Cambodia

Nested between Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, Cambodia wears many faces. The country’s tragic legacy of genocide during the Khmer Rouge era all too often overshadows its modern energy and the majesty of its more ancient glories.

Of Cambodia’s numerous historical monuments, none is so celebrated as the Angkor complex near Siem Reap. Here, thousands of Khmer Empire temples—including the mighty Angkor Wat—constitute some of the world’s grandest ruins. This is one of those monuments to human craft and spirit that defies description; nothing can truly prepare you for Angkor’s sheer presence.

From a tourism standpoint, Angkor certainly claims much of the attention, but there’s more to the country than this global treasure. Urban Cambodia has its share of attractions: The capital of Phnom Penh, for instance, has a fine spread of architecture from the French colonial era as well as cultural centers such as the National Museum. Venturing into the countryside, though, offers the richest opportunities for experiencing Cambodia’s wonders: Whether roaming the rice fields of the Mekong floodplain or visiting a remote village of one of the Khmer Loeu hill tribes, you’ll come away with a sense of traditions and ethnic diversity that—in their roots, and their resilience—present a far more stirring picture of authentic Cambodia than the nightmare of Pol Pot.

In its more untouched corners—the lush Cardamom Mountains in the west, for example—Cambodia evokes Southeast Asia at its wildest. Where they haven’t been decimated by logging, agriculture, and poaching, native tropical forest conceals such striking wildlife as Asian elephants, gaur (colossal wild cattle), gibbons, sun bears, clouded leopards, and—in critically low numbers—Indochinese tigers. Trekkers can take advantage of a burgeoning ecotourism industry in the highland backcountry, while the sumptuous beaches of the Gulf of Thailand coast draw sun-worshippers.

There’s no escaping the horrors of its past, but Cambodia doesn’t feel overburdened by them. From laidback beach parties to deep-forest villages untouched by time, this is a place that rewards the motivated and receptive wanderer over and over again.