Five Reasons to Become a Morning Person in Angkor Wat

By GeoEx Staff | August 23, 2014

While you will miss that delight of lounging about in robes and slippers and cocooning in the cozy swath of blankets for hours, forcing yourself out of night owl tendencies is sometimes very well worth it, especially in a place like Angkor Wat. Take this from someone whose entire college curriculum was formed on a strategy of waking up after 10:00 a.m.

Starting early in Siem Reap allows you to:

1. Go Outside the Main Complex

Particularly if you have only a few days, waking up early is your best chance to see more temples before they close.

2. Beat the Crowds

Nothing is quite as satisfying as leaving a temple complex just as three buses arrive to unload their tour groups. And while the sunsets are crowded, sunrises in Angkor Wat are equally stunning and less attended.

3. Get the Best Pictures

There’s a reason that photographers are early risers. The first light of the day is the only time considered slightly better for lighting than the time just before sunset. There’s a reason the hour after dawn is called photography’s golden hour.

4. Beat the Heat

Unfortunately, Cambodia temperatures don’t change much throughout the year, so you’re potentially faced with the choice of hot or hotter. But if you start early, you’re catching the best option for lower humidity.

5. Enjoy a Poolside Siesta

Unless the gods have frowned upon you, your hotel should have a pool, and that pool should be the perfect salve when you return from a morning of exploration. Even if you head out early for a ruin, the day may be sweltering by the time you return to your hotel. Combining your well-deserved afternoon nap with a restorative dip in the pool is the best answer.

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