🇰🇭Cambodia

Angkor Wat

The largest religious monument in the world, built in the 12th century as a Hindu temple before later becoming Buddhist. Its five central towers, representing the peaks of Mount Meru, are among the most recognizable silhouettes in Southeast Asia, especially at sunrise. A single visit barely scratches the surface of its carved galleries and reflecting pools.

Angkor Thom & the Bayon

The last great capital of the Khmer Empire, its central Bayon temple famous for over 200 massive serene stone faces gazing out in every direction. The South Gate approach, lined with rows of carved figures, sets the tone before reaching the temple itself. It sits within walking or biking distance of Angkor Wat.

Ta Prohm

Left largely as it was found, this temple has been partly reclaimed by the jungle, with massive silk-cotton and strangler fig tree roots wrapping over its stone walls and towers. It gained wider fame as a filming location for Tomb Raider. The combination of ruin and living forest makes it one of the most photographed sites at Angkor.

Tonlé Sap Lake

Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, which dramatically expands and contracts with the seasons, supporting floating villages that rise and fall with the water level. Boat trips from Siem Reap pass stilted houses, floating markets, and fishing communities adapted to this unusual rhythm. It offers a different, more everyday view of Cambodian life than the temples.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

A former high school converted into a prison and interrogation center during the Khmer Rouge regime, now preserved as a memorial and museum. Rooms of photographs of victims and preserved cells offer a direct, unflinching account of a period that killed roughly a quarter of the population. It's a difficult but widely considered essential visit.

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

The official residence of the King of Cambodia, its golden spires and manicured grounds sit beside the Silver Pagoda, named for its floor of solid silver tiles. It offers a lighter counterpoint to the capital's more sobering historical sites. Modest dress is required to enter the grounds.