It is that picture in every Cambodia postcards – Angkor Wat is THE place to visit while you are in the country. You even see it in Cambodia’s flag. The place is called “City of Temples” not for nothing, there were approximately 50 temples stretched out in the expansive park, and it has been listed as one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites since 1992.
We visited Siem Reap on Songkran holidays 2019, first visit for me to the country and the second time in Siem Reap for Dennis. With the pregnancy, we were planning a more relaxed long weekend holiday, to a place near Bangkok. Siem Reap is 1 hour flight from Bangkok.
Siem Reap was so hot during our visit (it was dry season), but locals also called it one of the hottest summers in few years. However, since we could not NOT visit Angkor Wat during our visit, we strategically planned to visit it starting from 3 PM.
We booked the driver (to skip the hassle) through our hotel. There were several method of transport available: by car, by tuk tuk, or by jeep. We chose tuk tuk because it would be nicer to stroll along the heritage site with more local transport method.
So below would be my tips for visiting Angkor Wat while pregnant:
Not to be too ambitious and taking it easy
As mentioned earlier, Angkor Wat has around 50 temples within the vicinity. We took the small route that brought us to around 4-5 main temples. Our main destination was the Angkor Wat and Ta Phrom (where Lara Croft was taken place). Do your research and take the least route as possible would be my suggestion. And let your lady sit whenever she needs to as climbing can be exhausting.
Take a method of transportation that you are most comfortable with
Tuk tuk brought us around the temples and would stop at the entrance of each temples. For some, it would require some walking 15-20 minutes before we get to see the temples. Wandering around by car would be a good alternative as well, as it would be AC-ed. Roads are mostly flat (not paved), but the bumpy road is still tolerable for the bump itself 🙂
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes/sandals
Some temples will require you to wear something with sleeve (no bare shoulders), skirts and pants have to be below knees. Make sure also you are wearing a comfortable footwear as it will require lots of walking and going up and down the stairs.
SPF and wet tissues
The sun in Siem Reap can be unforgiving especially in the summer. And the non-paved road can result in (red-ish) dust all over your skin – this is time for wet tissues to the rescue! Public toilets are available and relatively clean.
Have small change ready or bring your own drink
They have several small stalls that sell coconut and other cold drinks around the temples. I would prefer this because bringing your own drink — it can turn hot because of the heat.
More Information
Entrance Fee: USD 37 per person, per day; there are also tickets for 3 days and 7 days.
