Angkor Wat Full Day Tour

1 Day to Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, Baphuon, Terraces of the Elephants & the Leper King, Ta Prohm and Phnom Bakheng

► Trip Highlights:
• Discover the representative temple of Angkor Wat & enjoy its stunning sunrise view. 
• Worship the smiling faces of Khmer in the Bayon Temple.
• Appreciate exquisite bas-reliefs in the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. 
• Explore Ta Prohm to see the grand scene of temple ruins embraced by the jungle. 
• Watch magnificent sunset view over Angkor Wat from Phnom Bakheng.

Pick up from Hotel & Enjoy Sunrise over Angkor Wat
If it is a sunny day, your professional tour guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel earlier this morning, and then transfer you to Angkor Wat to admire the spectacular sunrise view. Watching the sun rise gradually from behind the iconic spires of Angkor Wat is absolutely fantastic, and catching the reflection of the temple on the tranquil water of the north lotus pond doubles your experience.

Have Breakfast
After catching the first light at Angkor Wat, you can decide if you want to return to your hotel for breakfast or if your guide should recommend a local restaurant.

Visit the Temple of Angkor Wat 
Being the largest and best-preserved religious monument among the complex of Angkor Ruins, Angkor Wat has become an important symbol of Cambodia, and its representative five towers are stamped on the country's national flag. This temple complex is also famous for its 12th century masterpiece of intricate bas-relief carvings and perfect architectural structure. It is a fully immersive experience to walk around the site and take in its majestic beauty.

Visit the Bayon Temple 
We will then head to Angkor Thom by entering from its imposing South Gate. Initially built in the 9th century, destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions through the end of the 12th century, Angkor Thom served as the imperial capital of the Khmer empire (802 - 1431). At the heart of Angkor Thom lies Bayon Temple, which is considered one of the finest examples of the impressive architecture of Khmer. You can find Apsara dancers, Hindu gods and ancient stories carved into exquisite images in every inch of its structural stones. It is inexplicable that the ancient craftsmen could reach such excellent artistic attainments with their simple and crude tools. There are 54 Gothic towers in this temple, each with four giant smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara, wherever you are, there is always a smile facing you, which could bring you peace of mind.

Visit the Baphuon Temple 
About 200 meters northwest of Bayon is Baphuon. There is a long causeway leading you to the entrance of this temple. Built by King Udayadityavarman II in the mid-11 century, it is one of the most spectacular temples in the heyday of the Angkor Dynasty, as well as a state temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It has a total of 5 layers platform foundations, each layer gradually shrinking upwards, in the shape of a pyramid. You can climb to enjoy elevated views of the area, but it really needs physical strength as the stairs are quite steep. The most interesting part of Baphuon is the image of a giant Reclining Buddha (70 meters long and 9 meters tall), which could be seen on the back of the temple wall. This temple is scenic and definitely worth a visit.

Visit the Terrace of the Elephants
As an ancient royal viewing platform, the terrace was used by Angkor's King to hold pubic ceremonies and welcome back victorious armies. It is a 350-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high wall, formed by three platforms and carved with lifelike elephants, their mahouts, garudas, as well as dancers and warriors. The best time for photography here is before noon.

Visit the Terrace of the Leper King
The Terrace of the Leper King is a grand 7-meter-high platform made of laterite and sandstone. There are many delicate carvings of nagas, demons and other mythological figures on its exterior and interior wall, which are well worth your appreciation.

Lunch Break in the Angkor Area
For lunch today, your guide will recommend you some restaurants. You can decide where to dine and what to eat, like local food or western food. It is at your own expense.

Visit the Ta Prohm Temple
A visit to the hugely popular Ta Prohm Temple comes next. Also known as the "Jungle Temple", Ta Prohm has many centuries-old trees growing through the ruins with roots going everywhere, adding atmosphere to the site. There is no restoration work involved in this temple, so it appears as it was discovered. You may feel you are in an adventure of Indiana Jones, a really surreal experience when visiting this temple.

Visit the Bakheng Temple and Enjoy Sunset View 
Phnom Bakheng, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, was a state temple built on Bakheng Hill after the King Yasovarman I established the capital of Angkor in the 9th century. The hill is 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) northwest of Angkor Wat, about 70 meters high, and it is the only commanding height in the vicinity. On the west side of the hill is the West Baray, and in the southeast jungle is Angkor Wat. Therefore, this temple has become a very popular spot for viewing the magnificent sunset over Angkor Wat. Your guide will show you around the temple first and then find you a nice place to enjoy sunset.

Drop off at Your Hotel 
After this Angkor Wat full day tour, your guide and driver will transfer you back to the hotel. Hope you have enjoyed this trip with us!