Best temples near Angkor Wat to visit with kids
Despite having been on my list of places that I had to visit for the last nearly 30 years, I somehow missed the fact that Angkor Wat is only a single temple in the middle of a much, much larger archaeological site with literally dozens of other amazing temples!
And in fact, while Angkor Wat should definitely be at the top of your list of temples to visit, many of those other temples actually ended up being favorites with my kids!
Here are some of my family’s favorite kid-friendly temples in the Angkor Archaeological Site.
Ta Prohm Temple – The one with the trees
- The “Tree Temple”
- Filming location for the Tomb Raider movie
The name “Angkor Wat” may have been on my list of places to visit since I was a kid, but in reality this was the temple that I had in my mind.
Ta Prohm Temple is one of the larger temples in the Angkor complex, but it is most notable for the huge number of trees that have grown up around and through the temple’s stonework. In most of the temples in the complex, archaeologists are actively working to prevent and repair the damage caused by Cambodia’s jungle trees, but in Ta Prohm specifically, the trees have become so much a part of the temples identity that there is work being done on how to preserve them, as well.
The trees add such a fantastical feel to the whole place, and my daughter kept commenting on the fairy-tale like feeling that comes from walking among the broken stones and thick roots. And in fact, that surreal feeling was part of the reason Ta Prohm was chosen as a filming location for the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie way back in 2000.
Just be sure to get there early if you want the temple more or less to yourself. Ta Prohm is a very popular temple with tour groups. Gates open at 7:30 am and the tour buses start unloading not long after.
Banteay Kdei – Great for DIY explorations
- Smaller, less known temple that still has trees
- Fewer people means more chances for kids to explore!
Want to see some trees in temples but would rather avoid the crowds altogether? Try Banteay Kdei!
Banteay Kdei is a much smaller temple located just a short tuk-tuk ride away from the East Gate of Ta Prohm , and which also has several large trees growing up around and through its walls. The trees here aren’t nearly as integrated into the temple structures as they are in Ta Prohm , but if you’re wanting to avoid the crowds, that can be a good thing.
This is also a good temple for letting your kids explore a bit! We only saw a a handful of other tourists in the temple while we were there, which we loved.
The carvings here might not be as impressive as some of the other stops, but we definitely enjoyed our time here.
Pre Rup – Impressive views of the surrounding area
- Good for climbing, but the stairs are steep
- Great views of the surrounding landscape
I don’t know about your kids, but mine are constantly trying to climb things. And while Angkor Wat’s main temple might have one of the tallest towers in the Angkor Temple complex, it isn’t actually open for kids to climb.
However there are several temples where your kids can feel free to stretch their climbing muscles, including Pre Rup!
Pre Rup is a temple complex with a beautiful reddish color to its sandstone facade and mostly intact staircases to its upper level. Our kids loved the chance to climb up the stairs and see the surrounding area from above, and I particularly loved then contrast between the red of the temple’s stones and the jungle greenery beyond the walls.
Just note that it definitely feels easier going up the stairs than coming back down! The steps are tall and narrow, which means that it can feel extremely steep on the way down. Still, for the views and the chance for the kids to scratch that climbing itch, it’s definitely worth it!
Ta Keo – Really steep stairs, but lots of fun!
- Even steeper stairs, but worth it for an incredible view
- If your kids are afraid of heights, probably skip this one
There were several times during our visit to Angkor that I found myself comparing the temples to the different Meso-American temples we visited a few years back. But none of them gave that feeling of deja vu quite so much as the Ta Keo.
This was probably the highest spot we visited with our kids, and the stairs were steep. Most everyone that we saw climbing up ended up treating the stairs more like a ladder, with their hands on the steps above them. And somehow, my kids couldn’t get enough of it. I, on the other hand, had to take a few moments at the top to catch my breath before looking back down the way we came.
As I looked out over the temple stairs to the trees beyond, I was reminded very strongly of our view from the top of Ek Balam in Mexico, with trees in the distance beyond the temple entrance.
All that to say, if your kids are climbers, and you don’t mind steep stairs, Ta Keo is definitely worth a visit.
East Mebon Temple – Unique statues in a temple that used to be surrounded by water
- Elephant Statues!
900+ years ago, when Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire, it was a city filled with magnificent reservoirs of water that helped their city thrive during the long dry season. East Mebon was a temple built in the very center of one of those reservoirs, and indicators of that fact are still visible today.
The whole temple is built on a raised platform, instead of directly on the ground, and the stairs leading up to the center don’t reach all the way to where the ground is today. You can almost imagine visitors to the temple arriving by boat before ascending the steps.
As with the other temples, the whole base is basically a large square with higher square platforms built on top until you reach the main tower at the center. But what I love about this temple in particular is that each of the platform’s corners hosts a beautifully carved elephant statue!
There are other statues around, but these elephants are pretty unique among the carvings we saw, and my daughter, in particular, was pretty fond of them.
Other Temples worth visiting in the Angkor Archaeological Park
The Angkor Archeological Park has more temples than you can feasibly visit in a single week without really pushing your (and your kids’) endurance. The ones listed above were perfect for exploring with our kids without boring or exhausting them. But different kids are built different!
If you need some more temples to add into your itinerary, these are some great back up options.
Bayon Temple
- Big and beautiful
- Absolutely filled with other tourists
Bayon Temple is another one of the larger temples in the area, which makes it particularly attractive for tour groups. The upper levels and central tower have been closed for restoration since 2020, with no end in sight, but the lower levels have lots of enclosed corridors to explore.
When we visited it was pretty hot, so all the shaded spaces were a fantastic break from the sun, and as a bonus, we had the chance to see some of the restoration work in progress. Though, full disclosure, that was mostly just a large group of people looking at blueprints on a table in front of them.
Ta Som Temple
- Beautiful and not very crowded
- The pictures are misleading
I really like Ta Som for the most part. But one of the main reasons we chose to visit it was because the pictures on the tourist brochures have a picture of a doorway with a huge tree growing from it. However, once we got there we could see what the pictures don’t show. It turns out the tree is cut off a short distance above the doorway, making it more of a really big stump than a tree.
Ta Som expectations….
…vs Ta Som reality.
It’s giving Shrek’s hut in the swamp.
I’m sure they did this to preserve the temple, and I can’t argue with that, but the fact that pictures hid that fact from us until after we arrived meant that we were a bit disappointed. Knowing what to expect going in might make it a much more enjoyable visit, though. (And maybe the leaves grow back during wet season?)
Even so, Ta Som is definitely still worth exploring.
Angkor Archaeological Park F.A.Q.s
If you’ve never visited before, you probably have a few questions about visiting the Angkor Archaeological Park with kids.
No worries! I’ve got you.
How much does it cost to visit the Angkor Archaeological Park?
Angkor Archeological Park
1-day pass – $37/person
3-day pass – $62/person (about $20/day)
7-day pass – $72/person (about $10/day)
Kids under 12 are free!
There are actually 3 different price tiers of entry ticket to the Angkor Archaeological Park that correspond to 1 day, 3 day, and 7 day entry tickets.
The 1-day ticket is the least expensive option at $37 per person 12 and up. But it’s also the worst deal of the three, so I’d suggest skipping it. Instead, I’d opt for the 3-day ticket ($62) if you’re in town for a shorter amount of time or the 7-day ticket ($72) for pretty much anyone else.
The 7-day ticket ends up only costing $10 per person per day (!), which is an incredible deal considering. And, since kids 12 and under are free, the price per person ends up being even lower, if you’re traveling with kids!
You can buy your tickets online via the Angkor Enterprise website or in person at the Angkor Park Pass Ticket Counter. We purchased our tickets online without an issue and just used the tickets on our phones to get in.
If you want physical tickets, either as a keepsake or a lack of trust in your phone battery, it’s also possible to order your Angkor Park Pass via Agoda and have it delivered to your hotel. To be clear, this is slightly more expensive and is essentially just having someone else go stand in line for you and bring you your tickets, but it means not having to go to the ticket counter yourself, which may very well be worth it.
Note: Agoda’s activities pages are blocked in Cambodia, so you’ll need a VPN to access the page from in-country. You can read my article on my personal choice of VPN here.
Also Read…
Why a cheap VPN is an amazing tool for any international traveler
How long do we need at the Angkor Archaeological Park?
Quite honestly, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys temples and archaeological sites, you cannot get enough time in the Angkor Archaeological Park. There’s just too much to see!
However, if you’re wanting to see just the top spots (Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm , Bayon) and get out, you can probably see them all in 2-3 days. But putting it all into those days is going to be exhausting, and you’ll be missing out on a lot.
Realistically, I would suggest getting and using all 7 days of the 7-day pass. Having that much time meant that we could take our kids into the park in the mornings, spend 3-4 hours seeing temples, and head back to town when it gets hot around lunch time. (Though watching the sun set is fun, too!)
How do we get around the Angkor Archaeological Park?
Angkor Archaeological park is absolutely massive. Which means you’re definitely going to want to hire a driver for the day.
We’ve done this two different ways. The easiest way is to hire a Grab driver to take you to the park in the morning and then wait for them to ask if you need a driver inside the park. This works better for them because Grab doesn’t work inside the park and they would have to drive back into town unpaid in order to pick up their next passengers.
And if your driver doesn’t offer to take you, or if you don’t want them to, there are almost always drivers at each site who are looking for passengers. It’s as simple as walking towards the market area outside each temple and asking around.
We typically spent $15-$18 to hire a remorque (motorcycle carriage) driver to take us around, but we’re also terrible at bartering so we don’t try that hard if a price seems fair to us. And that price does! (And even if we overspend a bit, the money goes into the local economy, so win-win!)
Do I need a tour guide for the Angkor Archaeological Park?
It depends on what you want out of your experience! Guides are not required in order to visit the Angkor Archaeological Park, so it really comes down to your family preference.
My kids do not like having tour guides, and will always ask us to go it alone where we can. This allows them the feel like they can wander whichever direction feels good in the moment and helps keep overall family morale up.
I, on the other hand, enjoy having a guide who can tell me more about what it is I’m looking at and how it relates to the bigger picture. Guides also do a great job of making sure that you get to see the parts that most people find interesting, and they usually take care of the smaller details like arranging transportation, so you don’t have to.
None of that is necessary, but if you aren’t sure of where to go or what to do, it is helpful.
You can read more of my thoughts on guides vs no guides in my article, The Complete Guide to Guides.
What is the best Angkor Wat Tour for families with kids?
If you do decide to get a tour, you’re probably wondering which of the dozens of options would be the best for your family. Unfortunately, there’s just no way to guarantee that the tour you book will be a winner with the kids. But whatever you do, don’t sign up for a huge group tour when traveling with kids! Kids often get ignored in the larger group tours, which leads to them becoming bored.
Instead, hire a private tour with a local guide! There are often guides waiting at the entrance that you can book, but if you want to guarantee that someone will be available, I suggest booking a private tour like this one before you arrive.
This 2-day private tour includes 10 different locations around the Angkor Archaeological Park area, plus sunrise and sunsets in the park!
And, since you need either the 3 or 7 day pass to book the tour, you'll still have time left over after your tour to explore other temples on your own.
