The Angkor Wat Pass:
How Much and Where to Get It
You get access to all of the Angkor temples by purchasing the pass, with the exception of Phnom Kulen and Beng Mealea.
There are rules, including fines and so forth, but if you keep your Angkor pass with you at all times you needn't worry about those.
Prices and regulations
Here are the prices as of June 2008:1 day - $20
3 days - $40
7 days - $60
The temple passes must be used on consecutive days. Sounds like a perfect recipe for temple burnout? You bet. But to counter that, make sure you check out all of the other interesting Siem Reap activities available.
Angkor Wat ticket prices
And the rules:
Regulations about Angkor Wat passes
Getting the ticket
You can get your pass at the official Angkor Wat ticket booth located about 2 km from Angkor Wat itself. They also sell passes at the Banteay Srei temple.
Multiple ticket windows so you don't have to wait long.
There are more on the other side too.
Getting an Angkor pass should be easy. The ticket booth itself is pretty efficient, with many ticket windows and very courteous attendants.
You just tell them whether you want a 1, 3, or 7-day pass, they then take your picture, you pay, and then you get your Angkor pass. The process is painless and pretty quick considering that they need to print your picture on the pass.
They take a digital photo of you and print that on your ticket.
Free pass
Since the Angkor temples officially close at sunset, you will get a free 'day' if you buy your ticket after 5 p.m. So even though you get a few hours to see the temple on the day you purchase your ticket, the official day count won't begin until the next day.You can use these few extra hours however you choose, although most people use it to watch an extra Angkor temple sunset. For sunset, you have at least three temples to choose from: Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng, or Pre Rup.
The Angkor pass
You’ll also have to make sure that you keep your ticket in good
condition. This can be a bit of a challenge since the paper they print your pass on is not the
sturdiest. A tear or a rip, they say,
will make your ticket invalid. This sounds too strict, and I wonder if they really make a big deal out of a small tear. I have not tested this so I’d be interested to know if you have.
The front side has dates of validity.
Back side of ticket, same rules printed.
Tourists with big tours usually insert their passes into a name badge protector, and that is a great idea. If you don’t want to bother with the extra hassle though, just keep it in between your guidebooks or other flat, protective objects.
But this in itself is a hassle, because the attendants will ask you to show your ticket every time you enter a popular temple. So make sure you have your ticket within easy reach, that way you won’t have to open and close your bag each time you enter a new temple.
So in short...
Don't forget about the free day access that you can get when you buy
your ticket at 5 p.m. If you're only getting a 1-day pass the few extra
hours is such a great bonus. Also, keep the pass with you at all times while visiting and keep it in good condition. That way you shouldn't have any problems enjoying Angkor Wat and the other Angkor temples, and you won't have to worry about fines and such.
For more on choosing your pass, click here.
Where would you like to go next?
The
Angkor Wat Temple In CambodiaHave you seen the inside of the Angkor Wat temple? Have you seen the detailed bas-relief and decorations that adorn almost every wall? Or the steep staircases made even more precarious by age?
Biking
to the Angkor temples
Biking
to see the Angkor Wat temples is a unique way to experience the
temples. If you have a respectable level of fitness, I highly recommend
using bikes to visit the Angkor temples.
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