Family Tours
Siem Reap with kids is not just possible — it is brilliant. Here is how to fill your days.
Travelling with children in Siem Reap is easier and more rewarding than most families expect. The city is safe, welcoming, and full of experiences that kids genuinely love — not just tolerate while their parents look at temples.
This page brings together the tours and activities we recommend most for families. Many of our experiences on other pages are also excellent for families — the Village Tour, the Lotus Farm, the Tara Riverboat, West Baray, and the Ethical Experiences page all have great options for children of all ages.
Not sure where to start? The best advice comes from us directly. Drop us an email at babelsiemreap@gmail.com before you arrive, or catch us around the hotel during your stay. Siri, our manager, is usually around every weekday morning and always happy to help with planning. Owners Katrine and Simen are often around too and love talking to families about how to make the most of their time in Siem Reap. Don't be shy — just ask!
Visiting Angkor Wat with the kids?
We have a whole dedicated page of insider tips for temple visits with children — the best entry points, what to pack, which temples work for toddlers, and our favourite trick for avoiding the crowds entirely.
Banteay Srey Temple & Butterfly Centre
A quieter temple day — perfect for families
If you have already done the main temples and want something different, this is our favourite half-day trip for families.
The Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre is the perfect first stop on the way. A beautiful conservation garden filled with thousands of native Cambodian butterflies flying freely around you. Shaded walkways and enough colour and movement to keep children of all ages completely captivated. Children under 12 are free. If you are travelling with older children, a stop at the Landmine Museum in Banteay Srey might be a better option.
From there, continue to Banteay Srey Temple — one of the most beautiful temples in the entire Angkor region. Smaller and more intimate than the main temples, it is built from pink sandstone and covered in the most intricate carvings you will find anywhere in Cambodia. Because it is further from town, it is also much quieter — a completely different atmosphere from Angkor Wat.
We recommend visiting in the afternoon when the soft light brings out the warm pink colour of the stone beautifully.
Tuk tuk transfer: $30
Important: You must have a valid Angkor Pass to visit Banteay Srey. Unlike Beng Mealea, there is no separate entrance ticket available for this temple — an Angkor Pass is the only way in.
Taste Siem Reap: Family Food Tour Adventure
Spring rolls, a garden dinner, and the best gelato in town — by tuk tuk
This is one of our favourite evening recommendations for families. Taste Siem Reap takes you on a private tuk tuk tour to three carefully chosen, kid-approved restaurants — a starter, a main course, and dessert — all in beautiful settings that work for both parents and children.
The evening starts with spring rolls in a pretty garden with toys for the little ones. Then dinner at one of Siem Reap's best training restaurants — dining for a good cause. And to finish, the best gelato in town while your tuk tuk driver takes you for a gentle ride through Siem Reap's lively laneways.
Everything is taken care of — private tuk tuk, pickup from Babel, two drinks per person, and a welcome information pack. Dietary requirements are accommodated with advance notice.
Price:
Adults (12 and above): $55
Children (11 and younger): $40
Pickup: 6pm from Babel
Kulen Elephant Forest: A Once in a Lifetime Experience
One of the most moving things you will ever do with your children.
This is not a typical tourist activity. It is something your family will talk about for years.
In the past, these elephants worked hard carrying tourists at the temples. Since 2020, they have been retired to a beautiful 530-acre forest where they are free to roam, socialise, and simply be elephants. No riding. No chains. Just elephants living freely in the jungle.
You will walk with the elephants, feed them their favourite snacks, and watch them interact with each other in their natural environment. For children, seeing these magnificent animals up close — and understanding why we choose to observe rather than ride — is a lesson that stays with them long after the trip is over.
Insider Tip: Bring enough snacks for the kids — the tour lasts a few hours and hungry children and jungle walks are not a great combination!
High season warning (November–March): This sells out very fast. To guarantee your spot, email us before you arrive at babelsiemreap@gmail.com and we will pre-book for you.
During low season, book at reception when you arrive. Ask us for current pricing and availability.
Phare: The Cambodian Circus
The best evening out in Siem Reap — for the whole family
If you only do one evening activity during your stay, make it Phare.
No animals, no sequins, no clichés. Just extraordinary Cambodian storytelling through acrobatics, theatre, live music, and dance. High energy, funny, emotional, and genuinely brilliant. We have never heard a child say they didn't love it — and the adults are equally blown away.
Arrive early for the pre-show experience Doors open from 5:30pm and we highly recommend getting there early. The garden comes alive before the show with street food stalls serving easy, delicious local snacks — perfect for families who want a relaxed, informal dinner without having to book a restaurant. Let the kids graze, explore the garden, and soak up the atmosphere before the show begins. It is half the fun.
The show itself starts at 8pm sharp and does not admit latecomers — so arriving early is a must.
Tuk tuk return from Babel: $10 - (Sleepy kids are always happy to jump straight into a familar tuktuk and go straight back to the hotel after the show)
Book at reception — at least 2 days ahead in high season
Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium
A conservation centre — not just a zoo
We know what you're thinking — a zoo? At Babel we are usually cautious about recommending animal attractions. But this one is different.
Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium is primarily a rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation centre. The animals here are ones that cannot be returned to the wild — rescued from illegal trafficking, injured, or endangered species being protected from extinction. Solar powered, zero-waste focused, and partnered with international conservation NGOs. The freshwater aquarium showcasing the fish of the Tonle Sap and Mekong River is genuinely extraordinary — and for children it is a fascinating window into the underwater world of Cambodia that most tourists never see.
Babel Insider Tip: Located about 25km from Babel on Highway 6, making it easy to combine with the Roluos temples or the Highway 6 cluster on the same day. More info here 👉Siem Reap with Kids
Entry: approximately $15–20 per person
Open daily
Ask at reception for tuk tuk or car prices — having your own driver means you can leave whenever you are ready, which is much easier with kids
ACCB: Wildlife Rescue & Conservation
Plan ahead — this one is worth it
The Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity is not a zoo. It is a professional wildlife rescue centre dedicated to rehabilitating and releasing Cambodia's endangered animals back into the wild. A guided visit here is one of the most meaningful and educational experiences available in Siem Reap — especially for older children and adults who want to understand the real challenges of conservation in Cambodia.
You will meet native primates, colourful birds, and reptiles, with an expert guide explaining each animal's rescue story and what happens on their road back to freedom.
Important — advance booking is essential:
This is not a walk-in attraction. Tours run at fixed times only — 9:00am and 1:00pm daily — and must be booked through reception at least 24 hours in advance. Please plan this into your itinerary before you arrive. Arrive 10 minutes early as latecomers cannot be admitted.
Entry (donation — goes directly to animal care):
Adults: minimum $5
Children 5–12: minimum $2.50
Under 5s: Free
Transport from Babel: Ask at reception for tuk tuk or car prices.
Insider Tip: ACCB is right at the entrance to Kbal Spean — combine both in one trip for a full day of wildlife and jungle adventure.
The Babel Village Tour
Our most personal recommendation for families
This is not a standard tour. It is an invitation into the home and community of our own tuk tuk drivers.
Kids speak the international language of play — and the village children always make sure everyone has fun together. The land is home to dogs, cats, and a few farm animals, which younger visitors tend to love just as much as the cooking. A traditional meal is cooked by the family themselves, and you are welcome to help prepare it.
One of the warmest, most memorable experiences you can have in Siem Reap — and one that stays with children long after they go home.
Prices for your whole group:
1 person: $25
2 people: $35
3 or more people: $40
West Baray & The Silk Farm — A Perfect Family Half Day
Our favourite laid-back afternoon for families
These two go beautifully together and make for a relaxed half day out — best enjoyed on a weekday when West Baray is peaceful and uncrowded. Avoid Saturday and Sunday afternoons when local families descend in force — wonderful energy but very busy!
Start at the Angkor Silk Farm — Artisans d'Angkor, Puok
A free guided tour through a working 8-hectare silk farm — silkworms, organic mulberry orchards, and master weavers creating intricate hand-dyed silk. Did you know silk comes from a worm? You can actually hold one! A favourite moment for kids — and most adults are equally fascinated.
Free entry. Located about 20 minutes from Babel in Puok.
Then head to West Baray
One of the largest hand-built reservoirs on Earth — and where the locals come to relax. Rent a bamboo hut, swing in a hammock, let the kids paddle, and order freshly grilled chicken and fresh coconut from the food stalls on the shore. For the brave — fried crickets are also available! 🦗
Ask your driver to join you at the hut — having someone to translate makes the whole experience so much richer.
West Baray: $17 tuk tuk return from Babel. No Angkor Pass required.
The Tara Riverboat Sunset Tour
The most popular tour we recommend — and brilliant for families with older children
A sunset cruise on the Queen Tara — a beautifully restored 100-year-old solar-powered riverboat on the Tonle Sap lake. Before boarding, you explore the floating villages by smaller boat. Then a laid back buffet dinner perfect for picky eaters, unlimited drinks, and the most beautiful sunset you will see in Cambodia from the top deck.
This is one of those experiences that the whole family talks about long after the trip is over. Older children love the boat, the village visit, and the freedom of the open deck. We would not recommend it for toddlers or very young children — but from around age 5 or 6 upwards it is a wonderful evening.
Price: $38 per person (all-inclusive — dinner buffet and unlimited drinks, guide and transport)
Pickup from Babel included
Vegan and vegetarian options available on request
Book at reception — this is our most popular tour recommendation and sells out fast in high season.
Need help planning your family days?
Every family is different — different ages, different energy levels, different interests. The best advice always comes from a conversation.
Siri, our manager, is usually around every weekday morning and always happy to help you plan. Owners Katrine and Simen are often around too and love meeting families and sharing what they know about Siem Reap. Don't be shy — just ask!
You can also email us before you arrive at babelsiemreap@gmail.com and we will help you plan the perfect days for your family. 🙏