Siem Reap – 8 Things to Know before Entering Angkor Archaeological Park + Sunset at Phnom Bakheng

After our Tonle Sap Lake tour, we top-up 3 USD to “extend” our tuk-tuk service.  We reached ticket counter of Angkor Archaeological Park around 5pm and start queuing to get our 3-day pass.

By the way, we would like to share about 8 things that you need to know before entering Angkor Archaeological Park :)

(1) Day pass

There are 3 types of pass being offered:

1-day pass – 20 USD

Validity: 1 day

3-day pass – 40 USD

Validity: 3 days visit in one week time (any 3 days in a week and maximum 3 holes punched at the checkpoint).

7-day pass – 60 USD

Validity: 7 days visit in one month time (any 7 days in a month and maximum 7 holes punched at the checkpoint).

At the ticket counter.

(2) 31 numbers behind the day pass

There are 31 numbers printed behind the ticket, from 1 to 31, so every time when you entered the park, officer at the checkpoint would punch a hole on your ticket. Let’s say you enter on 5^th of December, the officer would punch a hole at number “5”.

We visited on 5th, 6th and 7th of the month :)

(3) Smile and take a photo

When you purchase the ticket, your photo would be taken on the spot and printed on the ticket.

(4) Checkpoint

You would have to show your ticket to officer at the checkpoint. Keep your ticket properly and if your ticket is laminated, lost, torn, wet, the date and photograph cannot be seen clearly, you would have to buy a new one. For 7-day pass, it is being laminated.

(5) Access

You can visit to any temples using the ticket, except for Mount Kulen and Bengmealea temple.

(6) For kids

Children until 12-year-old are not required to buy ticket, they can enter by showing their passport.

(7) Ticket buying time & visiting hours

Ticket buying starts from 5.00am until 5.30pm everyday. So you can actually buy the ticket early in the morning and catch sunrise right after that. Visiting hour starts from 5.30am until 5.30pm.

(8) The best time to get your ticket

Pass for the next day sold from 5.00pm everyday. We bought our ticket at 5pm and right after that our tuk-tuk driver fetched us to Phnom Bakheng for the sunset. By the way, enter the park after 5pm is not counted as “1 day”. Officer at the checkpoint would still check your ticket but they would not punch on your ticket.

Temple at Phnom Bakheng.

Phnom Bakheng, one of the popular site for sunset besides Pre Rup. The main attraction here is the sunset view over Angkor War.

Overlooking Angkor Wat from Phnom Bakheng.

Once we reached there, we had to hike up to the mountain. After around half an hour, we reached the top. You can also choose to have an elephant ride up to the hill. 

Elephant ride area.

Elephant with its dung :P

Visitors on the temple are restricted to 300 persons at one time. So it is better to be there earlier (around 4pm) to grab a good spot for sunset :)

We are too late and could not make it up there since there are quite a number of visitors queuing to get up to the temple. We didn’t follow the crowd queuing but we loitered around for a while and walked down to meet our tuk-tuk driver, because it was raining dogs and cats suddenly!!! It was a gloomy evening but we never expect it to rain so heavy in a sudden! 

So, raincoat is a MUST if you visit Siem Reap during raining season :P

 Phnom Bakheng, our first destination throughout our 3days of exploration in Angkor Archaeological Park :) 

Click HERE to read about 10 useful tips while travelling in Siem Reap.