Angkor Cambodia

Crumbling stone temples in the python grip of jungle vines, a flash of turmeric colored robes disappearing into the alcoves of ancient temples. Angkor has its fair share of tourists, but its size means you ll easily find a place to get lost in the distant past. The great city was enormous, new research suggesting it covered 3000 sq km. Built by a succession of Khmer god kings from AD 900 to 1200, it had a population close to one million, and was the capital of the Khmer empire. It s been suggested that climate change caused the city to be abandoned some 500 years ago.