Cambodia
Banteay Chhmar: The Khmer Empire’s Second City
Built by Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century, Banteay Chhmar was likely far more than just another temple. Scholars now believe, in fact, that it functioned as the Khmer Empire’s ‘second city’ after Angkor. Even in its ruined state, visitors to the temple today can see the clear resemblance between Banteay Chhmar and the
Beng Mealea: The Most Mysterious Khmer Ruin
Beng Mealea, as we call it today, remains shrouded in mystery. Despite its large size, it’s not mentioned in any of the Khmer Empire’s inscriptions. Therefore, we don’t know when it was built, or by whom. The temple has been left unrestored, with parts of it having merged with the jungle. All of these enigmatic
Koh Ker: The Unsolved Puzzles of the Pyramid
In the year 928, King Jayavarman IV decided to move the capital of the Khmer Empire from Angkor to Koh Ker, around 60 kilometers away. To this day, scholars have no idea why. Furthermore, this former capital is also home to one of the region’s most unusual structures. The seven-tiered pyramid of Prasat Thom hardly
Visiting Preah Vihear: Cambodia’s Temple in The Sky
Amongst the Khmer Empire’s hundreds of temples, no more than a handful were ever built on mountaintops. Of these, Preah Vihear is the largest. Its layout is also unusual, making it one of the most unique temples in the region. But the temple wasn’t even accessible to visitors until 1998. And even within the past
Preah Khan of Kampong Svay: Cambodia’s Largest Temple
Despite being the only car on the road, we were moving at a snail’s pace. The large potholes were more like craters. Not too long ago, though, no roads to Preah Khan of Kampong Svay existed at all. With the temple, by far the Khmer Empire’s largest, just becoming accessible to tourists fairly recently, word
Climbing the Colorful, Quirky Mountain of Phnom Santuk
Near the city of Kampong Thom, almost exactly in Cambodia’s center, stands one of the country’s most sacred mountains. Phnom Santuk, as it’s known, has long been a pilgrimage spot for locals, but remains well off the radar for most foreign visitors. The mountain, though, has something to offer both nature lovers as well as