While sunrise at Angkor Wat has its merits, late afternoon light at the temples is absolutely gorgeous and you actually get to enjoy them without fighting massive crowds. Golden hour at Ta Prohm around 4pm is perfect for photos - those tomb raider tree shots without tour groups photobombing every frame.

Plus you get to sleep in and have a proper breakfast instead of choking down a protein bar at 4:30am. The light at Bayon temple around 5pm hits the stone faces just right, way better than harsh morning sun. Even Angkor Wat itself looks incredible with late afternoon backlighting for different types of shots.

Temple pass costs same $37 regardless of when you show up. If you're not set on the classic sunrise reflection shot, hit temples around 2pm when tour buses are doing lunch breaks. You'll have way more fun and better photos. Morning people can keep their predawn wake-up calls - I'll take golden hour any day.