8,614Reviews13Q&A
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 6,841
- 1,543
- 201
- 20
- 9
Traveler type
Time of year
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
+1
My wife and I visited Siem Reap, as part of a 17day trip through Vietnam and Cambodia, where we were travelling with 10 other people. The tour was with G-Adventures and so the visit to Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm was prearranged by them, including a local guide to give us a high level of specific history and knowledge. The entire experience is, without doubt, one of the most wonderful I have ever had on my travels. This review is specifically for Angkor Thom and the Bayon Temple, though our trip included Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat, which I’ll review separately. The full site is massive, and so I would recommend a guided tour that takes in all three main places of interest. We began our visit at Angkor Wat, to catch the views of the sunrise behind the temple, and I’ve reviewed that separately, followed by Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. The main points of advice I would give would be: Firstly, try to go with a guide, as the specific information they can provide is invaluable. Secondly, read as much information as you can before your visit, so you have an idea of the areas you wish to focus on, as the entire site is massive. Thirdly, try, if you can, to get there well before sunrise, in order to watch the sunrise at nearby Angkor Wat. Our group set off from the hotel at 04:00am to achieve this and, much as that might sound ridiculously early, it is worth it to beat the crowds and get a good spot for taking photos. Please feel free to check the photos I’ve posted in separate reviews for each of the three locations.…
Read more
Date of experience: March 2020
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
You are just about to cross one of the gates of "Angkor Thom", the capital city of the Angkorian Empire! Back in the 12th century, legendary King Jayavarman VII defeated the Cham invaders and decided to build a new royal capital city, starting then a true "building" crusade across the empire. Many palaces, temples, monuments and ponds, remnants from this period, can still be visited within "Angkor Archaelogical Park" limits. "Angkor Thom" is a 3km² walled and moated city (enclosing old existing structures as the temples of "Phimeanakas" and "Baphuon"), with five entry gates, one four each cardinal point, plus a fifth one - the awesome "Victory Gate" (just across the moat near the temples of "Thommanon" and " Chau Say Tevoda"), leading to King Jayavarman VII's "Royal Palace". Each entry gate is crowned by four giant images of Lord Buddha, as Buddhism was King Jayavarman VII's religion. Anyone visiting Cambodia cannot miss "Angkor Thom", entering its walls generally through the beautiful "South Gate", which leads directly to "Bayon", the state temple of King Jayavarman VII. If you miss it, you will certainly regret forever! Enjoy!…
Read more
Date of experience: January 2020
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Angkor Thom is a last Capital City of the Khmer empire before moved it to Phnom Penh today. Tour and local guide are in Siem Reap Cambodia.
Read more
Date of experience: September 2020
Helpful
One of the must visits whilst in Siem Reap. I booked as part of a Tuk-Tuk tour from my hostel. Try and arrive early to avoid the masses.
Read more
Date of experience: August 2019
Helpful
+1
We hired a guide months before actually arriving in Siem Reap and WOW did it pay off. Plus it was a great price for just the 2 of us to be gone 10+ hours. Our Tour Guide Mr. Khemarin picked us up at our hotel managed to keep away from the crowds almost the day. I was shocked how quiet most places were. Angkor Thom was out second stop after hiking u Bakheng Hill. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Angkor empire, the city was founded in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. It is famous for its "face-towers" at the 5 city gates and at the central Bayon temple. There are many areas of Angkor Thom to explore. The South Gate with the 54 statues on each side that crosses over the river heading to Bayon. The Royal Palace, Prasat Chung & Mangalartha, Phimeanakas, Baphuon, Terrance of the Elephants, Terrance of the Leeper King and many many more. You could wander here all day and probably not miss a thing. Each Temple is very different from the rest. So don't let people tell you that you just have to see one. They are all incredible. If you only have one day and don't want a huge itinerary. I Would recommend Angkor Thom's full site. I know most people come for Angkor Wat but there is just so much more to see at Angkor Thom. But Honestly, You should be able to see Angkor Thom and Wat in the same day with lots of time to spare. We managed to do both circuits in one day but it was a real push through day. We only have 1 day to see as much as possible. Mr. Khemarin was the prefect guide for us. He was so knowledgeable, friendly and shared stories of life in Cambodia. Also, he was a great photographer! So creative! Don't forget to have your shoulders and knees covered!…
Read more
Date of experience: December 2019
1 Helpful vote
Helpful