Siem Reap Angkor Wat Tour, 3 Days / 2 Nights

Trip overview

This is the shortest Angkor itinerary we run: a single guided day handles both Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, and the airport legs at each end move on a driver-only transfer, without a guide riding along. It suits a second or third visit to Cambodia, when the outer temple circuits and Tonle Sap are already familiar, or simply a trip where time is genuinely tight.

The Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport now sits around 50 km east of town, noticeably further out than the old airfield used to be, so build in a little extra transfer time on both the arrival and departure days rather than expecting a short hop. Aside from that drive, nothing else is scheduled outside the one temple day.

Trip highlights

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument on earth, seen with a private guide
Angkor Thom, the walled last capital of the Khmer empire
One clean, unrushed day of temple sightseeing rather than a packed multi-site marathon
Free time on arrival evening to wander Pub Street and the Old Market on your own

Your day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Siem Reap

A driver meets you at Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport, about 50 km from the town centre, and takes you straight to your hotel; there is no guide on this run, only the transfer. The rest of the day is yours. Pub Street and the Old Market are an easy walk from most central hotels if you would like a first look at the town before the temple day begins.

Day 2: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom

Your one full day opens at Angkor Wat, a temple commissioned by King Suryavarman II that dwarfs any other religious building on the planet by footprint. A short drive brings you inside Angkor Thom next, walled and moated on every side, once the beating administrative heart of the Khmer empire. An Angkor Pass covers admission; the one-day option currently runs 37 US dollars, sold at the ticket office from 5:00 in the morning until 5:30 in the evening, or online beforehand. Breakfast is included; lunch and dinner are on your own account.

Day 3: Departure from Siem Reap

Breakfast at the hotel, then a private, driver-only transfer back out to the airport for your onward or homeward flight. No sightseeing is built into this day, so allow time for the drive given the airport’s distance from town.

What’s included

Hotels in the class you choose, twin or double occupancy, with breakfast each morning, or an equivalent property if the one named is full.
All meals written into the day-by-day programme below.
A private air-conditioned vehicle for every transfer and excursion in the programme.
An English-speaking local guide at each stop on the route.
Every boat trip, river crossing and cruise named in the itinerary.
Entrance fees for the sites listed in the programme.
Drinking water in the vehicle and on boat days.
Government tax and service charge.

Not included

International and domestic flights, and rail tickets.
Visas, and any fee collected at a border post.
Travel insurance.
Meals and drinks that are not written into the programme.
Personal spending such as laundry, phone calls, minibar, souvenirs and watersports.
Early check-in, late check-out and room upgrades.
Anything added on the day at your request outside the printed programme.
Gratuities for your guide and driver.
Costs arising from weather, flooding, road closures or other events beyond our control.
Bank transfer charges.

Frequently asked questions

Can we really cover both temples properly in a single day?

Both sites get a proper, unhurried look on this schedule, though outlying spots like Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei or Phnom Kulen fall outside the plan. Our longer four-night or five-night Siem Reap trips fold those in if you want them.

Why is there no guide on the airport transfers?

Only the temple day carries a guide; both airport legs use a driver on their own, and that trade-off lets us hold the price of this trip below our fuller Siem Reap packages. It suits anyone who has visited Cambodia before and does not need orientation on arrival.

How far is the airport from town now?

Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport is about 50 km from the town centre, considerably further than the old airport used to be. Plan on roughly an hour each way for the transfer, and build that into your flight timing.

What does the Angkor ticket cost and where do I buy it?

A one-day Angkor Pass costs 37 US dollars. It is sold at the official ticket office, open from 5:00 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening, and also online in advance; we can arrange this for you as part of the booking.

Can this trip be extended if we decide we want more time?

Yes. Many travellers book this as a first look and later add nights, either on the same trip or a return visit. Our 4-night Siem Reap Temples tour and 5-night In-Depth tour cover the same two temples plus Phnom Kulen or Tonle Sap.