Angkor Wat International Half Marathon 2026: The Complete Runner’s Guide

There is a moment around kilometre eight of this race when the sky above Angkor Wat shifts from black to deep purple to the most extraordinary shade of orange you have ever seen from a pair of running shoes. Most runners slow down. Some stop completely. A few cry. Nobody warns you about that moment when you sign up, and no race preview on earth really prepares you for it.

The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon has been running through the world’s largest religious monument since 1996. In 2026 the 31st edition takes place on December 6, with over 16,000 runners from 70-plus countries expected to line up before dawn in front of the five towers of Angkor Wat. This is not a race you enter for a personal best. It is a race you run because some experiences only make sense when your legs are moving and the sun is rising over a 900-year-old temple.

The course is AIMS-certified and World Athletics-sanctioned. The field covers everyone from first-timers on the 3km fun run to seasoned internationals pushing the 21km. The whole event raises funds for landmine survivors in Cambodia — a cause that has been at the race’s heart since day one. That combination of spectacle, accessibility and genuine charitable purpose has made this one of Southeast Asia’s most emotionally resonant race weekends for three decades running.

This guide covers everything you need for December 2026 — registration fees, a course breakdown by section, race strategy, expo logistics, where to stay and how to get there. Read through it, then go register before the October 24 deadline.

Angkor Wat Half Marathon 2026 — Race at a Glance

What Makes the Angkor Wat Half Marathon Worth Running?

You Run Through a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Not Past It

The Angkor Archaeological Park covers roughly 400 square kilometres of Khmer Empire ruins dating from the 9th to 15th century CE. When you run the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon, you are not running past a heritage site in the way that city marathons pass famous buildings at a distance. You are running through it — on the actual roads and red dirt paths that connect the temples, with carved stone close enough to reach out and touch. Around 14 ancient temples appear on the 21km course. There is nothing remotely comparable in road running anywhere else in the world.

The Sunrise Is Not Marketing — It Is the Race

The 5:30am gun start is deliberate. By the time you reach kilometre eight, the sky behind the western gallery of Angkor Wat begins its transformation — black to purple to a particular shade of orange that photographs are never quite able to capture. The reflection in the moat shimmers, the five towers catch the first light and distant drums echo from somewhere inside the temple complex. Plenty of race marketing uses the word “unforgettable” without really earning it. This one earns it every December.

The Course Is Genuinely Accessible for All Levels

Almost entirely flat with a paved or compacted dirt surface, the 21km at Angkor is not trying to punish you. There is minimal elevation change, ancient tree canopy provides shade along extended stretches and water stations appear every two kilometres. First-timers who have never run a half marathon regularly finish this race feeling like they achieved something extraordinary — partly because the course allows it, and partly because their eyes were doing most of the heavy lifting for 21 kilometres.

The Charity Foundation Gives the Race a Pulse

Yuko Arimori, the Japanese marathoner who won silver at Barcelona 1992 and bronze at Atlanta 1996, created this race specifically to raise funds and awareness for Cambodia’s landmine survivors. Entry fees still support prosthetic limbs, social reintegration programs and care at Angkor Children Hospital and Kantha Bopha Hospital. The 21km Wheelchair and 10km Artificial Limbs categories — run by landmine survivors themselves — remain among the most moving things you will witness at any sporting event anywhere on earth. The race is a humanitarian mission that happens to also be very good running.

The International Field Is Like Nowhere Else in Southeast Asia

At peak editions this race has drawn runners from 70-plus countries. Japanese runners have formed a substantial bloc since the race’s origin, but on the start line you will find people from France, Australia, India, Korea, the UK, Singapore and dozens of other nations. Cambodian runners have increasingly dominated the podium in recent years, which adds a powerful local dimension to an already international event. The atmosphere before sunrise — thousands of headlamps and phone torches bobbing in the darkness in front of Angkor Wat — is unlike anything in road running.

Siem Reap Earns a Multi-Day Trip on Its Own

Even without the race, Siem Reap is worth a dedicated flight. The town offers lively night markets, Apsara dance performances, Khmer cuisine that most serious food travellers rate as one of Southeast Asia’s most underrated and the full Angkor temple complex to explore over several days. Most runners build a four-to-seven day trip around December 6. Your race ID pass from packet pickup gives you free access to walk the course zone on December 3–5 — which means you can preview every temple you are about to run past before you run past it.

The Angkor Wat Half Marathon Course — Section by Section

Km 0–3: The Grand Causeway and First Temple Loop

The race begins before dawn with the five towers of Angkor Wat silhouetted against a dark sky. You cross the 250-metre main causeway over the moat — one of the most dramatic starts in road running anywhere in the world — before the course swings north into the archaeological park. At this point your headlamp earns its keep. The road through the park is quiet, the air is at its coolest and the momentum of thousands of runners carries you through the darkness. The opening kilometres are flat and forgiving. The honest advice here is this: resist every urge to run the opening kilometres faster than your plan. The setting and the crowd energy will pull your pace in directions your legs did not train for.

Km 3–8: Into Angkor Thom and the City of a Hundred Faces

The course threads through park roads heading toward Angkor Thom, the 12th-century royal city built by Jayavarman VII and encircled by an eight-metre stone wall. You approach and pass through the Victory Gate — a towering carved archway flanked by rows of devas and asuras pulling the mythological serpent. Inside the city walls, the Bayon temple complex comes into view with its 216 stone faces looking outward in every direction. Local children line sections of the route here, cheering and reaching out for high-fives. This stretch is when the darkness begins to lift and the first suggestion of colour appears in the sky behind you.

Km 8–13: Sunrise and the North Gate Exit

Around kilometre eight the sun breaks. If you have been watching your watch and your feet, this is the moment to look up. The sky behind Angkor Wat’s western gallery goes through its sequence and the result is the kind of thing runners are still talking about years later. The course exits Angkor Thom through the North Gate and continues north and east into the park. This central stretch is where old-growth trees provide the most canopy cover — wide dipterocarp forest that drops the ambient temperature noticeably. Water stations here serve electrolytes alongside water; take both. This is also when the field begins to string out and the race becomes a more personal experience between you and the stones.

Km 13–18: Ta Keo and the Temple Loop

The course swings back southeast and passes Ta Keo, the unfinished mountain-temple built entirely from dark green sandstone. It is one of the most architecturally striking structures on the entire route — steep, angular and ancient in a way that the more ornate temples are not. The surrounding area features several smaller temple clusters and the characteristic red laterite roads that contrast sharply with the surrounding jungle. By this section the sun is fully up and the temperature is climbing. This is where pacing discipline matters most. The flat course and steady rhythm of the middle kilometres can disguise the cumulative effect of the heat. Drink at every station without any calculation about time.

Km 18–21: Back to Angkor Wat

The final stretch returns you along the main park road toward Angkor Wat. The towers reappear on the horizon and this time you are running toward them with emptied legs and — if everything has gone to plan — a significant amount of adrenaline. The noise builds as you approach the finish area in front of the main causeway: drums, cheering spectators and the PA system announcing finishers. The last 500 metres feel entirely different to the silent darkness of that same spot three hours earlier. Cross the line, collect your medal and find shade. You have earned both.

How to Register for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon 2026

Registration for the 2026 edition is open. The deadline is October 24, 2026 at 17:00 Cambodia time (GMT+7) — no exceptions and no race-day registration. Online registration closes at the deadline; limited on-site registration may be available based on remaining capacity but is not guaranteed. An early bird discount is active until August 21, 2026.

International runners register at: cambodia-events.org/events/7

2026 Angkor Wat Half Marathon Entry Fees

Fees exclude a 7% handling fee and applicable VAT. Group registrations require a completed group list submitted at least two weeks before the deadline. Distance upgrades are accepted before the deadline: pay the fee difference plus a USD 20 admin charge. There is no refund for distance downgrades.

What Your Entry Includes

• Race bib and timing chip (21km and 10km participants)
• Pre-race souvenir pack — bib tag, singlet and sponsor goodies (subject to availability)
• Finisher medal (all distances)
• Finisher T-shirt (21km participants only)
• Digital e-certificate
• Winner medals for top three finishers overall per category
• ID pass for free entry to Angkor Archaeological Park for course inspection December 3–5 (does not include access inside individual temple structures; Angkor Wat temple entry is USD 37/day payable at the Apsara Authority checkpoint)
• Free food and drinks at the finish area

Race Weekend Schedule — December 2026

Weather at the Angkor Wat Half Marathon

December sits squarely in Siem Reap’s dry season, which runs from roughly November through April. Rain on race day is extremely unlikely, skies are typically clear and humidity is significantly lower than the August Angkor Empire Marathon. The cool predawn start is a real advantage — the first 90 minutes of the 21km are genuinely comfortable running conditions for most people. It is the final third, run in full sun between about 7am and 9am, where heat becomes a meaningful factor. The flat course is forgiving enough that most runners underestimate this. Pace with the back half in mind and do not skip water stations in the second half of the race under any circumstances.

Prize Money and Elite Information

The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon is a charity-first event and does not operate a traditional prize money structure. Winners receive medals for the top three positions overall and per category. The race does not offer appearance fees and has not historically attracted professional elite runners. The focus is on participation, charity and the experience of the course rather than competitive prize hunting.

Past Results — Defending Champions

2025 Angkor Wat Half Marathon (December 7, 2025)

2024 Angkor Wat Half Marathon (December 1, 2024)

All-time course record: 1:05:18 — Zhan Donglin (China), inaugural 1996 edition. This record has stood for 30 years and reflects the conditions and field quality of the first-ever running. Full historical results are published at cambodia-events.org.

Spectator Guide: Where to Watch the Angkor Wat Half Marathon

Where to Stay in Siem Reap for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon

The start line is 6km from Siem Reap town centre. Every accommodation zone in the city is reachable by tuk-tuk in 15–20 minutes, so the race does not constrain where you stay significantly. What matters more for runners is noise — the Pub Street zone stays lively until late and your alarm is at 3am. Book early for race weekend; mid-range rates in popular zones rise by roughly 30% during marathon week. The Courtyard by Marriott is the official expo hotel and convenient if you want to combine packet pickup and accommodation in one location.

Runner tip: book your race-morning tuk-tuk the evening before. Most experienced Siem Reap drivers know the Angkor Wat start location and the 4am requirement for race morning. Agree on the route, pickup time and fare in advance — do not leave it to the morning.

International Runners: Visa and Travel to Siem Reap 2026

Cambodia Visa Requirements 2026

e-Visa (recommended for international runners): Apply at evisa.gov.kh at least 3 business days before travel. Valid for 3 months from the date of issue; single entry; 30-day stay. Processing typically takes 3 business days. Applying in advance avoids airport queues on arrival — strongly recommended given early race-week schedules.

Passport requirements: Minimum 6 months validity beyond your arrival date; at least one blank page available for the entry stamp. Endorsement pages do not count as blank pages.

Cambodia e-Arrival Card: Mandatory from January 2025 for all visitors flying into Cambodia. Submit online up to 7 days before arrival. Check the official Cambodia immigration portal for the current submission link before your trip — this is separate from the visa process.

A Short History of the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon

The race was the idea of Yuko Arimori, a Japanese marathoner who had won silver at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and bronze at Atlanta in 1996. Arimori came to Cambodia in the mid-1990s and was deeply affected by the country’s landmine crisis. Her response was characteristically direct: bring the global running community to Angkor and channel race entry fees toward prosthetics and rehabilitation for survivors. The first edition in 1996 drew 654 runners. It was small, it was passionate and it established a model that has not fundamentally changed in 30 years.

The race grew steadily as Cambodia rebuilt its tourism infrastructure and Angkor Wat became one of Asia’s signature destinations. By 2019 participation had reached 12,000 runners with roughly 60% coming from outside Cambodia — a remarkable international proportion for a race in a country that was still rebuilding its economy. COVID-19 forced a virtual edition in 2020 and a heavily restricted in-person event in 2021 capped at 2,500 runners. The recovery was fast. By 2023 the race returned to more than 10,000 participants and the 2025 edition set an all-time record of 16,000 runners. The international share has declined from its 2019 high — from around 60% to roughly 19% in 2025 — as Cambodian grassroots running has grown dramatically, which is itself a tribute to what the race has built.

The 2026 edition marks the 31st running. The course still starts and finishes in front of the same temple. The charity cause is still at its heart. The course record still belongs to Zhan Donglin at 1:05:18, set in the inaugural edition and untouched for three decades. That particular detail tells you something essential about the spirit of this event: it has always been about a great deal more than the clock.

How the Angkor Wat Half Marathon Compares to Similar Races

Angkor Wat Half Marathon 2026: Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon 2026?

The 31st Angkor Wat International Half Marathon takes place on Sunday December 6, 2026. The opening ceremony starts at 5:00am and the 21km gun start is at 5:30am. All runners must arrive at the Angkor Wat start area by 4:30am. The event runs until approximately 10:30am. The race takes place inside the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

How do I register for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon 2026?

International runners register online through the official Cambodian Events Organizer platform at cambodia-events.org/events/7. Registration is open now. An early bird discount (USD 60 for the 21km foreigner entry) applies until August 21, 2026. The registration deadline is October 24, 2026 at 17:00 Cambodia time. There is no race-day registration and no walk-up entry.

Is the Angkor Wat Half Marathon course hard?

No — the course is essentially flat with minimal elevation change. The surface is mostly paved road with some smooth red dirt sections, and ancient trees provide shade along extended stretches of the route. Water stations are placed every 2km. The main challenge is not the terrain but the heat, which builds significantly from around 7am onward even in December. The course is accessible for first-time half-marathoners and well-suited to all fitness levels.

Do I need a visa to run the Angkor Wat Half Marathon?

Most international runners need a visa to enter Cambodia. The simplest option is the Cambodia e-Visa (USD 30, T-class tourist), applied for online at evisa.gov.kh at least 3 business days before travel — this avoids airport queues on arrival and is strongly recommended. Visa on Arrival is also available at Siem Reap airport for USD 30–36. ASEAN nationals are visa-free for 30 days. All visitors flying to Cambodia must also complete the Cambodia e-Arrival Card online within 7 days of arrival (from January 2025). Your passport must have at least 6 months validity beyond your entry date and one blank page.

What is the course record for the Angkor Wat Half Marathon?

The all-time course record is 1:05:18, set by Chinese runner Zhan Donglin in the inaugural 1996 edition. This record has stood for 30 years. The next fastest verified time is 1:07:34, run by Saeki Makino of Japan in 2019. Saeki returned to win the 2025 edition in 1:10:25, making him the defending champion heading into December 2026. In recent years winning times have generally been above 1:10, partly reflecting larger fields and post-pandemic race dynamics.

What does the Angkor Wat Half Marathon entry fee include?

The 2026 entry fee for the 21km (foreigner standard rate: USD 70) includes your race bib, timing chip, singlet, finisher medal, finisher T-shirt (21km only), digital e-certificate, an ID pass for free access to the Angkor Archaeological Park zone for course inspection December 3–5 and free food and drinks at the finish area. Winner medals go to the top three finishers per category. Entry is non-refundable and non-transferable to another runner or to a future year’s edition. If you cannot race, your fee is automatically donated to the event’s charity fund.