Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour from Siem Reap
Private Sunrise Tour with Bayon and Ta Prohm
Watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat, then explore the Bayon and Ta Prohm with a licensed local guide.
⭐ Licensed Local Guide · 🤝 10+ Years Experience · 🔒 Private Tour, Your Group Only · 🚐 Hotel Pickup Included · 💵 Book Now, Pay on the Day
Overview
Quick answer: The Angkor Wat sunrise tour is a private eight-hour morning that starts with sunrise at Angkor Wat, then a visit to a local market (breakfast there is optional and not included), the Bayon and Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm. Pickup is at 4:30 AM. Choose an air-conditioned car (Lexus SUV), minivan or tuk-tuk. Private tours start at $70 per group, with the Angkor Pass extra.
Watching the sun rise behind Angkor Wat’s five towers is the classic start to a Siem Reap trip, and this tour builds a whole morning around it. You arrive for the first light, take the reflection-pond photo, then explore the temple’s galleries and carvings before the mid-day crowds arrive.
After a visit to a busy village market, where breakfast is optional and not included, you continue to Angkor Thom and its Bayon temple with the 200+ smiling stone faces, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King, then finish at Ta Prohm, where giant tree roots wrap the ancient stone. Your guide, Tivorn, a licensed local guide, knows the best viewpoints and the best times to visit, and because the tour is private, you set the pace. It suits first-time visitors, couples, families and photographers.
⏰ Duration
About 8 hours
🕓 Departure
4:30 AM from your Siem Reap hotel
🔒 Tour Type
Private, your group only
🌐 Language
English
Full Itinerary
⏰ 4:30 AM — Hotel Pickup
Pickup in Siem Reap city in your chosen vehicle: air-conditioned car (Lexus SUV), minivan or tuk-tuk. If you still need your Angkor Pass, we stop at the ticket office, which opens at 4:30 AM. Buying online the day before skips this stop.
⏰ 5:00 AM — Angkor Wat Sunrise and Exploration
Watch the sky shift through purple and gold behind the five towers. After the reflection photo, your guide leads you through the galleries to read the ancient carvings before the mid-day crowds.
⏰ 8:00 AM — Local Market Visit
Visit a busy village market. If you like, try a traditional, made-to-order Khmer breakfast such as Nom Banh Chok (Khmer noodles) with local drip coffee at your own expense, or just look around.
⏰ 9:30 AM — South Gate of Angkor Thom (20 minutes)
Enter the ancient walled city through its best-preserved gate, along a causeway lined with stone gods and demons from the Churning of the Ocean of Milk.
⏰ 9:50 AM — Bayon Temple (1 hour)
Wander the stone corridors and meet the 200+ smiling faces carved into the towers.
⏰ 10:50 AM — Terrace of the Elephants (20 minutes)
Walk the 350-meter viewing terrace once used by King Jayavarman VII, lined with life-sized elephant carvings.
⏰ 11:10 AM — Phimeanakas Temple (30 minutes)
A three-tiered laterite temple pyramid in the shaded royal enclosure.
⏰ 11:40 AM — Terrace of the Leper King (20 minutes)
Explore the carved trenches, packed with underworld deities, nagas and celestial beings.
⏰ 12:00 PM — Ta Prohm Temple (1 hour)
Marvel at silk-cotton and thitpok tree roots embracing the ancient stone roofs and doorways.
⏰ 1:00 PM — Return to Your Hotel
Drive back with a cold towel and ice water, leaving the afternoon free to rest.
Times are for the air-conditioned car. A tuk-tuk is slower, so Tivorn will confirm the timing if you choose one. Sunrise moves through the year, from about 5:37 AM in June to 6:31 AM in January.
Choose Your Vehicle
Every tour is private, and the vehicle is your choice. Tivorn’s main vehicle is an air-conditioned Lexus SUV. A minivan or a tuk-tuk is available on request.
🚙 Air-Conditioned Car (Lexus SUV)
Tivorn’s main vehicle. Best for couples, families and groups of up to 4 guests.
$90 per group
🚐 Air-Conditioned Minivan
Best for larger groups and families traveling together, up to 8 guests. Tell Tivorn your group size.
$100 per group
🛺 Tuk-Tuk
A classic way to reach Angkor Wat at dawn (up to 3 guests). Open-air and not air-conditioned, so bring a light layer.
$70 per group
Private tour from $70 per group
Your group only. Prices are per group: tuk-tuk (up to 3 guests) $70, air-conditioned car (Lexus SUV, up to 4 guests) $90 and minivan (up to 8 guests) $100. The Angkor Pass is not included: it costs US$37 per person for one day. Buy it online the day before, or we stop at the ticket office, which opens at 4:30 AM. Book now and pay on the day, with no deposit.
Included / Not Included
✅ Included
✓ Licensed local guide
✓ Hotel pickup & drop-off in Siem Reap city
✓ Your choice of vehicle: air-conditioned car (Lexus SUV), minivan or tuk-tuk
✓ Parking fees
✓ Drinking water
❌ Not Included
✗ Angkor Pass (US$37 per person for one day)
✗ Breakfast (optional, paid at the market)
✗ Travel insurance
✗ Personal expenses
✗ Tips (optional)
What Travelers Say
Tivorn Angkor Guide is rated 5.0 on Tripadvisor. Read what guests say about their mornings at Angkor Wat, in their own words.
Frequently Asked Questions
The sun rises between about 5:37 AM in early June and 6:31 AM in late January. Pickup is at 4:30 AM, so you are at the gates when they open at 5:00 AM, in time for the pre-dawn color in every month. See our Angkor Wat sunrise guide for the time in your month.
No. A 1-day pass costs US$37 per person (a 3-day pass is US$62, valid within 7 days). Buy it online the day before, or Tivorn will stop at the ticket office on the way, which opens at 4:30 AM.
No. A traditional Khmer breakfast at a local village market is not included.
Yes. You travel only with your own group, with your own guide and vehicle, and you set the pace together.
The Lexus SUV, an air-conditioned car, suits most couples, families and groups of up to 4. The minivan suits bigger groups. A tuk-tuk is a classic way to reach Angkor Wat at dawn, but it is open-air and slower, so bring a light layer. Tell Tivorn your group size and he will recommend the best fit.
Yes. Because the tour is private, you can spend longer at Angkor Wat, skip a temple, or swap the afternoon temples for others. Tell Tivorn what you would like when you book.
Yes, with a slower pace. The early start is the hardest part, and the temples involve steps and uneven stone. Children under 12 enter Angkor free; bring a passport as proof of age.
Cover your shoulders and knees at the temples, where shorts and skirts above the knee and bare shoulders are not allowed. Bring a light layer for the early morning, a hat and comfortable shoes.
Message Tivorn on WhatsApp with your date and number of guests. You can book now and pay on the day, with no deposit, as set out in our Terms.
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Ready to Experience the Angkor Wat Sunrise?
Message Tivorn on WhatsApp to check availability for your dates. Book now and pay on the day.