Travel Guide Angkor
It is difficult not to be caught up in the magnetic power of this maze of carved stones spread over more than 400 km2 of forests and rice fields: the city ofAngkor Wat (Unesco World Heritage since 1992), an imbroglio of ancient Khmer temples and tropical vegetation, is definitely a must-see destination in Cambodia. If many curators - including those of the French School of Far East - have literally battled with the powerful jungle in the north for over a century to resurrect the foundations nibbled by nature, the fight is not over: every day, archaeologists survey the enigmatic corridors of the city to refine its history. The ancient capital of the Khmer civilization is vast, and its undeniable influence on the region from the 7th to the 14th century had as a corollary an impressive number of sacred places. The Angkor tourist guide offers an orientation plan between giant roots of cheese trees and thousand-year-old ruins: the architectural units are grouped geographically, along with information. But in the end, Angkor can be visited according to the desire of the moment, while taking into consideration the frequentation of such or such temple depending on the time of day. Recommendations for neighboring and more distant temples such as Preah Khan or Banteay Srei are also recorded. In any case, the smiling welcome of the Cambodians as well as the amazing beauty of the place will certainly leave precious memories in the hearts of those who venture there.
What to visit Angkor?
Suggested addresses Angkor
When to go to Angkor?
When to go to Angkor? There are three tourist seasons in the Khmer city.
High tourist season: from November to February. Few tourists still come in November, making this month the best time to visit Angkor. Then, it spoils very quickly, the worst is by far the Chinese New Year when all Asia converges on the Khmer city. The advantage is that this period (especially December, January and February) is relatively cool, especially at night.
Middle tourist season: March to May. Corresponding to the dry season, this is perhaps the least pleasant period. It is very hot (the worst being in April), there is a lot of dust, and the number of tourists in Angkor is not negligible. To be avoided.
Low tourist season: from June to October. The rainy season is not what one often thinks: it rains (very hard) only a few hours a day and usually at the end of the day. The show is then superb, wherever you are. Children are wild, their usual playground having become a swimming pool, cities like Phnom Penh are paralyzed for a few hours, their streets become rivers and the skies announcing the storm are of a beauty to fall to the ground. The rest of the time, it is hot. The end of the rainy season is one of the most beautiful: it almost doesn't rain anymore and everything is green and flowery, and there are not many tourists yet... It is true that it is harder to move around, but the feeling of living an adventure is much more present.
To answer the question "when to go to Angkor?", the best answer is around October and November.
Weather at the moment
The climate of Cambodia, hot and humid, is conditioned by the action of the monsoons which determine the two seasons, dry (from November to the end of May) and wet (from the end of May to October). During the dry season, the weather in Angkor is characterized by a beautiful sunshine and a mercury oscillating between 15 °C and 35 °C. In the heart of the rainy season on the other hand, Angkor records average temperatures of 27 °C, which the monsoon can make feel higher.
Cambodia's population is mostly poor, but the cost of living for foreigners is higher than in other Asian countries. Thailand, more developed, is also cheaper. A stay in Angkor is relatively expensive: everything is organized so that tourists spend a maximum of money in a minimum of time. However, by planning in advance and being clever, the wise travelers can get out of it cheaply.
To travel to Cambodia, and therefore to Angkor, a tourist visa will allow you to stay there for one month. Theoretically, this tourist visa Cambodian should cost you US$30 upon arrival (US$32 if you arrive without a passport photo, or US$38 if you opt for the e-visa on the Internet). These are the fares charged at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports (neighbouring Angkor), but when crossing a land border crossing, an average of US$35-40 is charged (officials are poorly paid...)! To avoid these shenanigans, it may therefore be preferable to obtain a visa in advance.
If no vaccine is mandatory to go to Angkor, nor to enter Cambodia, some are nevertheless recommended. There are risks related to the environment, to insects and animals, to food and drink... Everything will depend on the type of stay you plan to make. If you decide to travel through the jungle, to sleep under the stars, to cross swamps or wild areas, we advise you in these cases and as a priority to vaccinate yourself against viral hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis (prolonged stay in rural areas) and rabies ("adventurous" circuit). As for drinking water in Angkor, it is preferable to carry mineral water bottles.
Practical information
- When to travel?
- Weather forecast
- Budget
- Formalities
- Health
- How to travel by yourself?
- How to get organized?
- Getting around
Media
How to go to Angkor? Our advice & tips
Angkor is a well-known destination for tourism specialists. Cambodia is proposed by tour operators and specialized travel agencies through different trips and themes: cultural, historical, discovery, trekking, farniente stay. You will also be able to choose the formula that suits you, more specifically oriented on Angkor: accompanied tours, individual trips with a French-speaking driver-guide, itineraries to compose according to your desires...
Average price of a flight from Paris to Phnom Penh: €1,000 in high season; €500 in low season. If you wish to land directly in Siem Reap, right next to Angkor, you will make a stopover in Phnom Penh. Please note that the price variation depends on the airline used but, above all, on the reservation delay. Same thing for the accommodation: anticipation = savings. Small budgets will prefer hostels.
There are several ways to travel in Angkor, all of which are land-based. Touk-touk (covered two-seater coaches, comfortable and pulled by motorcycles) and taxi-motorcycle first. It is forbidden for drivers to guide you through the temples just as it is forbidden for guides to use you as a driver. Each profession is thus protected. Then the electric bike, rented by the day. Taxis, which can also be rented by the day. And finally the car, authorized in the park.
