Angkor

Angkor, situated near present-day Siem Reap in Cambodia, served as the religious and political heart of the Khmer Kingdom of Kambuja from the 9th to the 15th century and contains the world's largest concentration of pre-modern temple architecture. The complex encompasses more than a thousand structures built in sandstone, the most celebrated being Angkor Wat — its five lotus towers and 700-metre bas-relief galleries embodying the Hindu cosmological vision of its royal builders. In the 15th century the Khmer elite abandoned the capital following resource strain and Siamese incursions, allowing the jungle to reclaim much of the site until French explorers brought it to global attention in the 19th century. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor today is best explored by bicycle or tuk-tuk; temples like Ta Prohm, where strangler-fig roots grip sandstone walls, and the mirror-still reflection of Angkor Wat's towers at sunrise offer experiences found nowhere else.