A kingdom revealed
After decades of civil war and the genocide wrought by the Khmer Rouge, the violence of Cambodia's modern history looms large. But with the introduction of democracy, modern Cambodia sits poised on the edge of a new revolution: travel. This is due in no small part to the jungle-choked ruins of Angkor Wat, ancient capital of the Khmer Empire and the world's largest single religious monument. Only a handful of the 1,000-plus temples have been cleared of forest, while the rest remain so atmospherically cloaked in vines they are often used backdrops for Hollywood films. But no matter whether you follow in the footsteps of adventurers of yore or plumb the dark depths of the Killing Fields, Cambodia leaves an indelible impression.