Angkor Wat is one of those ‘100 places to see before you die’. But make sure you live it up after your visit to this magnificent site. The ancient Khmer city of Angkor consists of over a thousand temples. However one of them is so breathtakingly majestic that is has simply overshadowed the rest of them.

As the largest temple complex in the word, Angkor Wat would be up there merely on the basis of its size. But it’s not just its sweeping scale that has made it one of Asia’s great spectacles, it is the exquisite combination of art and architecture, of a grand vision and attention to detail, that make this a regular on those ‘100 places to see before you die’ lists.

However, the sprawling Angkor complex, spread over miles across the lush Cambodian landscape contains many more gems. (The name means ‘temple city’, with Angkor derived from the Sanskrit nagara or city, and Wat meaning temple) There is the vast spread of Angkor Thom with intriguing names like the Terrace of the Leper King or the Terrace of the Elephants.

There is the Bayon with its instantly recognisable gigantic faces. And there is Ta Phrom, a smaller temple whose ruins have made it more famous than it was in its heyday. Here is displayed the power of the jungle as it spreads its tentacles in an embrace that has the cameras clicking non-stop. There are many, many more and it’s best to take a tour guide or you’ll lose both time and patience.

Once you’ve seen them all, or before you set out, hop onto a hot air balloon for a marvelous aerial view of Angkor Wat. Warning: the balloon does not travel it merely goes up and stays there awhile. But then, it costs a fraction of similar rides elsewhere in the world, so well there’s no reason to complain.

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And it’s certainly a better view than that from the Phnom Bakeng hill, which is terribly over-hyped. At the least, you’ll need three days to see the temples comfortably. As you trace your weary way back to the hotel, there will be other rewards – in the form of Cambodian cuisine. It’s light and delicious.