PHNOM PENH – Nearly 40,000 tourists visited Angkor Wat to witness the three-day equinox event from September 21 to 23, when the sun rises directly above the temple’s central tower. 

Ministry of Tourism spokesperson Top Sopheak said a total of 38,236 tourists attended the event, including 36,200 national and 2,036 foreign tourists. 

On September 23, about 5,996 tourists gathered at the temple in the Angkor Archeological Park to witness the moment, with 596 of them being foreign. 

The equinox in March is commonly known as the vernal equinox while the one in September is referred to as autumnal equinox.  During this event, day and night are of equal length.

This event occurs in March during the dry season and in September during the rainy season. The dates can be forecast by the APSARA National Authority and the duration is subject to natural factors.

For the first equinox in 2024, about 10,000 tourists attended on the first day on March 21, including more than 2,000 international visitors.