Cambodia

Angkor is the largest religious monument on earth, and for travellers who know Indian temple architecture it feels both familiar and new. Built by the Khmer kings between the 9th and 13th centuries, Angkor Wat was dedicated to Vishnu, and its long galleries carry carvings of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Watching the sun rise behind its five towers, reflected in the lotus pond, is one of the great travel moments in Asia.

Siem Reap is the base for exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park, and three nights give you time to see it without rushing. Beyond Angkor Wat there is the Bayon, with more than 200 serene stone faces; Ta Prohm, where silk-cotton tree roots wrap around the ruins; and Banteay Srei, a small pink sandstone temple with some of the finest carving in the complex. Evenings in Siem Reap are relaxed, with night markets, Pub Street and performances of Apsara dance.

The journey then continues to Phnom Penh, the capital on the banks of the Mekong. Here you can visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the National Museum with its Hindu and Buddhist sculpture, and take a sunset cruise where the Mekong meets the Tonle Sap. A visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is sobering but essential for understanding the country's recent history. Cambodia is affordable, warm and welcoming, and the US dollar is widely used alongside the local riel. Five or six nights is ideal for combining the temples with the capital at a relaxed pace.