Siem Reap day trips are a great way to add to your visit to this incredible city. They offer excellent opportunities to learn more about the history and culture of Cambodia and the surrounding areas. Day trips include the famous temples, local villages and more. Here's a look at some of Siem Reap's best day trips.

Angkor

This area is the most popular of the Siem Reap day trips, and as such is often considered to be part of the city. However, you will have to travel out of Siem Reap to reach the incredible temples of Angkor. The most famous of these is Angkor Wat, which is in fact the symbol of Cambodia. Move onward to Angkor Thom and its marvelous temple, Bayon. Ta Prohm is an awesome ruin that's slowly merging with the jungle and was made famous in the film Tomb Raider. You can see all of these by hiring a driver for a day, usually for about US $20.

Koh Ker

This temple complex contains hundreds of monuments, most of which are still hidden within the jungle or are surrounded by landmines. Naturally this will prevent you from seeing many of the structures, but the one that is most impressive is accessible: the step pyramid. It's well worth a trip to this 10th century capital city to see it. Admission is US $10, and the trip will probably cost you around US $80, so bring a friend to share the cost.

Tonle Sap

The lake is another favorite among Siem Reap day trips. There are many floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake that are beautiful to see. Moat Kla is a mostly Vietnamese village that is only accessible by boat. Kompong Khleang is a large village that is great for visiting regardless of whether it's the wet or dry season. It's also a great place to take a swim. Kompong Phluk, on the other hand, is most enjoyable in the wet season, when the floating forest is at its best. Most of the area is not accessible from February to June.

Sambor Prei Kuk

Located in Kompong Thom Province is Sambor Prei Kuk, with its more than 100 ancient monuments. This 7th century complex affords a rare view of pre-Angkorean architecture that is often overshadowed by the later structures of Angkor. A trip out here will pair well with a stop at the Angkor National Museum, where you can learn about the pre-Angkorean people and culture.