There’s only one reason why anyone comes to Siem Reap - and it’s not for the gambling or the jewellery shopping. Like so many people before us since it was first uncovered in the late 1800’s, we’re here to visit the ancient temple complex of Angkor, from the majestic beauty of Angkor Wat and the Bayon to the smaller, less tourist-trodden paths that lead to finds just as impressive.

I’m not going to go into great detail over the history and culture of these ancient monuments (there are many websites on the subject where people far more qualified than me have written on the subject). Suffice it to say that all of the temples that make up Angkor were built by the people in reverence to the king, who was worshipped alongside either Buddhist or Hindu faiths.

Most of the temples are still active places of worship. We were fortunate enough to be there at the time of a mass Buddhist pilgrimage, where we got to witness a mass sea of orange and red tunics flowing through the Bayon to the forrest for a full 24 hours of meditation.

Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean tourists make their ubiquitous presence felt, arriving in massive groups usually at about 9am sharp. It’s easy for them to make the trip over from their respective countries, and most come on day or weekend trips. As with most popular tourist destinations, it can be extremely difficult to enjoy the atmosphere of these places (especially at Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm) when you are descended upon by about 20-odd extremely noisy and impatient tour groups.

However, get up early or wait long enough for the scene to clear, and you get a sense of something pretty outstanding. Indeed, along with a few other Europeans trying to get a beat on the tourist-rush we were there claiming our spot at 4am to get photographs of the sunrise over Angkor Wat.

However, go off the path well trodden and you can discover some real gems like Beng Meala - almost an hour’s drive out of the tourist district in Siem Reap and is well worth the visit. Completely devoid of “day-trippers”, you can experience it all in a much more appropriate setting, the only sound being the odd squirrel and a few young monks clambering over the ruined structures.