Please help with Siem Reap/Angkor 3 day itinerary
Replies: 18 - Last Post: May 6, 2012 12:54 AM Last Post By: Kameka
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Please help with Siem Reap/Angkor 3 day itinerary
HelloI will be in Siem Reap myself from June 3 - June 7, so I will have 3 full days there. I have been in contact with a tuk tuk driver that someone from here has recommended to me, and he put together this itinerary for me for $90 total for the 3 days + free pick up and drop off. It would be the first 2 days by tuk tuk and the 3rd day by a/c camry.
I told him beyond the normal Small and Grand circuit, that I really wanted to see Beng Maelia and Banteay Srey. Other temples I was especially interested in were Ta Phrom, Ta Som, Preah Khan and Banteay Kdei as I have a fascination with the overgrown temples.
The itinerary sounds great, but I'm wondering if it's too ambitious and if I will have time to see all of these things? Particularly the way he has Day 3 lined up right now and also considering the heat in June.
Also, should I rearrange any temples or any of the days? I have read that it is best to see Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom last to work up to these as some of the smaller temples might be underwhelming if I see these first? Should I make Day 1's itinerary Day 3 instead - I read that some start with the Rolous Group first as it's chronological.
Thank you - I appreciate all suggestions. Have been doing nothing but reading up on all of these temples the last couple days and I think it's making me confused! :)
Itinerary my tuk tuk driver has planned:
Day 1 ( 3th ,June ) Free service pick you up ( please Confirm )
*Day 2 ( 4thth ,June )*-Small tour circuit $10 Tuk Tuk service
We leave from hotel early morning 5:00am to buy Pass ticket of Angkor (3day $40 Etc ) , Then Angkor Wat for Sun rise =>Angkor Thom( Bayun, Baphon.Terrace of the leper King,Royal Palace ..........else )=>Thommanon ,Chav say=>Ta Keo=>Ta Promh=>Bateay Kdei =>Pre Rup for Sun Set .
*Day 3 (5th ,June )*-(Grand tour circuit +Tonle Sap lake)$15 Tuk Tuk service
We leave from the hotel after breakfast around 7:30am-8:00am then=> Prasat Kravan => Pre Rup=>East Mebon =>Ta Som => Neak Pean=>Preah Khan Then turn back town for your lunch after to do like Old Market for Sopping-Artisan D'angkor -Killing Field -or Museum ..........else and then back Hotel for arest
Around 4:00pm We go to Tonle Sap Lake King lake and bigger in south of Asia you can see like Floating village -Floating Market -Floating Forest Crocodile and Fish Farm -see people how to fishing on the lake and then See special Sun set there on the boat .
*Day 4 ( 6,June )*-(Long Trip ) $65 by Car camry a/c This trip Tuk Tuk is not possible
We leave from the hotel early morning at 5:00am => Sras Srang for Sun Rise then=>Bateay Samre=>Bateay Srei => Kbal Spean (water full 1000Ligar River Show about Hinduism..else ) Then back to => Country side ( To see real life Cambodia people at local village -Rice field -Some Farm...Else )=>Beng Melea =>Rolous Group(Lolei ,Preah Ko ,Bakong for Sun Set .
Day 5 (7th ,June ) Free service sending to Bus station ,ferry or air port
Lily
2
3 very busy days there, is well worth it though IMHO. I spent 5 days in Siem Reap / Angkor Wat Archeological Park...could have spent longer :)Nice price you have been offered there - I paid $13 for the small circuit and $15 for the large Circuit, but like Herb we did not go to Tonle Sap.
NB - when we went to Angkor Wat for sunrise (well worth it if the weather conditions are favorable), we arrived by 5.30am and it was a Zoo, by 5.45am there were many people pushing / shoving / arguing as to who had their ideal patch for taking Pic's - it was actually comical at one stage. Some clown came and stood right in front of me within 1m when I was trying to take Pics :) Get there early, find a good spot and stay there! Take a torch or Head Lamp.
Have a great trip!
4
Did not do the sunrise as I heard it was as #2 describes and there was no sunrise in Nov due to cloud and they had scaffolding on Angkor Wat as well.5
Thanks for all the advice!I thought the price was good too so I'm fairly happy about that.
I think I will start with the Roluos and Beng Mealia on day 1. Would it be possible to do Banteay Srei that day as well? I can sacrifice the waterfall and countryside this day if it's getting too hectic/tiring but will prob. play it by ear to see how I am feeling
And re: Day 3, i thought it was a bit hectic too. I will prob. focus on the temples, and then if I can fit in Tonie Sap, I will.
6
if you are really interested in the temples (and why not? they're fabulous!) i think this is not a good itinerary for you. it does sound as henning says like a very standard tour with not enough temple time and all of it too rushed, and too much tourist crap on days 3 + 4. also, there are places to see sunrise that are not as crowded as angkor wat, not that i recall them right now but there are bunches of posts about this.agree that less is definitely more - you want enough time to really be in each temple, see and experience it and look closely. and unless you are very fond of southeast asian manufactured tourist experiences, i don't think you need any of them at all.
7
Yes, I am telling him that I would like the focus to be on the temples first, with the other things added if there is enough time.Just a question: Is it usually recommended to do the small circuit before the grand circuit? I am thinking about saving the small circuit until the last day to work my way up to it.
So something like this:
Day 1: Rolous Group, Banteay Srei and Beng Mealea being the focus + Banteay Samre, Kbal Spean and Countryside if there is time. Bakong for sunset. Is Sras Srang for Sun Rise worth it or should I just head straight to the Rolous group?
Day 2: Grand circuit (Prasat Kravan => Pre Rup=>East Mebon =>Ta Som => Neak Pean=>Preah Khan) + Land Mine Museum and Tonie Sap/sunset (if there is time)
Day 3: Small circuit (Angkor Wat for Sun rise =>Angkor Thom( Bayun, Baphon.Terrace of the leper King,Royal Palace)=>Thommanon ,Chav say=>Ta Keo=>Ta Promh=>Bateay Kdei =>Pre Rup for Sun Set)
Thank you - any feedback is much appreciated!
8
D1, leave out Banteay Samre, Kbal Spean and Sra Srang, they're in a completely different are. Sunrise at Bakhong is very nice but it's 17km outside town so you'd have to get up early.D2, don't be on a boat for sunset, be on the top of Phnom Krom, the hill right on the lake. It's a half hour walk up.
D3, looks ok.
Have a look at a map, Kbal Spean is in the same direction as Banteay Srei (another good place for sunrise) so it would be good to combine those. Kbal Spean after Banteay Srei as you have to walk up the slope for about 30 minutes and dangling your feet in the stream would be a good refreshment. On the way back to town visit Aki Ra's mine museum.
11
Hey what coincidence, i'll be there from 3rd june till 10th. initial plan was only till 7th but decided to extend. I'll be staying at Rosy guesthouse which is around Wat Bo area. I don't think i'll be getting any guides to bring me around and intend to just walk around myself. I'll probably be visiting the temples and markets and just walk around a bit and then head to Pub street at night. Its my first trip alone so God bless us both!14
Tour and prices look great. You could move the long trip by car to day 2 for a change of scenery. I loved that day especially Banteay Samré and Beng Mealea.Don't be too worried about seeing absolutely everything and anyway you might want to revisit some places! And I would say you deserve a medal if you last out to sunset on all 3 days!
