Audio walk · Siem Reap
Bayon & Angkor Thom
Put your phone in your pocket and walk. Your phone reads each stop aloud, then waits while you walk to the next one; tap “I've arrived” to carry on. Everything it says is written out below, so the walk works without sound too.
- 3 stops
- about 5 min of listening
- about 12 min between stops
- Cluster guide
3 stops · about 5 min listening · about 12 min between stops
Before you start
Voice and speed
The script is in English. On-device voices keep working with no signal once this page is open or saved.
Transcript
Everything the tour says, in order. Read it instead of listening if you prefer.
Before you start
Welcome to the Bayon & Angkor Thom audio walk in Siem Reap. 3 stops: Bayon, Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei. Morning cluster: the Bayon's carved faces in the low light, then the Baphuon and the walled city on foot; go before 09:30 or after 15:30.
The Bayon and the Baphuon inside the Angkor Thom walls (approximate box; the Terrace of the Elephants is just north). Underfoot: stone paving, sand and packed earth; slope: flat; shade: medium.
Siem Reap is a small town with a very large neighbour. Angkor was once one of the biggest cities in the pre-industrial world, and its temples, reservoirs and roads still shape how a visit works: the sun, the water and the stone decide the schedule.
Before you start: Dress code enforced: shoulders and knees covered. Do not climb on fenced structures or touch the carvings. Keep your eyes on the street, and pause the audio before you cross a road.
1. Bayon
បាយ័ន
Look for
- Outer gallery bas-reliefs
- Terraces and inner gallery
- The upper terrace with the faces
Stop 1 of 3: Bayon. Arrival point: Tuk-tuk or car to the south gate of Angkor Thom.
Go at first light or after 15:30: the carved faces work best in low sun; 60 minutes on the terraces, then the Baphuon on foot.
Look for Outer gallery bas-reliefs: Scenes of war and daily life: markets, boats, cockfights, in a single row. Look for Terraces and inner gallery: Stairs up to the faces; watch the steps. Look for The upper terrace with the faces: About 200 stone faces on 37 towers (approximate); the most photographed area.
The Bayon, at the centre of the walled city, carries about two hundred stone faces on its towers; Ta Prohm and Preah Khan were built as temples and monasteries in his reign. Angkor Thom, the walled city with the Bayon, is a few kilometres beyond it, and Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and other temples lie to the east and north. Angkor Wat is a Vishnu temple; the Bayon is a Buddhist one, though its shrines also hold older Hindu ideas; Banteay Srei is a Shiva temple.
Shoulders and knees covered. Tour buses 09:30–11:30; quieter early and late. Allowed; no flash on carvings; no drones.
Walk:Next, stop 2: Ta Prohm. This leg is usually a ride, not a walk: tuk-tuk east to ta prohm, about 12 minutes. The next stop is about 3.4 km to the east. The tour waits here. Tap I've arrived when you get there.
2. Ta Prohm
តាព្រហ្ម
Look for
- East gate and approach
- Silk-cotton and strangler-fig roots
- Galleries and courtyards
Stop 2 of 3: Ta Prohm. Arrival point: Tuk-tuk or car to the east gate, about 20–30 min from town.
Go at opening: the root-choked temple is shady and quiet before 09:00; allow about 60–75 minutes and follow the one-way route. On a first visit: The temple that people picture from photos.
Look for East gate and approach: A short forest path; drinks stalls near the entrance. Look for Silk-cotton and strangler-fig roots: The trees grow over the towers and galleries; the classic photo stops have a queue after 09:00. Look for Galleries and courtyards: Collapsed corridors, carved lintels and quiet corners.
The tuk-tuk day circuits are named for these loops: the small circuit covers Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm, and the grand circuit adds more distant temples.
Do not climb on the roots or fenced walls; falling stone is a risk. Tour buses 09:00–11:30; quietest first thing and late afternoon.
Walk:Next, stop 3: Banteay Srei. It is about 19.9 km to the north-east: too far to walk, so plan a ride and check your map. The tour waits here. Tap I've arrived when you get there.
3. Banteay Srei
បន្ទាយស្រី
Look for
- Outer causeway and gate
- Central sanctuary with carvings
- Outer enclosure and pools
- Carved pediments from the entrance side
Stop 3 of 3: Banteay Srei. Arrival point: Tuk-tuk or car about 45–60 min from town.
A half-day trip 25–35 km north-east: go at opening for the small red-sandstone temple and its fine carving, then return by 11:30.
Look for Outer causeway and gate: A short paved approach with stalls at the entrance. Look for Central sanctuary with carvings: Pink sandstone with deep, detailed relief carving of Hindu stories; viewing from behind barriers. Look for Outer enclosure and pools: A quiet walk around the moat and small pools. For a photo: Carved pediments from the entrance side, morning light.
Further out are Banteay Srei, about 25–35 km north-east, and the mountain of Phnom Kulen and Beng Mealea, each a day trip by car. Banteay Srei is small and carved so deeply that it looks like wood.
Do not touch the carvings; the stone is soft and easily damaged. Tour groups 09:30–11:30; quiet at opening and late afternoon.
End of the walk
That's the end of the Bayon & Angkor Thom walk. To carry on, Angkor Wat is about 20 minutes away (tuk-tuk south). To carry on, Old Market & Pub Street is about 28 minutes away (tuk-tuk south).
Built from this site's place pages, walking times and city deep dive; nothing is added that isn't on those pages. Opening hours, prices and rules change: check each place page before you go. Walking times are typical (median) and assume a steady pace.