Banteay Srie

Taken on: 24th May, 2009. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See planettreasures's page of Flickr

Read more about Angkor

Cambodia's Angkor is, quite simply, one of the most splendid attractions in all of Southeast Asia. Long considered "lost", the ruins of Angkor were never really lost to the Khmers, who have used the monuments as religious sites throughout their history.

The myth of "The Lost Ruins of Angkor" is more suited to an Angelina Jolie film than the history books. The story more or less begins with their being "rediscovered" by Western explorers in the 19th century, beginning with the French botanist Henri Mahout who stumbled across Angkor Wat in 1860. Few remember though that Mahout was led to the site by a Khmer guide and that when he arrived, he found a flourishing Buddhist monastery within the temple grounds.

During the Khmer Rouge period, the ruins were largely left to their own devices.Like most Khmers, even Pol Pot was unable to shake the power of the site, saying in 1977, "If our people can make Angkor, they can make anything."

Never lost, lost then ... Read our complete Angkor travel guide

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