Tourism experts are optimistic that a significant number of domestic and international tourists will travel to Siem Reap next week. This year’s Pchum Ben public holidays coincide with the “Angkor Equinox” event — when the sun rises directly above the central tower of Angkor Wat.
Each year, the phenomenon takes place twice, from 5am to 6.30am. The first, the dry season equinox is usually between March 21 and 23, while the second, the rainy season equinox, happens in September.
In 2025, the phenomenon is expected to take place from September 21 to 23.
The “Angkor Equinox” is one of the most popular events at the Angkor Archaeological Park, drawing crowds of both domestic local and international tourists who gather at the western entrance of Angkor Wat to witness this breathtaking alignment of the sun and temple.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA), believed that many people are expected to travel to Siem Reap during this year’s Pchum Ben festival, especially as road infrastructure continues to improve.
She explained that two major events happening at the same time — the sunrise equinox and the opening of the new Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh— will have a strong positive impact in promoting Cambodia as a tourist destination.
“The equinox Angkor phenomenon at Angkor Wat, which aligns with this year’s Pchum Ben, along with the opening of Techo International Airport, provides a great opportunity to promote Cambodia’s tourism sector,” she said.
“This is a unique promotional opportunity, as the equinox garners strong interest from domestic and international media. The fact that it coincides with Pchum Ben will further increase media attention on Angkor Wat and Cambodia’s temples in general. This increased coverage can attract new visitors who have never heard of the event and inspire them to witness it firsthand,” she added.
She noted that the Angkor Equinox, when the sun rises precisely above the centre of Angkor Wat, reflects the remarkable ingenuity of the ancient Khmer people in architectural planning, temple alignment, land surveying, mathematical calculation and astronomical observation — each of which blends with spiritual beliefs to create this extraordinary phenomenon.
The Siem Reap Provincial Administration reported that during the three-day Pchum Ben holiday from October 1 to 3, 2024, the province received a total of 180,893 tourists — a 50.92% increase over 2023. Of that total 173,000 were domestic tourists (an increase of 52.74%), and 7,893 were international tourists (an increase of 19.55%).
Top attractions for both local and international tourists include Angkor Archaeological Park, Phnom Kulen, and the Tonle Sap Lake region.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, in the first seven months of 2025, Cambodia welcomed a total of 3.71 million international tourists, a 0.8% decrease from the same period in 2024.
