REVIEW · SIEM REAP
2 Day private tour: Small tour, Big tour, sunrise and sunset,floating village.
Book on Viator →Operated by Angkor Special Tours · Bookable on Viator
Angkor in two days can feel like a lot, and that is exactly why this private plan works. You get a certified guide plus A/C car to move fast between the big-name ruins and the quieter corners, without having to wrestle tuk-tuks all day.
I especially like how the guide-led approach keeps things understandable, not just photo stops. Two things I really value here: you cover the main temples across Angkor’s circuits, and you get included comfort basics like cold water and cold towels during long temple hours.
One thing to consider: the tour’s big add-on is Tonle Sap by private boat, and that experience can vary with water levels. If the floating village looks more dry than watery, the extra boat cost may feel less worth it—so I’d ask the guide how it’s running when you arrive.
In This Review
- Key highlights that make this 2-day plan worth your time
- How this private Angkor + Tonle Sap tour actually plays for you
- Timing: the 4:45 am sunrise start (and why it’s worth it)
- Day 1: Angkor Wat, then Bayon and Ta Prohm’s tree-root drama
- Day 2: Preah Khan, Banteay Srei, and the calmer side of Angkor
- Tonle Sap Lake: floating village, flooded forest views, and floating market
- What you get from the guide and driver (beyond the route)
- Price and value: what $225.65 per group really means
- Comfort and physical effort: the parts that can wear you out
- Who should book this 2-day private plan
- Should you book this 2-day Angkor Special Tours experience?
- FAQ
- How long is the tour?
- Is this tour private?
- What is the pickup time for Angkor Wat sunrise?
- What is included in the tour price?
- What are the main admission fees you must pay separately?
- Are meals included?
- What fitness level do you need?
- Can I cancel and get a refund?
Key highlights that make this 2-day plan worth your time

- Angkor Wat sunrise (4:45 am pickup) plus sunset time, so you catch the temples at their best light
- Bayon and Ta Prohm on the big-temple route, including the famous stone faces and tree-root ruins
- Preah Khan included, a classic Angkor temple that adds depth beyond the headline sites
- Banteay Srei focus for carvings, with time set aside to appreciate detailed stonework
- Tonle Sap floating village by private boat, plus flooded forest and floating market views
- Small private group up to 6, which makes it easier to tailor pace and priorities
How this private Angkor + Tonle Sap tour actually plays for you
This is a private 2-day circuit centered on Angkor’s most-visited temples plus Tonle Sap. The value isn’t just that you see a lot—it’s that a guide handles the story, the timing, and the practical flow between sites, while the driver keeps things efficient in traffic.
The group size matters. Up to 6 people means you’re not stuck listening to instructions from across a crowd, and you can ask questions without feeling like you’re slowing everyone down. In the reviews, guides like Mr. Pin Vannak (and others such as Thean) come through as the kind of person who adjusts to your interests rather than running a rigid script.
You also get a real comfort setup for the day. Cold water and cold towels sound basic until you’re standing in full sun among temple stones. Add air-conditioned transportation, and you get a built-in reset between walking blocks. This helps if you want to enjoy what you’re seeing instead of counting minutes until the next shade break.
You can also read our reviews of more private tours in Siem Reap
Timing: the 4:45 am sunrise start (and why it’s worth it)

One of the biggest perks is that sunrise is treated like a priority, not an optional bonus. On day 2, you’re picked up very early at 4:45 am for Angkor Wat sunrise. That means you’re already moving before the heat kicks in and before the crowds fully take over the area.
After sunrise, you get a packed breakfast, which is a smart touch for people who don’t want to hunt for food right after getting your brain to function at dawn. From there, the morning continues with major temples, so you’re not wasting daylight waiting around for the day to begin.
There’s also mention of sunset time at Angkor Wat as part of the overall experience. Sunrise and sunset are different moods: sunrise feels calm and ceremonial; sunset feels golden and dramatic. If your schedule is only two days, this combo is one of the best ways to justify the early starts and the long days.
Practical note: your day 1 start is set at 8:00 am from your hotel, and day 2 is the 4:45 am sunrise pickup. If you see a different start time listed somewhere, confirm the exact plan with Angkor Special Tours ahead of time.
Day 1: Angkor Wat, then Bayon and Ta Prohm’s tree-root drama

Day 1 begins at Angkor Wat, with your guide and driver meeting you at 8:00 am. Even if you’ve seen images before, the first moment inside the temple grounds can feel huge. The guide’s job here is to help you orient quickly, so you know what you’re looking at and why certain towers, courtyards, and gates matter.
From there, the route continues through Angkor’s core storytelling temples. You’ll visit Bayon Temple, famous for the large carved Buddha faces that look out over the walkways. The key value isn’t just the faces themselves—it’s how the guide connects the temple’s carvings to what you’ll see later, so the places start to feel like a connected world instead of separate stops.
Then comes Ta Prohm, the jungle-leaning temple where the big film connection is part of its modern fame. The “Tomb Raider” association is real, but the real payoff is the way the stone and roots share space. You’ll get time to look at the carved surfaces and the layout, not only the obvious photo spots.
A drawback to keep in mind: day 1 is a serious walking day. The tour asks for moderate physical fitness, and these temples involve uneven stone surfaces and long periods outdoors. The good news is the plan includes cooling breaks via the A/C car and included water/towels.
Day 2: Preah Khan, Banteay Srei, and the calmer side of Angkor

After the sunrise morning, day 2 keeps moving through major temples with Preah Khan included. Preah Khan can feel less like a checklist stop and more like a temple you can actually linger in, because it gives you visual variety and a sense of scale. If you’ve already seen the most famous faces and courtyards in earlier hours, this is a strong way to add texture to your Angkor day.
The plan also includes Banteay Srei, often praised for carving detail. This matters because Angkor isn’t only about big structures. It’s also about the precision in the stonework—patterns, figures, and ornamentation that you miss if you’re rushing. With a guide, you can slow down in the right places, so the carvings stop being just background scenery.
One practical advantage of this schedule is that you get the best daylight first. Sunrise timing helps you do demanding sites earlier, then you’re not stuck doing the most sun-heavy walking at the hottest part of the day.
A consideration: Banteay Srei and other temples can be time-sensitive because admission tickets and site entry timing matter. This tour includes a guide to temples, but admission fees are not included, so budget for the Angkor ticket price of $62 per person before you go.
Tonle Sap Lake: floating village, flooded forest views, and floating market

Tonle Sap is the big change of pace from temple stone. This tour takes you to the floating village area, where you see how communities live with the water level changes. You also get views of the flooded forest and the floating market, which is exactly the kind of scene that’s hard to replicate from land.
The boat part is a key cost. The tour includes the experience of going out, but the private boat ticket is $20 per person and is not included in the base price. That means the boat ride is a major part of your total cost, and you should treat it as the heart of the Tonle Sap segment.
Here is the balanced truth: the floating village experience can shift. One review noted the floating village was dried up and didn’t feel like the typical water-based show. You can’t control water levels, but you can control your expectations. If you’re going during a time when the water looks lower than you imagined, ask the guide what you’ll realistically see from the boat before paying.
If everything is running well, though, Tonle Sap is one of those places where the scenery becomes the point. The flooded forest views and floating market area give you a different kind of travel story than temples.
You can also read our reviews of more evening experiences in Siem Reap
What you get from the guide and driver (beyond the route)

A private tour lives or dies by the people driving and guiding you. In the reviews tied to this operator, Mr. Pin Vannak stands out for English fluency and deep site knowledge, and Mr. Sitty shows up as a driver who helped keep the trip comfortable and well-managed. Other guide-driver pairings like Thean and Thuna are also described in similar terms.
The most useful part of a great guide is not just facts. It’s context you can actually use while you walk. You’ll get explanations about temple meanings and Cambodian history and culture, plus guidance on how the sites fit together within Angkor.
Another practical benefit from the people here: they can tailor pacing. If you want more time for carvings or if you prefer fewer stops with longer viewing windows, this style of tour can adjust. That’s especially valuable on a two-day plan, where you don’t have extra time to redo anything.
And yes—heat control and comfort come up again and again. Kept cool with included cold towels and A/C rides, you’ll feel less like a sweaty pack mule and more like a person actually enjoying the views.
Price and value: what $225.65 per group really means

The listed price is $225.65 per group (up to 6) for the 2-day private tour. On paper, that sounds like a good deal because you’re paying for a private guide and driver, not per person. The value becomes clearer when you break down what’s included.
Included:
- Tour guide for the main temples
- A/C transportation
- Cold water and cold towels
- Preah Khan included (so you don’t have to add it later)
Not included (and this is where your real total adds up):
- Angkor ticket: $62 per person
- Private boat ticket: $20 per person
- Meals (food or drink starts from $6 based on your order)
- Tips
So for a family or group of 4–6, the base price can feel efficient. The admission and boat fees are the bigger per-person items, so the sweet spot is groups that split those costs.
If you’re traveling as a solo person or a pair, the per-person admissions and boat fees still apply, but you’re not spreading the private guide cost across many people. In that case, you’re paying more for privacy and pacing, which can still be worth it if you care about a custom schedule and smooth logistics.
Comfort and physical effort: the parts that can wear you out

This tour includes basic heat-fighting comfort: A/C car, cold water, and cold towels. That’s not just nice; it keeps you moving. Temple time involves lots of standing and short bursts of walking on uneven surfaces, so the breaks matter.
It also asks for moderate physical fitness. That’s your cue to plan for real walking days. You’ll be moving through multiple temples across two days, including major sites like Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, and Banteay Srei, plus the Tonle Sap boat and market viewing.
One more practical detail: because this is private, your timing depends on your group’s pace. If everyone in your group wants faster than average movement, you can fit more viewing moments. If you want to stop to think and take pictures, the tour has the advantage of not being pulled along by a large bus schedule—just be ready for fewer rushing opportunities.
Who should book this 2-day private plan
I’d point you to this tour if you want:
- Sunrise and sunset time at Angkor Wat without the stress of organizing transport and timing
- A guide who explains what you’re seeing while you walk
- A balanced mix of headline temples and detailed temple carvings
- A Tonle Sap visit that includes the floating village and boat experience
It also fits best if you’re traveling in a small group and you like the idea of splitting costs. Up to 6 people is a sweet size for this style of private pacing.
If you hate early mornings, this might feel like a tough sell because of the 4:45 am pickup. But if you’re the type who likes the world before the day heats up, sunrise is a big reason to choose this.
Should you book this 2-day Angkor Special Tours experience?
If you want the “most important Angkor highlights” package done with a private guide, A/C transport, and built-in comfort, this is a strong option. The plan hits Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, and Banteay Srei, then shifts to Tonle Sap for a very different view of Cambodian life.
My main booking caution is the Tonle Sap floating village timing. Because water levels can change how dramatic the floating village looks, I’d ask how the boat visit is expected to run once you’re in Siem Reap. If that part sounds good to you, this two-day private setup is a smart way to see a lot while still feeling human between temple stops.
FAQ
How long is the tour?
It runs for 2 days (about 2 days total).
Is this tour private?
Yes. It’s private, and only your group participates.
What is the pickup time for Angkor Wat sunrise?
On day 2, you’ll meet your guide and driver at 4:45 am for Angkor Wat sunrise.
What is included in the tour price?
The tour includes a tour guide, A/C transportation, and cold water and cold towels. Preah Khan is also included.
What are the main admission fees you must pay separately?
Admission fees are not included. The Angkor ticket is $62 per person, and the private boat ticket for Tonle Sap is $20 per person.
Are meals included?
Meals are not included. Food or drink starts from $6 based on your order.
What fitness level do you need?
The tour asks for moderate physical fitness level, since it involves significant walking during temple visits.
Can I cancel and get a refund?
Yes. You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time.




























