What to Wear in Siem Reap and the Angkor Visitor Code

Dressing for Siem Reap means balancing two non-negotiable realities: intense tropical humidity across miles of open stone causeways, and the strict Angkor Visitor Code of Conduct enforced by Apsara National Authority guards at the temple gates and upper sanctuaries.

The Angkor Visitor Code of Conduct (shoulders and knees)

• Proper sleeves and knee-length hems (no shawls as a substitute on upper tiers): Angkor Wat, the Bayon and surrounding monuments are sacred religious sites to Cambodians. Both men and women must wear tops that cover the shoulders (short-sleeved shirts or t-shirts are fine; vests, tank tops, strapless tops and sheer mesh are not) and trousers, shorts or skirts that reach at least to the knee. Crucial detail: to climb the steep wooden stairs to the Bakan (the highest central sanctuary tier of Angkor Wat), guards will turn you away if you are merely wrapping a loose scarf or sarong over a vest top; wear a real sleeved shirt and knee-length bottoms.
• Breathable natural fabrics and a spare shirt: choose loose, light-coloured linen, ultralight cotton or moisture-wicking hiking shirts. If you start at sunrise and stay out on the Small or Grand Circuit through the morning, tuck a fresh t-shirt and a small cotton hand towel into your daypack.

Footwear for uneven sandstone and monsoon moss

Unlike active Thai monasteries where you remove your shoes at every door, you keep your shoes on while walking through almost all of Angkor's stone ruins. Because ninth- to twelfth-century laterite blocks are uneven, roots twist across paths at Ta Prohm, and temple steps are narrow and steep (and slippery with green moss from June to November), wear broken-in trail trainers, light running shoes or strapped hiking sandals with serious rubber tread rather than flat leather slides or flimsy flip-flops. Add a wide-brimmed sunhat, UV sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen, mosquito repellent for shaded jungle corridors and a small torch or phone light for walking the dark west causeway before dawn. Check seasonal weather before packing.