Angkor temples with a motorcycle?
 

Hello guys,

I just arrived in Cambodia and I'll stay for 3 days in Siem Reap to visit the temples of Angkor.

The staff from the hostel I'm staying in just told me that I couldn't visit the temples with my "big motorcycle" (a KTM 990 Adventure). They told me I have to take a motorcycle taxi to go there, only the small local bikes are allowed in the temple area.

Does anybody have information about that? I don't know if this guy is right or if he is just trying to sell me a taxi...

If you are feeling energetic hire a bicycle and ride out there, it is a great place to cycle around and no haggling with taxi drivers. :mchappy:

I went in 2008 with a my bike - its easy and safe.
After i brought my ticket they told me I couldnt do it with my bike, but i drove on anyway. I just parked it near a stall and brought a coke afterwards as thanks for looking after my bike

The Staff at the place we stayed in also told us we could not drive our vehicle around the complex, and tried to sell us a tour.

We went to the site in the evening to check it out and were told by the guards that it was fine to drive around the park.

Im not sure of the rules for a bike but if they let us in with a 4x4 why not a bike?

The site is massive and we would recommend having your own transport to drive around the different temples, dont waste your money on a tours / taxi.

Had a bike with Viet-Nam plates I had no problems riding around there.
A motorbike is the best way to take in the place, it's huge and some out of the way places are not on the standard tour. Even with a bike get the multi day pass.

Finally we didn't take a chance and we hired a "took-took" for a day ($10).

It turned out to be a nice experience, the guy gave us some advices, and we didn't have to carry our riding gear.

We are still in Thailand and we had read the same thing, but we were told by a fellow motorcycle traveler that it is not a problem. He had just come from Cambodia and had no problems riding his bike to Angkor Wat. However if it is 10 dollars to get there anyway maybe it is worth it not to worry about locking everything onto the bike?

Foreign Bike in Angor
 

I purchased the ticket, and rode my bike pretty much everywhere, and if you have a idea for just following tracks then DO TAKE your bike, and see as much as you can.

I did 100's of km around the temples, chasing the illusive sunset pictures. going through the main gate (and most other entry points too) you will be checked every time, but with the bike so recognizable once they have seen you and you've said hi with your ticket stamped you will have no trouble at all and a slowdown wave and smile will be all that is required.

If you are just riding around for early evening and not going into any of the temples then after 5pm you can do it. (don't forget the hill for sunset and viewpoint)


The YELLOW lines are my GPS tracklogs, just so you have an idea that you can really go everywhere without any trouble, buy your ticket and go. these are from many day trips , evening ride outs sometimes checked sometimes not checked. (F650GS Dakar UK Plated) so stands out a lot !
http://rtw.gs/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/angor.jpg


See RTW.GS�|�Archive�|�Cambodia for all the places i got to in cambodia

No Problem With Your Own Bike
 

We just did it, we left one bike behind at the guesthouse and went 2 up on mine. No one said a word to us, most of the time the parking was also free. Twice we were asked to buy water from a vendor who would watch it for us so we did not have to "pay for parking." But we figured we got a water out of it so fine. The temples are worth all the hype and despite everything you read nothing was said to us for being on our own bike.

We rode to Siam Reap in early 2010 and security wouldn't let me take my bike past the ticket checkpoint. They said there had been too many problems with tourists riding on the walking tracks etc etc. If so, fair enough. I just rode back to the hotel and hired a Tuk Tuk for the day. I think I paid him about $18 USD for the day so no big problem.

Go early in the morning, 5am before the security comes on duty. Ride through and out the other side - roads less travelled - and well worth the early start!

i did the same thing just came back from cambodia last weekend after bought the ticket which cost me USD20 i just took the bike at the stall outside and took the picture with the background of Angkor:D

Ah this is the thread I was trying to find a week ago. Never mind, I took a tuk tuk around because it was much easier in the heat!

But yes, I can confirm no issues taking your own bike in. I went via the main gate on my way out of Siem Reap just to use up the last day on my ticket. The only problem was one of the checkers wanted to talk about my bike for ages :) None of the police cared one bit.

Never had problems riding around any of the temples. Buy a ticket/pass for temples and shouldn't be an issue at all. Have simply driven past the ticket booth lots of times without stopping as want to go further afield and unless you actually want to go into the temple complexes it's not an issue to stop, take photos. I'm afraid lots of people try to scam tourists visiting the temples. Simple as that. I've never once stopped for the cops in Cambodia. They only want money. Now they never try anymore. As long as you have a helmet on, have mirrors on your bike, and display a tax disc if local, then they don't really have a reason to stop you. Unless of course you're doing some sort of illegal turn - although the cop will ignore the 4 guys without helmets on one bike driving the one way and try to stop you...

Can confirm, no problems to ride around.
One guard close to a ticket counter told me that I am not allowed to ride my bike in, but person who checked my ticket did not say anything.

Another question is: Do you want to ride your bike there and carry everything? It is damn hot and humid here.

I rode today, but tomorrow I will rent a tuk-tuk and just carry my camera :)