Airport Gateway To Angkor Wat: Where To Fly Into

Angkor Wat is a famous temple complex in the northwestern province of Siem Reap, Cambodia. The closest airport to Angkor Wat is Siem Reap International Airport (REP/VDSR/SAI), which is 8km or 24.1 miles from the temple complex. The airport opened in October 2023 and replaced the old Siem Reap International Airport, which was the second-busiest airport in Cambodia. There are a variety of transport options available to get from the airport to Angkor Wat, including taxis, remorks, and tuk-tuks.

Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is the closest airport to Angkor Wat

The old Siem Reap International Airport could support 2 million people a year, but the new airport can handle 7 million passengers, with plans to increase capacity to 12 million by 2040. This makes it a lot easier for tourists to visit the Angkor Wat temple complex.

There are several transport options available to get from the airport to Angkor Wat. You can hire a taxi, a tuk-tuk, or a remork. The remork is a more affordable option, costing around €8 (KHR 33,500) per ride. If you want to secure a set rate, you can pre-book your transfer from the airport to Angkor Wat. However, be aware that taxis may charge higher fares during peak or late-night hours.

If you are arriving from elsewhere in Cambodia, you can find a tuk-tuk at the airport to take you to Angkor Wat for the day. You can leave your bags in the tuk-tuk, but it is recommended that you carry any valuables with you. The Angkor Wat temple complex is vast, with much more to see than just the temple itself.

The airport is 8km from Angkor Wat

The closest airport to Angkor Wat is Siem Reap International Airport, which is approximately 8km from the Angkor Wat temple complex. Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport is a new airport that opened in October 2023, replacing the old Siem Reap International Airport, which was only 8km from the centre of Angkor Wat. The new airport is designed to serve as an upgraded gateway to the popular tourist attraction, with an increased capacity of 7 million passengers annually, and plans to expand this to 12 million by 2040.

Once you arrive at Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport, there are several transport options to reach Angkor Wat. The airport is known for heavy traffic, but under normal conditions, the temple complex entrance is just a 10-minute drive away. You can find a taxi outside the arrivals hall, and these usually offer flat-rate fares for rides to popular destinations like Angkor Wat. To secure a set rate without surcharges, you can pre-book your transfer. Alternatively, you can opt for a remork, which is slightly more affordable at around €8 per ride and takes a similar amount of time. If you prefer, you can also hire a tuk-tuk to take you to Angkor Wat for the day.

If you are travelling internationally, you may fly into Suvarnabhumi (BKK) Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, which is 385km from Siem Reap. From there, you can take a bus to Siem Reap, which takes approximately 9 hours.

You can get a taxi from outside the airport to Angkor Wat

You can easily get a taxi from outside the airport to Angkor Wat. Siem Reap International Airport, which was the second-busiest airport in Cambodia before it closed in 2023, was the closest airport to Angkor Wat, situated 8km away. The new airport, Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, is also located in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and is 24.1 miles or 32.8 km from Angkor Wat.

When you exit the arrivals hall of either airport, you will find a line of taxis right outside. Taxi companies in Siem Reap usually offer flat-rate fares for rides to popular destinations such as Angkor Wat. You can also pre-book your transfer to Angkor Wat to secure a set rate. However, keep in mind that taxis may charge higher fares during peak or late-night hours.

If you prefer a more affordable option, you can opt for a remork, which will cost you around €8 (KHR 33,500) per ride. Alternatively, you can find a tuk-tuk at the airport to take you to Angkor Wat for the day.

You can also get a tuk-tuk or a remork

The closest airport to Angkor Wat is Siem Reap International Airport, which is 8km from the temple complex. However, this airport is now defunct and has been replaced by Cambodia's newest and biggest airport, which is also located in Siem Reap.

Tuk-tuk drivers, such as Alibaba Angkor, can be contacted via WhatsApp and can act as tour guides in addition to providing transport. They can also offer air-conditioned cars for longer tours.

If you are staying in the city centre, it is recommended that you organise a driver to take you to and from the temples, as the complex is located around 6km from the centre of Siem Reap. You can ask your guest house owner, hotel receptionist, or Airbnb host to help you arrange this.

The new airport in Siem Reap can handle 7 million passengers a year

Angkor Wat, the famous temple complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia, has long been a significant tourist attraction. However, the old Siem Reap International Airport, located just 8km from the temple complex, struggled to accommodate the growing number of visitors, leading to concerns about pollution damage to the site. As a result, the Cambodian government announced plans in 2010 to replace the old airport with a larger, more modern facility further from Angkor Wat.

After delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cambodia's newest and biggest airport, the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, opened in October 2023, with the old airport closing the same month. The new airport is located 45km east of Siem Reap and features a spacious terminal with 15 jet bridges, a cargo terminal, an air traffic control tower, and a 3,605-metre runway capable of handling various aircraft types, including wide-body planes such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A330.

One of the most impressive aspects of the new airport is its capacity. The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport can handle 7 million passengers per year in its first phase, a significant upgrade from the old airport's capacity of 2 million. This increased capacity will greatly enhance the accessibility of Angkor Wat, which currently receives around 1,000 to 1,500 visitors per day, with a maximum of 9,000 before the pandemic. The new airport will reduce congestion and make it easier for tourists to visit this popular destination.

Looking ahead, the airport has plans for further expansion. By 2030, the airport's capacity is expected to increase to 12 million passengers annually, and by 2050, the third phase of development should be complete, bringing the total capacity to over 20 million passengers per year. These expansions will ensure that the airport can accommodate the anticipated growth in tourism to Angkor Wat and the surrounding area.

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