23 February, Siem Reap
Palm Garden Lodge 36,000KHR ($9) (breakfast included)

At its peak, the Khmer empire covered much of what today is Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam. The empire flourished from 802 to 1431 when the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya conquered Angkor, the empire’s capital. “Angkor’s original name was Yashodharapura (“Glory-bearing city”), and at its apogee it was the biggest city in the world, covering an area of a thousand square kilometres, close to that of modern Los Angeles in the USA.” Khmer art, culture and religion were “heavily influenced by India due to long established sea trade routes with that subcontinent ... The Khmer were great builders, filling the landscape with monumental temples, huge reservoirs (called baray) and canals, and laying an extensive road network with all sorts of bridges – the main highways were 800km long ... The state was divided into approximately 23 provinces, with a sophisticated administration and extensive personnel going down even to the village level.” (Ancient History Encyclopedia) Siem Reap is the gateway to the Khmer temples, three of which we will explore tomorrow. It is a modern city, offering good accommodation and food options to over two million tourists each year.