Whether to have a guide is up to you. We opted not to have a guide. I'd been reading about Angkor for years before we went and we both studied Dawn Rooney's book. We liked not having a guide, being able to sit in the stillness of a temple ruin and just enjoy the silence. Or being able to do an hour of walking meditation at Angkor just after sunrise. Others prefer to have a guide with them all the time. Think about your travel style and decide what would work best for you. You'll need a driver, of course, and a good driver can direct you to temples that are less busy at a particular time.

I was in Siem Reap earlier this month for 4 nights. Your itinerary looks fairly reasonable to me, though I'd recommend that you get out very early each morning, and leave time in the middle of the day for returning to the hotel and resting/relaxing. I found the climate very hot and humid, so being able to retreat to air conditioning or to a pool at mid-day was a welcome break. Return in the afternoon to complete your day. The light is better for photography with this strategy, as well.

Regarding guides, it seemed fairly simple to book a guide the day before, so you could commit to days 1 and 2, and then decide if you need a guide for day 4 later. Also, be sure to take charge with your guide - tell him what you want to do and what you want to hear. If you want some quiet time or just want to wander, they should accommodate you.

I was there last month. It was not at all crowded. I did use two different guides and I am very glad that I did. They did whatever I wanted, at my pace. I certainly listened to their input. But I really appreciated their knowledge and the details they were able to point out and explain. I did read the Dawn Rooney books, but the guides were most wonderful.....and the Cambodians are SO nice!

It is HOT. I recommend a hat, and a kerchief and/or headband will be great if you get a bit sweaty....ahem. Water. Hat.

The food was wonderful everywhere.

Massages are so cheap.

Try to visit a village on the lake. And get someone to drive you around to see how the population lives.

Definitely explore the open market downtown. I bought terrific silk scarves there for next to nothing. Silk scarves right alongside dead chickens and meat. Different!

Cabovacation -- do you have the names of the guides you used? Also where did you find them?

Sorry! I meant to include in my post - I got both guides through the hotel concierge. They spoke very good English and were knowledgeable and pleasant. I stayed at Le Meridien. I'm sorry that I don't have direct contact info for them. The thing about guides is that they have all been to the temples and all around the area so many times....they can tell you the best views, where to see what, plus all about the history and details that you might not notice. And they are patient - you can take your time - sit and ponder, take photos, have your photo taken....they are not in a hurry.

Thanks. We are staying at Raffles -- I was thinking that they probably charge more for guides than if you find them directly.

Check with Seven candles guesthouse. Their guides are good, and you don't need to be staying there.

http://www.sevencandlesguesthouse.com/#!our-tours

You sound well prepared, and your plan looks reasonable. We were in Siem Reap for a week last December. Had an excellent guide the first 3 days (spent full days going to all the temples you plan to go to except those on day 4) and then spent a couple of days going back to our favorite places on our own. We appreciated having the guide, who helped us understand what we were seeing, but we also loved the time on our own, which was more relaxed.

One point to mention -- we visited Banteay Srei on two different days -- once with our guide in the early afternoon (hot, bright light) and once just after dawn (by tuk-tuk, deliciously cool, quiet, with gorgeous light for photography). We were impressed enough on the first visit to want to see it again and were so glad we went back. The tuk-tuk ride to the site took about 45 minutes, and we really enjoyed traveling through the beautiful countryside and seeing the early morning activities of the residents. That was one of the highlights of our week. You might think about adding an early-morning trip Banteay Srei.

You'll have a great time. Wish I was going too!

I personally think that Angkor Wat is the one temple that benefits from having a guide. You wouldn't need one at all on day 4, imo