The South East Asian kingdom of Cambodia has as rich and as ancient a cultural heritage as its neighbours Thailand and Vietnam, but nearly three decades of civil war have wreaked havoc with the socio-economic and political conditions in the country; more than a million people were killed during the zero year of the Pol Pot regime; the intelligentsia were wiped out in an effort to create an agrarian society and millions more were left homeless by the civil war.

A war-ravaged economy, crippling poverty, AIDS, an unstable and volatile political system and a high crime rate have all contributed to Cambodia’s inability to attract many tourists despite treasures like the magnificent Angkor Wat and a thousand other temple complexes. In reality, things are not as bleak as most newspapers and TV news channels depict them; a measure of peace and stability have made the picture brighter and the future can only get better for this tragic country.

Its time travellers discovered destinations other than Pattaya, Phuket and Bali in South East Asia. Cambodia has some truly spectacular sights to see - the capital, Phnom Penh with an old-world French colonial charm to it; and the spectacular temple complex of Angkor Wat, easily the grandest one even in this part of the world with its sprinkling of temple complexes.