Angkore - The Ancient City of Khmer Empire in Cambodia

Photo by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen

Siem Reap, Cambodia is the home of the Angkor world heritage site and the center of the ancient Khmer empire.  The region is a relatively new destination in Asia as more places are newly discovered.

What makes the place a even greater destination is that it is still not overcrowded with  tourists, considering the beautiful landscape and amazing ancient structures abundant in the area.

In the 12th century, King Suryavarman II built Angkor Wat as a grand worshipping place and mausoleum. Today it’s the largest religious monument on the planet. This ancient relic of the Khmer Empire is located in Angkor Archaeological Park. It’s packed with so many sights that you can easily spend a full afternoon there. Make sure to purchase a pass to see the temple at the park’s entrance; armed with this ticket, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the park’s extraordinary sights.

In 2007, an international team of researchers using satellite photographs and other modern techniques concluded that Angkor had been the largest preindustrial city in the world, with an elaborate infrastructure system connecting an urban sprawl of at least 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi) to the well-known temples at its core. The closest rival to Angkor, the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala, was between 100 and 150 square kilometres (39 and 58 sq mi) in total size.

There is a number of companies that runs tour buses featuring guides and air-conditioned vehicles.  Make sure to confirm which temples are being visited as some of the larger buses only go to the 2 or 3 main tourist attractions.