Angkor Wat Half Marathon: 30 Years of Running for Landmine Survivors

Siem Reap, Cambodia

1The Angkor Wat Half Marathon began in 1996 to support landmine survivors

The race was founded by Yuko Arimori, the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic marathon medal. She launched the inaugural event in 1996 in support of the campaign to ban the manufacture and inhumane use of anti-personnel mines. That first race drew 654 runners from 14 countries.

The organizing committee remains a joint Cambodian-Japanese operation. Participation rose to 14,000 in 2024 and 16,000 for the 30th anniversary in 2025. According to Cambodian outlet Cambodianess, the 2025 field included about 10,000 Cambodian runners and just over 3,000 international runners.

The secretary-general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, a co-organizer, said of the race: “This is a moment to promote tourism, Angkor culture, and Cambodia as a whole.” International runners account for roughly one in five entrants. Most of the start line is Cambodian.

Angkor Wat International Half MarathonSun, December 6, 2026 · D-53 · Siem Reap, CambodiaSee race details

Siem Reap, Cambodia

2The 2026 half marathon starts at 5:50 a.m., 20 minutes later than last year

The 2026 registration guide lists the half marathon start at 5:50 a.m., 20 minutes later than the 5:30 a.

m. start in 2025. This year, the half marathon wheelchair division goes first at 5:30, followed by the 5K at 6:10, the 3K at 6:25, and the 10K at 6:40.

The 2025 race guide instructed runners to arrive in front of Angkor Wat at least 30 minutes before the start. Sunrise in Siem Reap on December 6 is around 6:14 a.m.

Half marathoners start in darkness, with daylight arriving during the opening kilometers. For the 10K field, the sun is already up by the time the race begins. A Japanese runner who chose the 2025 event as his first international marathon documented the early morning on the YouTube channel Wagahai’s adventure.

At 4:25 a.m., with an hour to go before the start, the race site had the energy of a festival.

One runner was even dressed as a gorilla. Speaking to the camera about the weather, which had been a concern, he said: “It’s cooler than I expected, so I don’t think the weather I was worried about will be that much of a problem.” That was the year the race started at 5:30.

This year’s half leaves 20 minutes later, at 5:50.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

3The Angkor Wat Half Marathon course passes 14 temples, with water every 2K

According to the organizers, the course follows flat roads through the Angkor World Heritage Site, passing about 14 ancient temples. The race starts in front of Angkor Wat, with timing points near Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. Kilometer markers appear every kilometer, while aid stations every 2 kilometers serve water and electrolyte drinks.

Some also offer bananas. The AIMS-certified race has a men’s course record of 1:07:34, set in 2019. Even so, the organizers explicitly allow runners to stop for photos along the way.

Half marathoners will spend more than an hour running after sunrise. If one rule comes before pace, it’s this: don’t skip a single aid station.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

4A 4-Hour Cutoff Makes Room for Walking

The half marathon has a four-hour cutoff. With a 5:50 a.m.

start, the course stays open until 9:50 a.m.—enough to finish at just over 11 minutes per kilometer (about 18 minutes per mile).

Entrants must be at least 16. A runner from the Wagahai’s adventure channel captured the value of those four hours just after finishing. “With about 5K to go, I really just wanted to walk the whole way.”

Determination carried him on, though he said the pain in his knees was unbearable. Still, he twice said, “There’s a sense of achievement.” After the race, he headed to a massage shop charging $6.

The later the finish, however, the higher the sun. For a first half marathon, it is worth setting a second target: cross the finish line around 8 a.m.

, a little over two hours after the start.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

5Bib Pickup Is December 3–5 Only, With No Race-Day Collection

Race kits will be distributed only in Siem Reap, December 3–5, with no race-day pickup. Hours are 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m. on December 3 and 4, and 9 a.

m. to 8 p.m.

on December 5. The location has yet to be announced. Pickup requires a confirmation email and an ID card or passport, so flights should arrive in Siem Reap no later than the evening of December 5.

The kit includes a bib, a timing chip (half marathon and 10K), and an event T-shirt. Half-marathon finishers also receive a finisher shirt after the race. All finishers get a medal and digital finisher certificate, while electronic results are provided for the half marathon and 10K.

The runner from Wagahai’s adventure had one pre-race goal: earn that finisher shirt. His reasoning was simple—finishing meant having a clean shirt to change into rather than sightseeing in sweat-soaked clothes. After crossing the finish line, he went to collect it.

He planned to head straight to Angkor Wat after the race, only to hear, “Ticket, please.” According to the organizers, the ID pass included in the race kit provides free entry to the Angkor area only for a course preview. Entering the temples requires a separate $37 one-day ticket.

His advice is brief: “Get Angkor Wat done by the day before.”

Siem Reap, Cambodia

6There Are 2 Angkor Wat Marathons—Check for December 6 Before Paying

A search for the Angkor Wat Marathon brings up two races. One is the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon covered here, scheduled for December 6, 2026, with the half marathon as its longest distance. The other is the Angkor Empire Marathon.

It includes a full marathon starting at 4:30 a.m. and has a different registration site and entry fees.

For international runners in 2026, entry costs $70 for the half marathon, $55 for the 10K, $45 for the 5K, and $35 for the 3K. Early-bird registration through June 30 priced the half at $60, while Cambodian runners pay $36 for the half during general registration. Entries close at 11:59 p.

m. on October 23. In 2025, registration closed on October 24.

Runners can also support a fundraising campaign run by Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap specifically for race participants. Race registration is handled by the event; fundraising is handled by the hospital.