Beyond the sacred

Most people go to Siem Reap to experience Angkor Wat, but Rebecca Lo finds the sleepy town has evolved to become a place with a lot more to offer than just temple-hopping.

With tourism in nearby Siem Reap developing at an exponential rate over the past 20 years, the city now boasts a solid infrastructure of services and facilities to keep up with the increase in visitors. Luxury hotels are as ubiquitous as backpacker hostels; championship golf courses and horseback riding are welcome distractions and art and cultural sites abound beyond the walls of Angkor.

An increasing number of direct flights, including 13 per week from Guangzhou, is transforming Siem Reap into a viable long weekend destination. As Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport offers visas upon landing and on its website, more international travelers are discovering that Cambodia is a safe and genuinely friendly destination that has emerged from a troubled past to face the future with enthusiastic optimism.