Phnom Bakheng Temple

It is definitely worth visiting at sunset, even though it can get very crowded. Arrive early to secure a good spot and enjoy the experience more comfortably. Don’t make the mistake most tourists do by leaving as soon as the sun disappears, stay a bit longer. The sky continues to change colors afterward, and it’s absolutely beautiful to watch.

Amazing location to see the sunset on a clear day. The temple sits on a hilltop providing a panoramic view of sunset as well as the sun reflecting on the spires of Angkor Watt. The climb to the temple can take about 15 minutes or so, and more steps to climb up the temple for sunset views are worth it.

For me, this is the best sunset view in Angkor! I loved the walk up the hill with my family to reach the temple summit. It is one of the most popular sunset spots here for a reason…watching the colors change over the temples is a beautiful memory. I highly recommend this experience to everyone visiting Siem Reap!

Perched atop a hill, Phnom Bakheng stands as one of Cambodia’s earliest temple-mountains, marking the rise of Angkor as a capital. Built in the late 9th century, its five-tiered form symbolizes Mount Meru, the sacred center of the universe. As the sun sets, the temple glows in warm hues, offering a timeless view where stone, sky, and history quietly converge.

Sunrise photos and sunset photos. A long walk before you get to the top, but i think it is worth it because everybody has pictures of sunrise at Angkor Wat. The extra effort to see the sunrise is worth seeing Siem Reap with no traffic on the streets, and it is always a nice, cool ride out to the temple. Be sure to take coffee, for the trip, water, a jacket and a good flashlight. Be sure to leave enough time so you get a good spot, whether you're going for sunrise or sunset. It takes a lot longer than you might think to get to the top. It also is a must to bring something soft to sit on, the rubber thing that has a handle at one end, which is used by gardeners to kneel on is ideal, but haven't a clue where to get one, maybe Macro? One other thing choose your spot carefully, the sun may not be where you want it and you might have people in the way. If you are late, you will definitely find out what i mean. Don’t count on people to move, some are agreeable some are not, it’s entirely up to them.

It is beautiful, if it's not too crowded and the sky is clear, which seems to be a rare occasion! The main challenge compared to other temples is that the space at the top is quite limited. But still I really enjoyed it and think it is worth the walk. BTW, the walk is quite easy apart from too many stairs at the end.

Highly recommended for anyone visiting Siem Reap! I just had a beautiful experience climbing Phnom Bakheng with cold sweat and all. It was truly worth it when I captured the astonishing sunset around 5:30 PM.

Because it is said that this a great place for sunset, it gets pretty crowded in the afternoon. But I would recommend better to see the sunset at Angkor Wat instead, as it's less crowded and the views are more impressive. The temples location on a hilltop is less common in Angkor Archeological Park, and it does have great views over the jungle and one can see Angkor Wat from a distance piercing through the vegetation. The temples itself is not particularly interesting. If you want to see the great jungle views, then it's worth a visit. Otherwise, if you skip it, it's not big loss. Keep in mind there is a decent among of walking circling the hill to get to the temple.