Temples, butterflies and giant trees

When someone asks us whether Angkor Wat is worth a trip, the answer is a resounding yes!

The city of Siem Reap, which lies at the gates of the temples, is very touristy, but that also means that there is a lot of well-being program and you don't have to stay in the only guesthouse in town. Most tourists come as culture lovers and so living together in the city is very pleasant and rather cosmopolitan.

We were very impressed by the temple complex and it was really easy to avoid the crowds of tourists on the moped and take magical walks through the ruins, watch the butterflies dance in the sun and admire the huge trees that still grow in and around the temples grow up. So we spent three very comfortable days in the very different temples. Once we were captivated by the sunset on a mountain temple, another time we were amazed by the lotus flowers on a large pool of water around a temple, and the next time it was the great reliefs that impressed us.

The architecture, the water management performance and the mega organization behind the temple complexes showed us what was possible here over 1000 years ago. After three weeks, we can feel in many corners that this country is still developing today. A very nice conversation with the Swiss operator of a training restaurant highlighted this again. It was six great days in Siam Reap and yes, the feel-good massages, croissants and pool were also really great.

A must-do: explore the temples in peace with a three-day pass

Don't have to: Sunrise at Angkor Wat, unless you like getting up early and like crowds

Best of: Foot massage with British women from India who spread a lot of good mood and explained to me why brown skin is unsexy

Kathleen