The Best 3 Day Siem Reap Itinerary – Angkor Wat, Countryside and More

Arriving into the Kingdom of Cambodia, I was nervous. Initially, it felt more “off the grid” than Thailand and Vietnam, and even the drive from the airport was a little scary. It turns out, it became one of my favorite places ever. So this 3 day Siem Reap itinerary should help you skip all that fear.

This itinerary starts with you waking up on Day 1. For more details about planning your trip to Cambodia you can check out my entire Cambodia page.

🇰🇭 3 DAY SIEM REAP ITINERARY — OVERVIEW

Day 1	Full day at Angkor Wat with a guide - evening at Pub Street
Day 2	War Museum - Cambodia countryside - local food - Pub Street
Day 3	Choose your own adventure - golf, markets, museums, pool day
Base	Stay near Pub Street - Park Hyatt is the best option
Transport	Tuk tuk for everything - do not rent a car
Angkor Wat	$37 USD entry - go with a guide, non-negotiable
Currency	USD accepted everywhere - no need to exchange to Riel

Day 1 In Siem Reap - Angkor Wat & Pub Street

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the reason you are in Cambodia, you do not have to beat around the bush. It would not be a Siem Reap itinerary without the temples. Keep in mind, this is not some type of thing you do for 30 mins…it’s a MASSIVE COMPLEX (the largest religious site in the world).

On day 1, you wake up at 5am and visit Angkor Wat for almost the entire time. You don’t need to do the sunrise, but many people will. For more details, check out my 10 tips for visiting Angkor Wat.

This will be unlike anything you have ever experienced before. You will get a tuktuk driver that will pick you up at your hotel, and be your personal “guy” for the day. This is his job, he knows exactly where and when to take you…do not worry about this part.

Remember: there are 72 temples here, you will not see them all. They are all different, and you will check them out like you are Tomb Raider and it will be the best day.

Some are basically mini-hikes and you will go through the jungle to get to it. Your guide knows this, just trust him. In it’s prime, Angkor Wat was bigger than modern day Paris. It’s possible you receive culture shock if you have never been to Southeast Asia, but it will be fantastic.

For lunch, your guide will have restaurants to take you. They have affiliate networks within the complex and it feels like a mini village. I had an incredible Khmer meal at just some random place.

Trust me, the Angkor Wat part of your day does not take much planning, you just need your guide. No joke, the immigration officers will ask you if you have one…this is how their economy runs. You could go on Facebook, Reddit, etc. and get one right now. I will soon make a post about my recommendation.

Pub Street

After taking a rest from this intense day, you will visit the infamous Pub Street. Even if you do not partake in alcoholic beverages, you will still love it. Grab ice cream rolls, eat spiders, listen to music…all the normal stuff.

I have a post already about the best hotel near pub street, but here is a map to pick one close.

It gets very lively at night. If you like to party, you could stay out till 6am and things will be open for you. If not, you will still meet people from all over the globe.

Day 1 Recap:

A day at Angkor Wat
Lunch with your guide’s help
Rest
Pub Street

Day 2 In Siem Reap - Seeing The Real Cambodia

"Seeing The Real Cambodia"

You will notice when browsing Cambodia itineraries that many Tuktuk drivers share the same “experiences”, but all have their unique twist. All of them will offer a floating market tour, just in their own way.

Today is the day you see the “real” Cambodia, and not just the tourist areas. For us, our first stop was BROWN Coffee & Bakery…and then we planned to meet up with our guide to take us out and about. Siem Reap is very unique with the tuktuk culture, they’ll just drop what they are doing and take you around so they can make money. Do not rent your own car here.

Remember: this country has been through a lot and many people need tourism to survive

Siem Reap War Museum

It’s somber, but we were off the to War Museum…which is necessary for any Siem Reap travel plans. For whatever reason, society does not talk much about the Cambodian Genocide, which is sad. Every person alive today was impacted by that in some way.

When you arrive you’ll think “this isn’t a museum”, because it’s not. It’s an open area with guns and remains from the war. There will be a veteran offering a free tour, take it and give him a small tip. He will appreciate it and you will learn a lot about what the Cambodian people have gone through…only 50 years ago.

Visting The Countryside

After getting depressed, he took us to the countryside to get more depressed. This is a joke in a way but also serious.

It’s something you will have to see with your own eyes, even if you know what I am talking about from Youtube Videos and Reels. Street carts filled with snakes, frogs, and spiders…but also some “normal” food”. It is a massive eye opener that will be crucial to your life. Get adventurous and try something unique.

We tried frog belly with Khmer spices and it was somehow extremely good, I recommend that. After that our guide insisted that we go buy school books and go help out kids in the village. You might feel hesitant about this, but you will do it once you are there. Any driver will help you do something like this.

As primarily buddhists, the Cambodian people feel obligated to give back to the villages they came from, even if they are struggling themselves. For an idea of what you are getting into with this, check out China Mac or TravelWithChris on Youtube…they have done a lot of philanthropy for the villages and people of Cambodia.

Once you see how happy the kids get from getting a notebook and pens, it will make you appreciate your trip even more. Regardless of the living conditions, you will see positive and grateful the people of Cambodia are.

Keep in mind, this is not some type of sad day we had. Our driver had a cooler full of water and beers and we drove around interacting and meeting people in random villages, it was the best day. Cambodians are very proud of their culture and country, and our guide just wanted to show us all of it. “The Real Cambodia”.

Before getting back to our hotel, we actually stopped by to meet his family, who were great. Then we were off to Pub Street again….more specifically, X-Bar.

In the morning I puked up frog and 1 million Cambodian beers. This is what you want your 2nd day in Siem Reap to look like.

Day 2 Recap

Breakfast
War Museum
Cambodia Countryside/Floating Village
Local Food
Help Out Students
Pub Street

Day 3 In Siem Reap - Your Choice

The last 2 days have been a grind, so on day 3 you choose your own adventure.

For me, we went golfing at Angkor Golf Resort and it was awesome. We were really tired, but sometimes the spur of the moment things are the best.

There are endless things you can do:

Cambodia Landmine Museum
Go to a local market for trinkets, clothes, Cambodia souvenirs
Visit Angkor National Museum
Apsara Theater Performance
Take A Cooking Class

You could stay at a pool all day You could even rent a motorbike and drive away somewhere. It doesn’t matter what you decide to do, as long as you enjoy it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is 3 days enough for Siem Reap? +

Yes — 3 days is the sweet spot for Siem Reap. Day 1 covers Angkor Wat thoroughly, Day 2 gets you out into the real Cambodia beyond the tourist circuit, and Day 3 is yours to do whatever you want with. You could easily spend 5 or 6 days if you want to go deeper but 3 days means you will leave satisfied rather than overwhelmed.

Do I need a guide for Angkor Wat? +

Yes — get a guide. The immigration officers at the entrance will ask if you have one which tells you everything about how important they are to the local economy. More practically, without a guide you will waste hours figuring out which temples to hit in what order, miss the hidden spots, and have no context for what you are seeing. Your tuk tuk driver is your guide — find one before you arrive via Facebook groups or Reddit.

How much does it cost to visit Angkor Wat? +

A one day pass costs $37 USD. A three day pass costs $62 USD valid over 10 days and a seven day pass costs $72 USD. For most visitors a one day pass is enough if you start early. The tuk tuk guide costs extra and is paid separately — expect to pay around $20 to $40 USD for a full day depending on how you negotiate.

Is Siem Reap safe for tourists? +

Yes — Siem Reap is very safe for tourists. The city is well set up for visitors and the Cambodian people are genuinely welcoming. Basic common sense applies — do not flash expensive items, agree on tuk tuk prices upfront, and be aware of your surroundings at night on Pub Street. Nothing you would not do in any other tourist city in Southeast Asia.

What is the best area to stay in Siem Reap? +

Stay near Pub Street and the Old Market area. It puts you within walking distance of the nightlife, restaurants, and easy tuk tuk access to everything else including Angkor Wat. The Park Hyatt Siem Reap is the best hotel in this area and is a five minute walk from Pub Street. For budget options there are dozens of guesthouses in the same area.

What currency should I bring to Siem Reap? +

USD is accepted everywhere in Siem Reap — restaurants, hotels, markets, tuk tuks, and Angkor Wat entry all take US dollars. You do not need to exchange to Cambodian Riel for a standard tourist trip. Bring small denomination bills as change is sometimes given in a mix of USD and Riel. Cards are accepted at most hotels and larger restaurants.

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