How should travellers plan Angkor Wat and the Angkor temples?
Most first-time travellers should plan Angkor as two temple days, not one marathon. One day can cover the headline sights if time is tight; three days is worthwhile when the temples are a major reason for the trip. Keep temple days separate from Siem Reap nights: the current three-day Angkor pass can be used within a seven-day validity window, so you do not have to visit on consecutive days.
Answer
Do not plan Angkor by asking how many nights you are staying in Siem Reap. Plan the temple days separately. One temple day means being selective: see the major sites you care about most and accept that you are getting a concentrated introduction rather than “doing Angkor”. Two temple days is the best fit for most first visits. You can split the headline temples across separate outings, avoid turning the hottest part of the day into a stamina test, and make room for quieter stops rather than racing between monuments. Three temple days makes sense when Angkor is a major reason for the trip. The extra day is less about collecting more temples than slowing the pace — staying longer where something catches you, adding smaller sites and letting one extraordinary place register before moving to the next. Pass validity gives you more flexibility than the name suggests. The current three-day Angkor pass expires after seven days, so the temple days do not need to be consecutive; the seven-day pass currently expires after 30 days. That makes it easy to put a pool, town or slower day between temple days rather than forcing a marathon. A tuk-tuk driver is often the easiest way to protect your energy. Add a guide when the history, symbolism and architecture matter enough that you want more than the visual impact. Check the current official pass terms before buying.