Cambodia Travelers Recommend

A trip to Cambodia isn’t complete without a stop in the popular city of Siem Reap. If you’re going to Siem Reap then you’re going to Angkor Wat. This incredible UNESCO World Heritage site is the largest religious monument in the world. Built in the 12th century by Khmer King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is as impressive today as it was hundreds of years ago. Lush overgrowth covers some of the sacred space that’s easily accessible from Siem Reap, and visitors often spend an afternoon exploring the temples. It helps to hire a tuk tuk to drive between other popular Wats, like Banteay Kdei and Bakong, before heading back to the city center. Siem Reap may be a destination because of its close proximity to Angkor Wat, but the bustling hub for travelers also has plenty to do and see beside the temples. Spend a day exploring all the town has to offer, from lively shopping to fabulous cuisine. Begin the day with a hearty portion of traditional bai sach shrouk.

Divine in all senses of the word, Angkor Wat is the world's largest religious building. Built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, his aim was to go bigger and better than his predecessors. In the high classical style of Khmer architecture, it was first a Hindu temple, then Buddhist and now it has become an icon, appearing on the Cambodian flag since 1863, and attracting over half of the international visitors annually to Cambodia. The place is massive and people spend a week or more exploring it. The outer wall stretches for 2.2 miles (3.6 kilometers), there is a moat, and the building itself is three stepped rectangular galleries topped by a quincunx of towers - imagine the five spots on a dice and you've got the shape these five towers make. Along with the sheer size, there's the intricate decoration: bas reliefs in the galleries and devatas (guardian spirits) on the outer walls. This place is the perfect fusion of spiritual devotion and earthly egomania.