass day. Confirm with the ticket office.
How far is Angkor from my hotel?
Hotels state between 5 minutes and about 20 minutes, with Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor stating an 8 km ride. Check your hotel's page.
Can I drive myself?
Tourists are not allowed to drive motorbikes or cars in Siem Reap according to a secondary source, so hire comes with a driver. Your hotel can arrange one.
What are the clothing rules?
The visitor code bans revealing clothes such as shorts and skirts above the knees, and bare shoulders, in sacred places.
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