Experience the best of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat stands a few kilometres north of the town of Siem Reap, inside the Angkor Archaeological Park, a World Heritage site. Built in the early twelfth century for King Suryavarman II, first as a Hindu temple to Vishnu and later used as a Buddhist shrine, it is one of the largest religious structures ever built. Five towers shaped like lotus buds rise above galleries and a wide moat, and the temple faces west.

The long galleries are carved with scenes from Hindu epics and the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, and dancing apsaras fill the walls. Angkor Thom, the later walled city, holds the Bayon, a temple with enormous smiling stone faces. Ta Prohm is gripped by giant tree roots, Banteay Srei, farther north-east, is carved in pink sandstone, and the Tonle Sap lake lies to the south.

Amok, a mild fish curry steamed in banana leaf, lok lak, stir-fried beef with a pepper dip, and rice noodles with fish gravy at breakfast are typical Khmer food, and palm sugar sweetens many sauces and desserts. The air is driest and coolest from November to February, and the rains that arrive around May turn the moats and rice fields green.