The essentials in 30 seconds
- Verdict: Place one sunrise and one sunset on separate days with rest in between: sunrise on the day after arrival, sunset on the following day. Ask your hotel to help with early breakfast and transport.
- Gate times: The official ticket page shows Angkor Temples Park entry from 5:00 AM to 6:30 PM (as listed in October 2026, confirm before you travel).
- Sunrise gate: A tour operator says Angkor Wat opens at 5:00 AM for sunrise and most other temples at 6:00 AM.
- Sunset: visit-angkor.org calls Phnom Bakheng the indisputable hotspot for sunset. Confirm sunrise and sunset times with a reliable source for your dates.
A sunrise at Angkor and a sunset over the temples are the two moments many travellers hope for. Together they ask for an early start and a late return, so the order of your days decides how fresh you feel. A three-night luxury stay in Siem Reap gives you the room to place each one well.
This page sets out the spacing rule, the three-day order, what your hotel can help with and an evening-before checklist. The full itinerary sits on the sister page, a day-by-day plan for three nights, and the reasoning behind the length is on the mother page, why three nights suit a stay. Times and rules change, so confirm them before you travel.
The rule: one early start, one late finish, never back to back
A sunrise visit means leaving the hotel in the dark, while a sunset visit means staying at the temples until the light fades. Putting both on the same day leaves little room for the pool or a meal, so give each its own day with rest in between.
The park hours support this. The official page shows entry from 5:00 AM and closing at 6:30 PM for all passes. An independent guide lists earlier closing hours, so sources differ and you should confirm on the official page. Whichever you follow, plan your sunset visit with time to walk back and meet your driver before the park closes.
Crowds shape the choice as well. Intrepid notes that December to March is a popular period and Angkor is super busy then, which makes an early start more valuable in those months.
The three-day order
A balanced order for three nights
- 1Day of arrival: check in, swim, enjoy dinner at the hotel and go to bed early. Check-in is listed at 14:00 by FCC Angkor by Avani and Amansara, and from 2:00 PM by Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra.
- 2Day after arrival: sunrise at Angkor Wat, a second breakfast back at the hotel, a rest at midday and a quiet afternoon.
- 3Following day: a later start for a second group of temples, then sunset at a chosen spot, with dinner back at the hotel.
- 4Departure morning: unhurried breakfast and check-out, listed at 12:00 by several hotels.
This order puts the earliest start when you are freshest, and the later finish after a day that began at a comfortable hour. If you arrive late at night, shift the plan by a day or add a night; the page on stays of four to seven nights covers that.
What your hotel can arrange
Hotels in this guide describe a range of help. Viroth's Hotel lists tour suggestions that include sunrise at Angkor Wat and a sunset boat trip at West Baray, and it offers temple tours in a vintage limousine with trained, experienced drivers. Its restaurant serves a la carte breakfast from 06:00 to 10:00, which suits a return for second breakfast.
Amansara states that it can arrange picnics or private dinners amid the temples. Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor offers a temple exploration by Vespa and a Bespoke Temple Dinner experience, and Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra offers Temple Dinners. FCC Angkor by Avani can arrange guided tuk tuk tours with English-speaking guides for one to three days. Lotus Blanc Resort lists tuk-tuk, SUV or luxury limousine as transport options.
Early breakfast and packed breakfast arrangements are not described in the bundle's hotel pages, so ask the concierge when you book and confirm on the hotel's own page. Ask also about the price and pickup point of your driver.
The evening-before checklist
Before you sleep
- Ticket plan: the official site states that the Angkor Ticket Office is the only place to purchase entrance tickets, and the office hours are listed as 5 AM to 5:30 PM, with next-day tickets sold after 4:30 PM according to one operator.
- Driver booked and the pickup point agreed with the hotel.
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees, as the visitor code requires in sacred places.
- Camera ready. Drone use is prohibited without written permission obtained ahead of time.
- Breakfast arrangement confirmed with the hotel.
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. This comes from a single source, so confirm with the ticket office.
Where to go next
Two daughter pages go deeper. The sunrise routine, from ticket to second breakfast, is on Angkor sunrise entry times for hotel guests. The choice of sunset spot, with an easy ride back, is on the best sunset spots near Angkor.
When your dates are settled, enter them on both Agoda and Booking.com, compare the totals and read the cancellation terms before you book. The complete guide to Siem Reap luxury hotels lists every hotel in the directory.
Where to watch the sunset
For sunset, visit-angkor.org calls Phnom Bakheng the indisputable hotspot, though a 2017 report of a cap on hilltop numbers has no current official confirmation, so confirm the rules before you go. The official ticket page shows the park closing at 6:30 PM, so leave time to walk back and meet your driver. For a different evening, a tour operator lists late afternoon golden hours as a popular time at Kampong Phluk on Tonle Sap Lake, about 20 km southeast of Siem Reap. Viroth's Hotel lists a sunset boat trip at West Baray among its suggestions, Zannier Phum Baitang serves cocktails at its Sunset Lounge, and Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor and Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra offer temple dinners. Hours and rules change, so confirm before you travel.
Test your knowledge
Five questions on this guide.
Luxury hotels in Siem Reap: frequently asked questions
On which days should I schedule sunrise and sunset?
Put sunrise on the day after arrival and sunset on the following day, with rest between them, so that neither activity cuts into the other.
What time does Angkor Wat open for sunrise?
A tour operator says Angkor Wat opens at 5:00 AM for sunrise and most other temples at 6:00 AM. The official page shows park entry from 5:00 AM. Confirm before you travel.
When does the park close?
The official ticket page shows closing at 6:30 PM, while an independent guide lists a different time. Sources differ, so confirm on the official page.
Can the hotel help with the early start?
Several hotels describe tours, drivers and temple dinners. Early breakfast specifics are not in the hotel pages we reviewed, so ask your concierge and confirm on the hotel's page.
Which hotels offer temple dinners?
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra lists Temple Dinners, Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor lists a Bespoke Temple Dinner experience and Amansara can arrange private dinners amid the temples.
What should I pack the night before?
Your ticket, clothing covering shoulders and knees, your camera and your driver's details. Drones are prohibited without written permission.
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