Bayon Temple tips: timing, dress code and what to know

Bayon Temple tips: timing, dress code and what to know

Get to the Bayon at the 7:30 am opening or after 3:30 pm, cover your shoulders and knees, and don't plan on the top level. The upper terrace and the central tower have been closed since 2020, so you see the faces from the middle level instead.

When to go

• Beat the tour buses. The first hour after opening is the quietest. Groups coming straight from sunrise at Angkor Wat start arriving around 8:30 to 9 am, and by 10:30 the narrow galleries are packed. Older blogs promise a lunchtime lull, but recent reports find the courtyards busy until about 12:30, and noon is the hottest, flattest hour of the day. Crowds ease from about 2 pm and thin out after 4.

• Pick your season. November to February is cooler and the busiest. March to May is the hottest stretch, with April afternoons regularly over 35°C, so come at opening. From June to October the steps get slippery, but the faces turn green with moss and there are fewer people.

• Give it time. Plan 1½ to 2 hours for the Bayon alone. Add 2 more if you walk on to the Baphuon, Phimeanakas and the Terrace of the Elephants, all 3 to 10 minutes away on foot.

What to wear and carry

• Dress. Everyone, men and women, must cover their shoulders and knees at the Bayon. A loose t-shirt with sleeves and capri pants or long trousers works, and a light cotton kurta is fine too. Guards can turn you away at the entrance.

• Shoes. Wear shoes with grip. The steps up to the inner gallery are steep, narrow and smooth with wear, and slick in the rains.

• Sun and water. Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a litre of water. The open courtyards have very little shade.

• Spare battery. Pack a power bank or a second camera battery and clear some phone storage. With this many faces, most people shoot far more than they planned.

At the temple

• Follow the walls in order. Enter from the east, turn left and walk the outer gallery clockwise, then climb to the inner gallery. Our walking-order table shows what each wall holds.

• See the faces from the middle level. You can't go up to the upper terrace, but many faces sit at close range in the doorways of the middle level. The east and south sides catch the soft early light.

• Get the story. The outer reliefs have no captions. A licensed guide explains the battles, the market scenes and the faces. Book one through your hotel, and ask anyone who walks up offering to guide you to show their guide licence badge, which carries a photo and ID number.

• Monks and photos. Ask before photographing monks, and do not touch or pose on carvings. Keep voices low near the shrines, where incense is still burnt.

• No drones. You can't fly a drone anywhere at Angkor without an APSARA permit, a rule in force since 2016.

• Safety. Siem Reap and the Angkor park are open and running normally. Watch your bag on the road from town, where snatch thefts from motorbikes happen.

• Where to stay. Most travellers base themselves in central Siem Reap, 25 to 30 minutes away. For the closest options in town, see our list of hotels near Bayon Temple.