Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap Best 2026 2027 

What You Will Do

Act one: dark to gold
Your driver knocks at the hotel between 4:15 and 4:35 am, with cold water and cool towels already on the seats.
Nobody talks much on the way to the park. That is normal. Give it twenty minutes and the coffee kicks in.
At Angkor Wat you go in through the east side, and your guide leads with a torch along the longest run of bas relief carvings anywhere on earth. At 6 am you stop by the ancient library pool. The sun rises behind the towers and drops into the water. Two hours inside the temple follow, and your guide reads the walls for you.
Act two: the hotel break
This is the part that makes the Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap day work. You are back at your hotel between 12:30 and 1:30 pm, and your room is ready.
Shower. Air conditioning. Curtains shut. Lunch downstairs, which is included. Then swim, nap or book a massage, and nobody hurries you along.
Set an alarm for 5 pm if you nap. Trust me on this one.
Act three: buffet and dance
A tuk tuk collects you around 6:15 pm, and the open air ride through the early evening streets is one of the small pleasures of the day.
At the restaurant you are shown to your table and the buffet opens. Khmer soups, salads, curries and grilled fish sit alongside rice and noodles, with vegetarian dishes on the same line. The performance begins around 7:30 pm, opening with classical Apsara pieces and then moving into folk dances from the countryside, and you keep eating while it runs. Drinks come at an extra cost and are paid at the table.
The tuk tuk is waiting outside when the show ends, and takes you back to your hotel or into town if you are not finished with the night.

Itinerary

Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap, hour by hour

1. 4:15 to 4:35 am. Hotel pickup, Siem Reap. Your driver waits at the lobby with the air conditioning running. Cold water and a cool towel are on your seat. Pickups cover the whole central area, from the riverside hotels near the Old Market across to the lanes behind Sivatha Boulevard. Bring a torch or a charged phone, because the first part of the morning is dark.
2. 4:50 am. Ticket checkpoint, Angkor Archaeological Park. Your guide shows your one day pass at the gate and the vehicle rolls in before the tour buses stack up. This is the US$37 pass you buy yourself from Angkor Enterprise. Get it online before you fly and you skip the counter queue at dawn.
3. 5:30 am. Angkor Wat, eastern gate. In through the east gopura, not the crowded west causeway. Torch on, and your guide walks you past the cloistered galleries and the carvings that fill them. Nobody speaks much in here. The walls do the talking.
4. 6:00 am. The library pool, Angkor Wat. You stop beside the two libraries north and south of the main axis, at the edge of the ancient pool. The sun rises behind the five towers and sits flat in the water. This is the photograph everyone asks about later, and your guide knows where to stand so the crowd stays out of your frame.
5. 6:30 to 8:30 am. Inside Angkor Wat. Two full hours in the temple, taking in corridors, central chambers and the upper terraces that rushed groups never reach. Your guide reads the walls as you go, from the Churning of the Ocean of Milk in the east gallery to the army of Suryavarman II marching along the south wall, with the heavens and the hells carved underneath.
6. 9:00 am. Breakfast stop outside the park. Sit down at a local restaurant past the temple grounds, or eat the takeaway pack your hotel made for you. Either way, eat something proper. The next stretch is hot and busy.
7. 9:30 am. Ta Prohm. The jungle temple, and the one guests remember longest. Silk cotton trees and strangler figs grow straight through the walls, and the place looks close to how the French explorer Henri Mouhot found it in the 1850s. Your guide will point out the doorways used in the Tomb Raider film.
8. 10:30 am. Angkor Thom. Into the last great city of the Khmer Empire, past the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants, both of them carved with processions of guards and elephants. Most minibuses go by without stopping. You get out and walk them.
9. 11:00 am. Bayon Temple. More than 200 enormous stone faces look down from the towers, and every one of them is different. Historians still argue whether they show King Jayavarman VII himself or the Buddha of compassion. Your guide has a view on it, and you will want to hear the argument.
10. 11:30 am. Southern Gate of Angkor Thom. The last stop of the temple morning. A causeway lined with 54 gods on the left and 54 demons on the right, all of them pulling a giant serpent carved in stone. Most visitors take one photo from the bus window. You walk the full causeway.
11. 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Back at your hotel, Siem Reap. Your room is made up and waiting. Shower, get dressed, eat lunch at the hotel, then swim or sleep until you feel like a person again.
12. 1:30 to 5:15 pm. Day use room, Siem Reap. Four hours of air conditioning, a pool and a proper bed. If you nap, set an alarm for 5 pm, because the tuk tuk will not wait all night.
13. 6:15 pm. Tuk tuk pickup at your hotel. A three wheeled ride through the early evening, past the Old Market and along the river. Short trip, no traffic stress, and the breeze is the best part of it.
14. 6:45 pm. Dinner restaurant, Siem Reap. You are shown to your table and the buffet opens. Traditional Khmer dishes run from soups and salads through to curries and grilled fish, with vegetarian options on the same line. Drinks are ordered at the table and paid separately.
15. 7:30 pm. The Apsara performance begins. Classical Cambodian dance comes first, slow and precise, with golden headdresses and a live music ensemble. Folk dances from the countryside follow, faster and louder, and guests often clap along. The programme runs about two hours with breaks between numbers, so you can keep eating through it.
16. 9:30 pm. Tuk tuk back to your hotel. Your driver waits outside. Drop off at your hotel, or ask for the Old Market or Pub Street if you want to carry on.

Two things about this timing. Sunrise moves with the season, so your exact pickup time is confirmed the day before you travel. And the run above is the small group version. A private guide can stretch the temple stops, add Banteay Srei, or swap Ta Prohm for Preah Khan if you say so when you book.

On crowds: the eastern gate is why this tour beats a standard sunrise run. You are inside and walking before the west gate queue has moved.
On the middle of the day: the gap between the temples and the dinner show is about six hours. Filling it with a room instead of a cafe chair is the single best call you can make on a Siem Reap itinerary.
On the dancing: Apsara is Cambodia's classical court dance, and the dinner programme is a set of short classical and folk pieces rather than a full theatre production. Come for the food, the costumes and the live music, and let the dancing entertain you while you eat.

KEY DETAILS

1. Tour name. Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap, run by Journey Cambodia out of Siem Reap.
2. Where it runs. Siem Reap town for the pickups, the hotel break and the dinner restaurant, plus Angkor Archaeological Park for the temple morning.
3. Total day. About 18 hours, from the 4:15 am pickup to the drop off around 9:30 pm. The hotel break in the middle is what holds it together.
4. Group size. Maximum 15 travellers on the small group version, in an air conditioned minibus. Private departures are available on request.
5. Guide. A licensed English speaking guide for the temple morning, the same person from your hotel door to the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom. Our team also runs tours in German, Spanish, French and Italian, so mention it when you book.
6. Vehicle. Air conditioned minibus for small groups, private car or minivan for private bookings. Cold water and cool towels come with both.
7. Hotel break. A day use room at your Siem Reap hotel from 1:30 pm to 5:15 pm, with shower, air conditioning and pool access. Lunch at the hotel is included. Take the overnight version and the room becomes yours for the night as well.
8. Evening transfer. Round trip by tuk tuk from your hotel, included in the price. Three wheels, open sides, no traffic stress.
9. Dinner. A buffet of traditional Khmer dishes at our partner restaurant in Siem Reap, included. Vegetarian dishes sit on the same line. Drinks are extra and paid at the table.
10. The performance. Classical Apsara dance pieces and Cambodian folk dances, performed live with a music ensemble. The show starts around 7:30 pm and runs about two hours.
11. Children at the dinner. Children aged 5 to 11 usually pay a reduced rate and under 5 are often free, depending on the restaurant. We confirm the exact child rate when we book your table.
12. Children at the temples. Under 8 years old are not permitted on the Angkor Wat sunrise tour. That rule comes from the park, not from us.
13. Angkor temple pass. US$37 for one day, US$62 for three days and US$72 for seven. Paid to Angkor Enterprise, not to Journey Cambodia. Buy it online before you fly and skip the queue at 4:50 am.
14. Package from. US$41 per person for the small group sunrise tour plus the Apsara dinner and transfers, before the hotel break and the temple pass. Private versions start higher.
15. Booking lead time. 48 hours gets you the best guide choice. From November to March the sunrise slots go first, so book earlier in peak season.
16. Cancellation. Full refund up to 24 hours before departure. Inside 24 hours and no shows are not refunded. Refunds are paid back within 7 business days, and any amendment to your date needs at least 24 hours notice.
17. Weather. The sunrise run still goes ahead in light rain. If conditions turn unsafe we offer another date or a full refund. The dinner show runs indoors either way.
18. Dress code. Shoulders and knees covered at the temples. Neat casual is fine for dinner, and the restaurant is not formal.

On the temple pass: it is the one cost we are not able to fold in. Angkor Enterprise issues the pass, not tour operators. Buy the one day pass online before you fly.

• The Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap morning pickup runs between 4:15 and 4:35 am from your hotel lobby in Siem Reap.
• We confirm the exact minute by message the day before your tour, because the sunrise time shifts through the year and pickup moves with it. Give us your hotel name and room number when you book, and tell reception to expect us.
• If your hotel sits outside the central area, message us and we will quote the extra transfer before you pay. Guests arriving on a late flight sometimes ask for a 4 am pickup at a guesthouse near the airport, and that is fine, it only shifts the price a little.
• The evening pickup is a tuk tuk at your hotel around 6:15 pm. The driver will be holding a sign with your name. If the restaurant runs a little late on the night, your driver waits, so there is nothing to worry about.

• The temple leg ends with a drop off at your hotel between 12:30 and 1:30 pm, and that is when your day use room is ready for you.
• The Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap evening leg ends around 9:30 pm. Your tuk tuk driver takes you back to your hotel by default, and he is happy to drop you at the Old Market or Pub Street instead if you want to keep the night going. Just tell him on the way.
• Nothing is booked for the morning after, so sleep in. You have earned it.

Pack light, because you are on your feet for hours before the Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap gives you a bed.

1. A torch or a charged phone. The corridors at Angkor Wat are dark at 5:30 am.
2. Shoulders and knees covered. Temple rules, no exceptions, and staff do check.
3. Comfortable walking shoes. Sandals are fine, heels are not.
4. A camera with spare batteries. You will take more photos than you plan to.
5. Sunscreen and a hat for the later morning.
6. A copy of your passport, not the original. Leave the real one in your room safe.
7. One tidier outfit for dinner. Nothing formal, just something you feel good in.
8. Cash in small bills for breakfast, drinks and tips.
9. A light layer for the evening, since the ride is open air.
10. Any medication you need. Pharmacies in town keep odd hours.

Leave your airline tickets, your passport and the bulk of your cash at the hotel.

1. Licensed English speaking guide for the sunrise tour.
2. Air conditioned minibus with cold water and cool towels all morning.
3. Hotel pickup and drop off for the temple leg.
4. Hotel day use room, shower and pool access from 1:30 pm to 6:15 pm.
5. Lunch at the hotel.
6. Round trip tuk tuk transfers to and from the dinner restaurant.
7. Buffet dinner of traditional Khmer dishes.
8. The live Apsara and folk dance performance.
9. All government taxes and service charges.

1. The US$37 one day Angkor temple pass, paid to Angkor Enterprise.
2. Breakfast on the sunrise morning. Ask your hotel for a takeaway pack.
3. Drinks at dinner, including beer, wine and soft drinks.
4. Spa treatments and any hotel extras.
5. Tips for your guide, driver and tuk tuk driver.
6. Travel insurance.
7. Flights, airport transfers and anything not listed in the inclusions above.

1. Accessibility. The temple leg is not wheelchair accessible, and the ground at Ta Prohm is uneven. Tell us ahead of time if you need a slower pace, and we will plan around it.
2. Languages. Our guides run tours in English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. Say which one you need when you book, because language guides are not available at the last minute.
3. Fitness level. The sunrise morning involves several hours of walking, some of it on stone steps and dirt paths. Nothing extreme, but wear shoes you trust.
4. Weather. Angkor runs in light rain and looks good in it. Heavy storms can delay the sunrise, and if conditions turn unsafe we offer another date or a full refund.
5. Heat. Drink more water than you think you need, and use the hotel break properly rather than treating it as dead time.
6. Photography. Your guide knows the light and the quiet corners. Ask him for the spots that are not on the standard route.
7. Money. Carry small US dollar bills for breakfast, drinks and tips. Cambodian riel works too and is common for small amounts.
8. Phone signal. Coverage at the temples is patchy but usable. Download an offline map before you leave the hotel, just in case.
9. Local manners. Ask before photographing monks or villagers, and step back rather than pushing in front of anyone.
10. Booking amendments. Any amendment to your date needs at least 24 hours notice, and refunds are paid back within 7 business days.
11. Group size note. The small group rate refers to the number of travellers in your own booking, not the size of the group on the day.
12. What to leave behind. Passport, airline tickets and most of your cash stay in the hotel safe. Take enough for the temple pass, meals and tips.

The last word
Two hundred people a day book a sunrise tour and a dinner show on separate days, and half of them tell me afterwards that they wished they had done it this way.
Here is why the combo wins. You see the two things Siem Reap does best, you see them on the same day, and you lose nothing in between because the hotel room is doing the work of a rest day. Same team, same booking, two pickups, four hours of sleep in the middle. Book the Sunrise at Angkor Wat plus Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap small group departure from US$41 per person, go private if you want your own pace, and finish the night with a plate of Khmer curry in front of you and live drums somewhere to your left.

Cancellations made at least 24 hours ahead get a full refund. Inside 24 hours, or a no show, there is no refund. Any date move needs 24 hours notice.