Every year over a million tourists flock to Angkor Wat to see the ruins of the largest religious monument in the world. With so many visitors, I thought that every shred of knowledge and every traveler tip would be available online. Turns out there’s one exception: the skinny on touring Angkor Wat via motorbike.
Due to constantly changing Cambodian law, misinformed tourists, and overly concerned expats spouting their opinions over fact, it was incredibly hard to figure out how to rent a motorbike in Siem Reap. So let’s go over the whole thing: the rules of renting a motorbike, pricing, and what to expect.
First, why rent a motorbike?
I suspect that there’s so little information for touring Angkor Wat on a motorbike because guided tours and tuktuk rentals are just so easy. The Angkor Archeological Area is well maintained and well paved, so why not just sit back and relax as you get chauffeured from Archaeological wonder to wonder. Well here’s why I prefer to do it myself:
Money. The lowest you can probably talk a tuktuk driver down to is $15 for the day. Renting a motorbike (including the gas) is cheaper, especially if there’s two of you.
Avoid the crowds. Many tours have a set itinerary and will lead you along the same path as the glut of other tourists. Renting a motorbike allows you to break away from this.
Freedom. Even if you rent your own driver, I’ve noticed they too get settled in their routes. So you have to convince them that you want to find this small temple despite the language barrier. Driving your own motorbike allows you to choose where and when you go at the flip of a coin.
It feels personal, cruising around the ruins, getting lost, feeling the wind on your face and the scorching sun beating on your arms as you hold on to the handlebars. This gives me a sense of discovery and wonder as I make my way through the park. That by itself is worth the motorbike rental.
I will say the tuktuk driver I rented the first day did look very comfortable in that hammock
Renting a motorbike in Siem Reap is technically illegal.
Siem Reap is the main town and tourist headquarters for all those planning on visiting Angkor Wat. There is currently a ban on the rental of motorbikes to tourists in the Angkor Wat Archeological Park area and the town of Siem Reap. This rule only applies to these areas and motorbike rentals to foreigners are legal everywhere else in the country.
Even if you’re not in the Siem Reap area, you will need a Cambodian driver’s license. These are obtainable through the government but honestly not something that most tourists will have time to do. In addition, your International Driver’s License is not valid here. So if you get into an accident and don’t have a Cambodian driver’s license, no amount of insurance will cover you.
If you’re breaking the law and no one cares, does it make a sound?
Yes, renting a motorbike in Siem Reap is technically illegal, but is it really illegal if no one cares? The police have essentially turned a blind eye and many vendors openly rent their motorbikes out to any tourists. Many officers didn’t even seem to react when I whizzed by them on the road.
What does this mean? Unless the attitude of the government changes, it’s very easy to rent a motorbike to tour Angkor Wat with few risks. But remember, it’s still illegal. If anything in the off chance happens, you took the risk and will have to face the consequences.
Protip: I always keep a few bucks in a separate pocket when driving in Southeast Asia in case I need to pay any fines for “misunderstandings”.
Dropped off my motorbike for the day and found this guy with a cute little bunny
Want to play it safe? Consider renting an electric scooter
An alternate to a motorbike are electric scooters which are also available around town. These are slower and cheaper, but more importantly, are classified as bicycles and therefore legal for you to rent and drive.
The one massive drawback? Their range is around 15 kilometers. That’s exactly enough to get you from town to the main site of Angkor Wat and back. Forget seeing any other ruins unless you want to be stranded. This single reason makes these electric scooters pretty unpopular.
How to rent a motorbike
There’s a handful of vendors around town with varying prices and qualities. In general, the prices can be as low as $8 to $12 for the more expensive vendors. And price doesn’t necessarily imply quality in this case. Also plan to spend $2 for gas to fill the tank up.
It’s very standard practice to leave your passport as a deposit when renting. You may be able to convince the owner down to an ID card or a large money deposit but that’ll require a silver tongue. If you’re like me and don’t like the idea of parting with your passport, it’ll be worth the time to seek out the few vendors in town that only take an ID card as deposit.
Lastly, make sure you inspect the bike thoroughly, taking pictures and making sure everything works. Nothing will ruin your fun more than arguing about a scratch that was already there.
Renting a motorbike also let’s you visited sites around town like the landmine museum (really cool story behind its founding)
Make sure you’re comfortable on a motorbike
Cambodian traffic is slower pace than that of Vietnam or Thailand, but that doesn’t make it any less dangerous to a new driver. The traffic may be slower than their neighboring countries, but it comes with its own set of traffic laws and road rules. So just be smart on the road, be careful, and make sure you’re a comfortable driver before renting a motorbike.
That’s all there is to it! That’s everything you’ll need to tour Angkor Wat on a motorbike. I’ve attached some additional tips below to make your trip even more enjoyable.
Angkor Wat Trip Tips
- Carry lots of water and sunscreen, it’s hot in Cambodia, even for Southeast Asian standards.
- When you rent the bike, be sure to ask for a map. Reception gets spotty the deeper you go in the park.
- Take good care of your Angkor Wat Pass. Its made of paper but they demand it to be kept in good condition.
- There are guards and attendants around all temple sites so you can park your bike safely. From what I’ve gathered, only the Angkor Wat Temple charges money to park.
- Don’t try to see the entire Angkor Archaeological site in one day. It’s too big and will only serve to make you ‘templed out’. I highly recommend going for multiple half days to enjoy the experience and without overwhelming yourself.
- You’ll be offered a guide when you walk into the Angkor Wat Temple for $15 for an hour and a half. If you’re interested, the guide can be talked down to $6.
- The sunrise over Angkor Wat is a huge draw for all tourists. If you decide to see this event I recommend the following itinerary: show up to Angkor Wat at sunrise and watch the sunrise like everyone else. Then at 6:45 head over to Srah Srang, a small ruin over a lake that’s also open early. Then head out by 7:15 to get to the Ta Prohm.
- This itinerary will allow you to see the Ta Prohm (the famous tomb raider ruins) with few other tourists around. This is because most tourists linger around Angkor after sunrise, making it very crowded. Once you’re finished with Ta Prohm, mosey back over to Angkor Wat where it’ll be less busy by then.
Get down for Wat!
Until next time.