Last updated on June 9th, 2024 at 12:58 pm

If there is one image of Cambodia that jumps to mind first, then it’s of sunrise at Angkor Wat. But what many don’t know before coming here is that you can absolutely do this on your own without taking any sunrise tours. This post will help you plan that visit as well as give you important Angkor Wat photography tips.

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Make sure you’ve read our 3-day Siem Reap itinerary for detailed information to help you plan your trip. Alternatively, you can consider taking this full-day Angkor sunrise tour or club a few other temples with this tour.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat – Here’s What You Need to Know!

Based on our experience, we’ve listed some very important tips to keep in mind before heading to Angkor Wat temple. 

1. Get your Angkor Temple Pass a day before your visit

Although the Angkor ticket counters open at 5 am you won’t make it in time for sunrise if wait the day of. I highly recommend buying your Angkor Temple pass the day before. You can find more details on prices and ticket passes on Angkor’s official website. There are 1-day, 3-day or 7-day passes that are sold in person which you cannot buy online in advance.

2. Check the weather 

We visited in January which is considered the dry season so most of the mornings were clear. But if you are visiting in rainy aka Monsoon which is between May-September season then make sure you check the weather. There is no point losing sleep for sunrise on a gray day with a high chance of rain. However, as a photographer, I would kill to have clouds on a clear day. Just look at our shot below, who doesn’t love some cloud drama?

TIP: Bring plenty of water to drink as it  gets very hot & humid even during the winter season.

3. Ask your hotel staff to prepare early morning breakfast package 

Most hotels in Siem Reap cater to the needs of the tourists. Knowing their guests well, they do offer a breakfast package for you early in the morning before you leave for sunrise. Make sure you inform them the night before because no-one wants to be “hangry” while enjoying the most beautiful sight.

Although there are some open style cafes outside the temple grounds in case you want to buy some snacks.

4. Dress respectfully – clothes should cover your knees and shoulders 

There are regulations on what you should and should not wear inside Angkor Wat. Kindly respect the fact that it is a religious institute after all and dress accordingly. The only time we saw these rules in the photo below being enforced was before going on top of Angkor temple tower.

5. Arrive early and check the sunrise timing in advance 

Of course, the key is to arrive an hour or even two early if you are serious about photographing sunrise at Angkor Wat. In January, when we visited, the official sunrise was at 6.30am.

The day we had planned to go for sunrise, our tuk-tuk was ready to pick us up at 4.30 am. If you are wondering how to get to Angkor Wat, then it is roughly 45 minutes tuk-tuk ride from the city center. And it took another 15 minutes walk to finally reach the temple pond from the parking lot.

6. Cross the moat and enter the main gate of Angkor Wat complex

Once the tuk-tuk drops you at the entrance, keep walking till you reach a floating bridge. Don’t make the same mistake we did i.e. we couldn’t tell where to go in pitch darkness and waited at the wrong place for a long time. TIP: Just follow the crowd for a change. You need to reach a huge ground overlooking Angkor Wat spires, see the map we created below for details.

7. Photography Tips – Find the closest spot to the left pond

It will be crowded and you have to accept that. So depending upon what time you arrive you may already have a massive crowd covering the pond but trust me you can still find a spot for youself.

TIP: The reflecting pond on the left side as you enter is the best spot for viewing Angkor Wat at sunrise.  

TIP: Get closest the reflecting pond for that sunrise reflection. But the possibility of getting that spot depends on how early you arrive. I was clearly late to the party even after reaching over an hour before sunrise. 

After much struggle, I finally settled for a spot next to the pond where I got a great view of the temple but no reflection as you can see from the picture below. 

TIP: Other bloggers have recommended to check out the pond on the right side which is far less crowded. But in my experience, it was very hard to find your bearings in the pitch darkness of the morning let alone finding where the right pond was. And I am not sure if the sun would be aigned to the right side pond to get similar shots.

8. Photography Tips – Bring your tripod and check your camera settings ahead of time

Carrying a tripod is the most important tip, my friends, if you are serious about taking high-quality shots. Since the lighting is low at dawn you will need Mr. tripod to take those sharp shots. 

Now you don’t need a bulky tripod but something to stabilize your shot. A lighter gorilla-pod could do just fine as well as long as it is not disturbed. I use the travel-sized Mefoto’s ‘Roadtrip’ and Gaurav uses Manfrotto’s ‘Befree’ tripod.

TIP: As for camera setting, I’ve said it before that it is dark when you set up your gear so you will have to take long exposure (LE) shots to get a sharp image in low light condition. I always shoot in raw and in manual mode on my digital SLR camera.

Here were my settings for the shot above –

• ISO 200
• f10 (smaller aperture to get greater DOF, you can choose a lower f-stop)
• Shutter speed of 5 secs

TIP: For the sun streaks in the shot below, reduce your aperture i.e. increase your f-stop. I was at f22 for that shot. I’ve also edited my photos in Lightroom.

9. BONUS TIP – Wait until the sun appears above the temple towers 

Let me tell you a little secret – after the sunrise the sky started brightening up and over fifty percent of the crowd started heading towards the temple.  

However, the sun takes a few minutes to appear over the temple towers. Mark my words and wait till then. Not only will you get an empty ground for awesome reflection shots, you will also get the splendid view of the sun’s rays streaking past the Angkor Wat structure. This will happen about 10-15 minutes after official sunrise. TIP: Arrive early and leave this spot the very last. 

As luck would have it, the crowd in front of the pond started thinning and I was finally able to squeeze in THE spot. Yes, got a clean Angkor Wat reflection shot 10 minutes after the civil sunrise.

I am also grateful for my father who cynically questioned when everyone else was wrapping up, “But we haven’t seen the sun yet?” We patiently stayed back a few more minutes to witness the sun and what a treat it was! The sun perfectly aligned behind the Angkor Wat and that perfect reflection was the icing on the cake.

TIP: This is also the reason why the left pond is preferred by most since the sun isn’t aligned right behind Angkor Wat from the right reflective pond.

10. Photography Tip – Capture water lilies in your composition 

The pond in front of Angkor Wat is home to several water lilies. Don’t miss out on a great composition of tropical water lilies in bloom on the reflecting pond. And don’t mistake them to be lotus flowers. If you don’t know the difference between the two, google it, now! (says the flower geek).  

11. Don’t be perturbed by hawkers around you 

“Lady, lady, one dollar”, was one of the common lines we have heard on the streets of Siem Reap. Yes, I said dollars as in USD which is accepted everywhere in Siem Reap. As a matter of fact, it is the most preferred currency there. But what surprised me was to see these vendors inside the compounds of Angkor Wat. From selling scarves to paintings to books, to even breakfast and coffee they knew sunrise was the time to start their business.

Although I shouldn’t complain since they kept my mother entertained during the majority of my sunrise photography stint. While she happily settled for a few beautiful Angkor embroidered scarves, I ended up buying a book on the history of Angkor for $5 USD. Only to find out later that my father saw another kid selling the same book for $1, so ask around before making the final purchase. 

12. Explore the interiors of Angkor Wat 

Once you’ve got that epic sunrise shot and the sun is above the temple, it’s time to step inside. You do not want to wait any longer for the day tourists to catch up.

It is also possible to go on top of the central tower but there is a limit on how many people are allowed upstairs at a time. TIP: The stairs to go on top of the tower are very steep so if you have knee problems or are afraid of heights you might want to skip this one.

13. Learn about the statues and carvings on the walls 

Angkor temples were built by a dynasty who followed Hinduism (Vishnuism & Shivaism) and Buddhism. You will find Vishnu, Shiva, and Buddha statues in temples across Siem Reap. Moreover, the wall carvings are tales from Hindu Mythology. TIP: If you don’t know much about Hindu mythology, I highly recommend hiring a temple tour guide.

As a photographer, it is very interesting to get close-up shots of these intricate carvings.

14. If you miss the sunrise, come here for sunset 

I’ve heard the sunsets at Angkor Wat aren’t bad either so if for some reason you couldn’t make it for sunrise, don’t sweat, try sunset instead. Consider taking this tour for temple hopping and ending at Pre Rup temple at sunset.

Is it worth going for sunrise at Angkor Wat?

In my opinion, YES, it is absolutely worth waking up for sunrise if the weather is in your favor. And I mean, even if you are not a morning person or a photographer, sacrificing one day of sleep can check this bucket list so why not?!

Also Read – 14 Mistakes to avoid at Taj Mahal in Agra, India

Where to Stay in Siem Reap

We chose to stay in the city center as we wanted to be within walking distance of the hustle & bustle. Angkor Wat is only about 30-40 minutes from most hotels in this area. Our choice was Khmer Mansion Boutique hotel after scrolling through hundreds of hotels in the area.

What we loved about Khmer Mansion Boutique Hotel

The hotel was conveniently located in the heart of Siem Reap, close to the night markets. The staff was very friendly, the complimentary breakfast was delicious, and the overall stay was luxurious at a budget-friendly price. The front desk helped us organize a tuk-tuk ride for our temple exploration at an agreeable price.

And last but not least, they offer free airport pick-up and drop-off service, which was a huge plus for us.

Read Next: Don’t miss the beautiful floating villages near Siem Reap

We really hope you guys have a fabulous experience just like we did at Angkor Wat. If you loved this photo journal of Siem Reap’s most popular temple then don’t forget to share it along. You can save the post on Pinterest by hovering on the images.

Happy Traveling!