We were afraid tourism over the past 15 years would have changed Angkor Wat, but I’m happy to report, although it’s changed in Siam Reap, the experience in Angkor Wat is still well worth it as an unforgettable component of any SE Asia trip. The opportunity to see the “eighth” wonder of the world, which in my opinion is way cooler than a bunch of the other seven, is a bucket list item well worth the journey. So much so that this is our second time here! And you know what? We’d come again for sure!!!!
When planning a trip to Angkor Wat, consider the time of year and give yourself 3 days. We’ve found that by the 3rd day, the glittery wonder of the magnificence of the place starts to fade but when returning again at a later date, that glitter is reignited! Better to make multiple trips with years between than trying to see it all in one extended trip. Also, the weather! We visited our first time in December 2008. It was a little chilly and downright cold early in the mornings for sunrise, but by midday very comfortable. This time October 2025, the weather was sunny and partly cloudy with thunderstorms mixed in for excitement. The heat was nearly unbearable from 10:30-3:00PM. You’re drenched in your own sweat within 20 minutes. If we had our choice, we’d only come back in late November to mid February because of the heat. I can only imagine summer time in Cambodia. It would nearly be unbearable!
Now, quick unpaid plug in hopes that you can leverage this opportunity like we did and ball out for a moment. I’ve got this one credit card, the American Express Platinum, that although it has an annual membership rate that is one of the highest in the industry, it has one of the best collection of perks. If used correctly, you can get many multiples of return on your annual fee. Staying at Fine Hotels or IHG Hotels is one way. Every six months they give you $300 credit on your stay, $100 to spend at the hotel, an early check-in, a late 4pm checkout, free breakfasts, and a free upgrade. Therefore, twice a year, we try to use this perk. It’s not always possible because hotels can be so expensive, but in places like Cambodia, you can make it work! The Park Hyatt was $200 a night, so in the end we paid $300 for three nights in a Park Hyatt after our credit, plus got all the other perks! Staying bougie also had some other great perks like daily massages, amazing pool where we played capture the rock, and just an overall amazing property and staff. Highly recommend this credit card and this property. If you want to get this credit card, do me a favor and use this link. We’ll both get a bonus. Ok, now back to Angkor Wat.
Our Grab driver from the airport was also a certified tour guide at Angkor Wat. Tourism is down sharply from the peak prior to covid and there are over a thousand tour guides not getting the work they used to. They’ve had to resort to other opportunities and in this case, a Grab Driver to earn additional money. We really liked our driver and when we got to know him, towards the end of the long drive from the airport, he offered his services as a guide. Not pushy, just offered. After comparing prices at the hotel and elsewhere, we decided to hire Mono. WhatsApp him: +855 69 311 605.
Mono was a great guide and a solid way to start your Angkor Wat experience. He helped us get our tickets and drove us around in AC to the temples. But it was so damn hot that we only made it half a day before the kids melted. That means, we only got to see one temple that morning. It was partially because the kids could give two shits when they were uncomfortably hot, despite our encouragement to listen about the details of the different eras of Angkor Wat. I was loving it, but caved in and we went back to the hotel for a few hours to cool off, eat, and relax. Then Mono picked us back up and we returned to visit Angkor Thom (The temple where the filmed Lara Croft Tomb Raider). We checked out a few more temples and then watched the sunset over the moat of Angkor Wat. It was beautiful and a surreal end to day 1 of temple exploring.
The kids weren’t into the guided tour and we didn’t really need it after day one. We now had our bearings, knew the basics of temple navigation, and a basic understanding of the history. It was now time to go on our own. That being said, we are extremely grateful for the guided day 1 and would recommend that for sure for others or those that don’t want to ride bikes.
On day two our hotel rented us two bikes that had seats on the back to pack the kids. The ride to Angkor Wat from our hotel in central Siam Reap would have taken us at least 25 minutes and in this heat, Louise and I would have melted. So we found a Remork (large Tuktuk) driver that was creative enough to tie up our bikes to his ride and take us all the way there, hang out for a few hours, and then bring us back in the dark at the end of the day. This might seem sketch in some countries but we felt safe and trusting. That is something we’ve felt more of here than other parts of the world. Granted there are scams, but Vietnam and Cambodia have felt safer to us then most parts of SE Asia, and the US for that matter.
So off we went, bikes tied up on the trip to Angkor Wat for day two. We waited till 2pm to go in order to avoid some of the heat, and we aimed for shaded temples as much as we could. The ability to explore with the flexibility of a bike made the trip so memorable and it brought back memories when Louise, Liz and myself explored here in a similar fashion in 2008.
Day 2 was such a success that we did it again on our third day! Louise figured out how to get us up on top of the wall at Angkor Thom and we explored zones that few got to see. While riding up on the wall, it was like an elevated jungle trail. We didn’t see anyone else the whole time we were up there!The freedom to explore by pedal bike surpassed even the motor bike. We could pick our bikes up and carry them through tricky spots, ride through some temple areas, and access zones that would have taken to long to walk to. When you go, make sure you take one day soak in the intricacies of this magical place through the lens that only a pedal bike can provide.
Pic of us from 2008
Pics of us, same pose kinda from 2025
Child labor was a real thing, just like the last time we were here. Kids were working everywhere. Not just in their family shops and restaurants, but also begging in the streets, and selling Knickknacks. It’s really hard to say no to the cutest of kids begging or selling a bracelet for a dollar. But giving in to this action only creates more of it. In the end, I continue to struggle with this one. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation.
Eating dinner down by the river each night was a great way to taste authentic foods and integrate with the local community. I would avoid Pub Street which just seemed like a massive tourist trap.
In closing, we really couldn’t come this far from Hawaii to Southeast Asia and not revisit Angkor Wat. With that being said, I’d come back here again in a flash! Next time we’re gonna aim to come in December or January when it’s much cooler. To reiterate what we said earlier, now in early October, our shirts were drenched in sweat by 9:00 AM and they stayed that way till just before sunset. The last time we came in December, it was actually cold in the mornings and then comfortable for the rest of the day.
Coming back to Cambodia was an epic decision.
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