Bayon
Place · Bayon & 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.
- About 200 faces
- Go early or after 15:30
- Go at opening
- Queue: switch at 20 min
- Works with kids
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Angkor temples enforce a dress code
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Cambodia ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal; lookalike sites charge extra. Some nationalities can also get a visa on arrival.
- Cambodia ↗Angkor Wat and other active temples enforce a dress code: shoulders and knees covered, or you are turned away at the gate.
- Cambodia ↗US dollars are used for most tourist prices; carry clean, undamaged small notes and some riel for change under one dollar.
- Northwest Cambodia ↗Shoulders and knees covered at every Angkor temple; guards check at the main gates.
- Siem Reap ↗Angkor temples enforce a dress code: shoulders and knees covered; carry a scarf or light shirt in your day pack.
- Siem Reap ↗Buy the Angkor pass only at the official ticket office in town, not from touts or at the temple gates; carry it and your ID, it is checked at every temple.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Usually Opens 07:00Usually Opens 7:00 AM
- Crowds
Quietest around 06:00 or 16:00 · go at opening
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Tue–Thu · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Child: Free (carry a passport copy; check)
Free under 12 (carry ID, check)
- Time to spend
- 50–75 min · up to 110 min if you linger
Best time to go
Tour buses 09:30–11:30; quieter early and late.
Queue rule: switch if the queue passes 20 min; come back when under 8.
By weekday: quietest Tue–Thu, busiest Sat, Sun.
Opening hours
- Hours
- 07:00–? (typical, check)
- Note
- Opening hours are not printed until verified; entry needs the Angkor pass.
- Hours note
- Opens around 07:00 and closes about 17:30 (check; the park opens earlier).
Which month is quietest
- Janpacked
- Febpacked
- Marheavy
- Aprbusy
- Maylight
- Junquiet
- Julquiet
- Augquiet
- Sepquiet
- Octlight
- Novheavy
- Decpacked
Quietest Jun–Sep · busiest Dec–Feb.
Estimate: desk reasoning; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Tuk-tuk or car to the south gate of Angkor Thom
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- Not recorded
- Shoes
- Shoes on; no shorts or sleeveless tops.
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
- Peak crowd5/5 Very high
Exposure: high
What to bring and the rules
- Footwear that suits the rule · On; no shorts or sleeveless tops.
- A small bag · Day bags fine.
- Water, a hat and sun or rain cover · Rated high exposure: little shelter while you walk.
- Shoes: On; no shorts or sleeveless tops.
- Day bags fine.
- Lockers or cloakroom (no) Leave big bags at the hotel.
- Allowed; no flash on carvings; no drones.
- Drones banned without a permit; tripods not on the terraces.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Drinks stalls at the east entrance
- crowd: Baphuon first, return at 15:30
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Bayon east entrance drinks stalls (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Shoulders and knees covered.
- Do not climb on fenced structures or touch the carvings.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- The Angkor pass covers the Bayon and all of Angkor Thom; carry it and your ID.
- Go at opening for the softest light, or after 15:30 when the tour buses have left.Go at opening for the softest light, or after 3:30 PM when the tour buses have left.
- Dress code applies: shoulders and knees covered.
- The upper terrace is reached by steep steps; the faces are best seen from the third level.
- Drinks stalls at the east entrance; shade is limited at midday.
Best time of day
Go at opening. Plan 50–75 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary dry-season day; tour buses arrive 09:30–11:30
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Angkor pass, 1 day: Official Angkor ticket office, cash or card (check)
- Angkor pass, 3 days (valid within 10 days) or 7 days (valid within a month): Same office
- Children under 12: Same office
- Tour-operator "skip-the-line" bundle: Marketplaces and touts
- Queues
- Go at opening for the softest light, or after 15:30 when the tour buses have left.Go at opening for the softest light, or after 3:30 PM when the tour buses have left.
- Arrive at opening or after 15:30.Arrive at opening or after 3:30 PM.
- Tour-operator "skip-the-line" bundle: The pass is not sold at the temple gates; the ticket office is the only source.
- Dress code
- Shoes: On; no shorts or sleeveless tops.
- Bags & lockers
- Day bags fine.
- Lockers or cloakroom (no) Leave big bags at the hotel.
- Photos
- Allowed; no flash on carvings; no drones.
- Drones banned without a permit; tripods not on the terraces.
- What's closed
- WeeklyOpen every day.
- RepairscheckParts of the upper terrace close for restoration in some years.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Where to buy | Skip-the-line reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angkor pass, 1 day | US$37 or more (2026 estimate; the price has been rising, check) | Official Angkor ticket office, cash or card (check) | Buy the afternoon before: the office sells next-day entry from late afternoon (check hours). |
| Angkor pass, 3 days (valid within 10 days) or 7 days (valid within a month) | About US$62 and US$72 in earlier years (check current) | Same office | A multi-day pass saves money if you also want Ta Prohm and Banteay Srei. |
| Children under 12 | Free (carry a passport copy; check) | Same office | — |
| Tour-operator "skip-the-line" bundle | Tour price, not the pass | Marketplaces and touts | The pass is not sold at the temple gates; the ticket office is the only source. |
How to do it well
- 1Arrive at opening or after 15:30.
- 2Start at the outer gallery, then climb to the terraces.
- 3Walk on to the Baphuon or exit at the east entrance for drinks.
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
30min
Worthwhile
50min
Typical
75min
p95
110min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (75 min).
With the other 15 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Ta ProhmA 10 min tuk-tuk east.0 min on foot · 15 min spare
- Baphuon8 min on foot · 7 min spare
- Terrace of the ElephantsA long carved terrace north of the Bayon.15 min on foot · 0 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
Outer gallery bas-reliefs
20 minScenes of war and daily life: markets, boats, cockfights, in a single row.
Terraces and inner gallery
20 minStairs up to the faces; watch the steps.
The upper terrace with the faces
25 minAbout 200 stone faces on 37 towers (approximate); the most photographed area.
extra ticketBaphuon (a short walk)
20 minAn 11th-century temple-mountain to the north; a quieter follow-up.
optional
Plan this visit
- Crowd on arrival
- heavy
- Worst while inside
- packed
- Leave by
- 09:159:15 AM
- Closing buffer
- 495′
Workable but crowded. The quietest start that fits is 16:00 (light at worst).Workable but crowded. The quietest start that fits is 4:00 PM (light at worst).
- Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 17:30. Around 17:30; check for your date.
- Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
Step-free route
- 1The outer gallery is largely level; the upper terraces are steps only.
- 2Ask the driver to drop you at the east entrance for the shortest walk.
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | yes | Near the east and south entrances; small fee at some. |
| Café or food | yes | Drinks stalls at the east entrance. |
| Drinking water | limited | Bottled water at stalls; carry your own. |
| Lockers or cloakroom | no | Leave big bags at the hotel. |
| Seating | limited | Low walls and shaded steps around the terraces. |
| Card or IC payment | no | Cash at stalls. |
Seasons, festivals and night openings
| When | What happens | Effect on your visit | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov–Feb | Peak season | Tour buses fill the terrace by 10:00; go at opening.Tour buses fill the terrace by 10:00 AM; go at opening. | |
| Mar–May | Hot season | The stone holds heat; go at first light. | |
| Jun–Oct | Wet season | Fewer visitors, wet steps. |
“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First visit to Siem Reap | good | The faces are the other must-see at Angkor. |
| Photographers | good | Low sun on the faces. |
| Families with small kids | ok | Shorter than Angkor Wat; steep steps on the terraces. |
| Wheelchair users | poor | Outer gallery only. |
Skip it if
- You have only 45 minutes and want a shady walk: choose Ta Prohm.
- You cannot cover shoulders and knees.
Rules on site
- food
- Not on the terraces.
With kids
- with kids
- Children like looking for faces; steps are steep, so hold hands.
- child price
- Free under 12 (carry ID, check)
Combine with
Combine with
- 0 minTa Prohm — A 10 min tuk-tuk east.
- 8 minBaphuon
- 15 minTerrace of the Elephants — A long carved terrace north of the Bayon.
- —Angkor Wat — Do it the day before at sunrise.
- —Angkor National Museum — Air-conditioned midday break.
- —Baphuon, a few minutes' walk
Walk the Bayon & Angkor Thom area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
| Spot | When | Rule on the spot |
|---|---|---|
| Faces on the upper terrace | First light or 15:30–17:00First light or 3:30 PM–5:00 PM | Do not lean on the stone; no climbing on fenced walls. |
| Outer gallery reliefs | Any time; softer light in the morning | No flash on carvings. |
| South gate causeway | Early morning | Stay behind the barrier. |
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Are there shaded rest spots?
Only limited: low walls in the terrace shade and drinks stalls at the east entrance.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
How long do I need at the Bayon?
45–75 minutes for the reliefs and the terrace; add 30 minutes for the Baphuon.
When is the best light?
First light in the morning, or after 15:30 when the sun is low and the stone glows.First light in the morning, or after 3:30 PM when the sun is low and the stone glows.
Is the Bayon covered by the pass?
Yes. Carry the pass and your ID; it is checked at the gate.
How do I get there?
A tuk-tuk from town takes 25–30 minutes; from Angkor Wat 15–20 minutes.
Do I need a guide?
Not required, but a licensed guide helps with the reliefs; agree the price first.
Photos
Photos
Bayon Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Bayon Photo: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0
Deep dive
Sources
- officialMinistry of Tourism of Cambodia
- officialUNESCO — Angkor
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.