How to Get to Angkor Wat – The BEST Way!

So you have decided to get one more item ticked off your bucket list, and have booked your ticket to Angkor Wat. Or perhaps you are still in the process of doing so, but have a few questions or reservations. And I am willing to bet that near the top of that list is the question of how to get to Angkor Wat? I know this, because it was at the top of MY list too!

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Now, I have just spent the past week in Angkor Wat. Five of those days have been spent touring the temples in the extraordinary heat that is typical of this part of Cambodia. And I can tell you, without a doubt, that I am very, very glad that I did it the way that I did.

And how was that?

SPOILER ALERT: It was by Tuk Tuk. The good old reliable staple of transport by anyone getting around in most of South East Asia. But WHY was Tuk Tuk the best option? Read on to find out.

Table of Contents

• Where IS Angkor Wat?
• How to get to Angkor Wat?
• The BEST way to get to Angkor Wat
  • The driver is a local
• You can hire the Tuk Tuk for the whole day
  • He picks you up and drops you home again
  • He WILL show you places no one else sees
• My recommendation
• Summary

Where IS Angkor Wat?

Angkor Wat is located in Cambodia. Geographically, it is in the North West of the country, and over 300 kilometers from the Capital of Phnom Penh. Not many visitors are going to be willing to drive the five and a half hours from Phnom Penh, however. Instead, they stay at Siem Reap, the closest city to Angkor Wat.

If you are looking for how to get to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh or even from Bangkok, then the cheapest and easiest way is by bus. I book all my bus trips through Bookaway, and they never let me down. Check them out at THIS LINK.

The problem is that Angkor Wat is STILL a bit of a distance out of Siem Reap as well. In fact, it is 5 kilometers as the crow flies. By road, it takes about half an hour by car. Longer, if you choose other modes of transport. So basically, no matter if you are in town for a one day visit to Angkor Wat, or are visiting for a week, at some stage you are going to be asking the question, “how to get to Angkor Wat?”

How to get to Angkor Wat?

There are several ways to get to Angkor Wat. Different people choose different methods, depending upon their situation and capabilities. As I have mentioned above, however, I believe that one way is a lot better than the rest. Despite that, I will give you a list right here of the different ways of how to get to Angkor Wat.

• Tuk Tuk – This, in my opinion and experience, is the best option for how to get to Angkor Wat. See the next section to read more about why I believe it is.
• Taxi – A Taxi from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat is a popular option. Your hotel can usually call one for you. It will not be cheap however, and you still need to organize how to get home again.
• Scooter – Although I am an advocate for using this option for getting myself around anywhere, particularly in Indonesia, if this is your first visit to Angkor Wat, scooter can be tricky. I have seen many visitors ride all the way there without realizing you have to go somewhere ELSE to buy tickets, or get into trouble for completely missing one of the many check points!
• Bicycle – This seems to be a popular option, and on first glance, even I was interested. The ride is flat, and not tricky at all. Many locals seem to do it ok. Just be aware that the heat, especially in the middle of the day can be TERRIBLE! If you are very fit, and can carry all the water you will need not just for the ride, but also for the temple tour, then go for it. Not for me, though.
• Guided Tour – Tours such as THIS ONE, provide a handy pick up from your hotel, and a guided trip around the Temple and surrounds. This can take the hassle out of the problem of how to get to Angkor Wat, but may not be the most economical option, unless you can split the cost with friends in a small group tour. THEN, it can be a real winner.

So now, I will go into further details on the very best option, in my opinion, on how to get to Angkor Wat

ARE YOU FLYING TO CAMBODIA? Then the best place to find your flights is at Skyscanner. I have used all the other sites, and keep returning to Skyscanner for the best selections on prices and the best options. I booked my own flights to Cambodia this way. Check them out at THIS LINK.

The BEST way to get to Angkor Wat

Tuk Tuk is the answer. I know. I already told you a hundred times in this article.

But WHY is Tuk Tuk the best option? There are several reasons.

The driver is a local

Now, I am talking REAL local. I just did five days going around to dozens of temples in the Angkor Archeological Park, and the driver that took me everywhere lives LITERALLY, a stones throw from Angkor Wat Temple. I am not joking. He grew up playing in the forests surrounding the temple, and would visit all the time with his friends, just for fun. He knew everything about the area, including the history, backroads, every restaurant owner, as well as secret spots and places many visitors would never find.

You can hire the Tuk Tuk for the whole day

This is a real bonus, and something that I was worried about. I had heard that you could hire a Tuk Tuk to get to Angkor Wat, but I was worried then about how to get home. Angkor Wat isn’t exactly in the middle of town, so what if I came out and couldn’t find one?

This actually isn’t really an issue. As it turned out, there is no problem finding a Tuk Tuk lounging around outside Angkor Wat. They KNOW they will find a customer.

But what can be better than having your own driver already waiting for you? He has cold water in an ice bucket ready for you, and already knows exactly where you need to go. No negotiating another price with a different driver, and having to haggle in the heat after a long day trekking around a temple in the sun. Just jump in, crack open that icy water, and off you go!

He picks you up and drops you home again

This is the great thing I loved about having a driver for a week. We were able to tell him exactly how long we needed him for, and together sorted out the best itinerary based on what I wanted to see, and his recommendations. Each day he would be at the door waiting, and would drop us back there afterward. A couple of times, he saved us even more time by simply dropping us directly to the bar or restaurant if we were coming home late. Others, he swung by the laundry, or the bus company office so we could book our onward trip. Nothing was an issue, and was all included in the already negotiated daily price.

He WILL show you places no one else sees

This is a given. Especially if you use the recommendation that I will give you below. My driver grew up in the area, and knows every temple that is worth knowing. He will take you there, give you a glimpse into the history of the place, what it was used for and why it was built, before letting you go exploring. He is then there to answer any questions afterward.

Now, don’t get me wrong, he is NOT a tour guide. But as a local Tuk Tuk driver, he knows a lot and has studied up on the history and facts to give his customers a better experience. He doesn’t just drop you off and pick you up.

My driver even showed me one particular hidden temple in a forest that he only stumbled upon himself whilst out finding mushrooms! When I was there, I had it to myself. It is THAT well hidden!

The other thing he did was suggest a better sunset spot than Angkor Wat. I thought Angkor Wat would be the best place to see the sunset. I was wrong! His spot was SO much better, and from there I could actually watch the sun set, as well as see Angkor Wat change colors in the last rays of the sun. Winning!

My recommendation

So who was the Tuk Tuk driver that convinced me that this was the best answer to how to get to Angkor Wat?

His name is Channa, and here is a picture of him with his Tuk Tuk. He is an amazing guy, and knew nearly every other person in and around the Park.

If you are interested in getting his number, then you will need WhatsApp installed on your phone. This is the main way that people do business in South East Asia, so you will need it regardless! Then, simply drop me a comment on this article, and I will email it to you. This will stop the poor guy getting spammed by bots and who knows what else.

You know? The internet and all that fun stuff that comes with it?

UPDATE: Channa is becoming very popular, and I have had numerous requests for his number, with a lot of really great feedback, which is amazing to hear! I have contacted him and he has provided the link to his Facebook page, so feel free to grab his details directly from that. Remember that WhatsApp is the best way to contact him. You can find his Facebook at THIS LINK.

FURTHER UPDATE JULY 2023 – Channa now has his own listing on Trip Advisor! You can check him out on there, and please leave him a review if you can! Find him at THIS LINK.

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Summary

If I haven’t already said it a hundred times, I will say it again. I highly recommend him, and will use him again next time I come to Angkor Wat. He is the best answer to how to get to Angkor Wat. Trust me!

And just to make a final point for anyone who is wondering. I get NOTHING for recommending Channa to you, other than to know that my readers are getting a wonderful service from a truly professional driver, and a wonderful human being.

Did you find this article helpful? If so, and if you would like further information about Channa, then drop me a comment below. I will respond as fast as possible! Let him know I sent you, and say HI for me.