In Siem Reap, the best way to visit the temples IMHO is by hiring a Tuk Tuk for about 15$ a day. The Tuk Tuk driver will take you to each temple complex, drop you off there (IOW he is NOT a guide), wait for you and drive you to the next temple complex. Very nice. In the individual temples you still will do a lot of walking and climbing and so, but in between complexes - you really do not want to do this by foot. Sure - you could rent a bike. But by the time you get to the bike rental place, you will already have sat in a Tuk Tuk....
Plus when it rains (and it does rain there) a Tuk Tuk provides you shelter from the rain. Which means you stay (relatively) dry, whereas the cheapskates get wet (very wet). So up to you what you want to do. Sure as a backpacker you have a limited budget, but if you do not have 4$ pp for this, maybe a few pints less will get you there too.
If you want a guide you need to hire a taxi and guide, which has the added benefit that you travel in an air-conditioned car between temples, so giving you some reprieve from the heat. But each time you get out of the cab you die from the diabolical heat.
Which brings me to the next finding : quite a few blogs say, go really early to enjoy the temples. So does everyone else ! Which means reduces enjoyment. I went in the sweltering midday heat, which was a bit unpleasant at first. But I for once will not have to edit that many people out of my photos via Photoshop. They were not there. Only Ta Prohm was quite crowded (but mind you this was later in the afternoon too).
As there are numerous stalls at each exit of the complexes (where your Tuk Tuk will be waiting), you can always get fresh, cold, bottled water at 1$ a bottle. Bargain hard and you even get the big bottle at this price...
Yes this is a travel blog too, so you may want to apply the same caveat on my rantings than on all the other ones. Just go there with your eyes open, your wits about and you will be fine.
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