Cambodia Highlights

Cambodia is compact, and that is its gift: in less than a week travellers can see one of the world's great wonders, a graceful riverside capital and a slice of countryside life that has barely changed in decades.

Everything begins at Angkor. As dawn breaks, the five towers of Angkor Wat appear in silhouette above their reflecting pools, and the jungle wakes with birdsong. Nearby, the serene stone faces of the Bayon gaze out in every direction, while at Ta Prohm giant tree roots grip crumbling galleries as though nature and temple have grown into one. Further out, the pink sandstone carvings of Banteay Srei show the finest detail in all Khmer art. Siem Reap, the gateway town, has grown into a relaxed base of boutique hotels, night markets and graceful Apsara dance, with the floating villages of Tonle Sap lake a short boat ride away.

Phnom Penh brings a different rhythm. Set where the Mekong meets the Tonle Sap river, the capital pairs the golden spires of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda with French colonial boulevards, riverside cafes and a lively food scene. West of Angkor, Battambang offers colonial streets, countryside cycling and the famous bamboo train.