Cambodia

Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia's great historical and spiritual destinations. Wedged between Thailand to the west, Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the south, this 17-million-strong kingdom concentrates on 181,000 km² a remarkable density of heritage: the colossal temples of Angkor (capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to 15th centuries), the still-vivid memory of the Khmer Rouge genocide (1975-1979, 1.7 million dead), the residual francophonie from the French protectorate (1863-1953), millennial rice-growing landscapes, and a subtle cuisine that lacks the international fame of Thai or Vietnamese but fully deserves the detour.

The headline draw remains Angkor Wat — the world's largest religious monument by area (162 hectares), built in the 12th century under Suryavarman II and UNESCO-listed in 1992. But the Angkor archaeological site covers 400 km² and counts more than a thousand temples, including the unmissable Bayon (enigmatic stone faces), Ta Prohm (overrun by roots, immortalised by Tomb Raider), Banteay Srei (Citadel of the Women, lace-like pink sandstone). Plan 3-4 days from the touristic base of Siem Reap — the country's second city, transformed into a dedicated tourism platform with its guesthouses, restaurants and famous Pub Street.

The capital Phnom Penh offers the country's historical and contemporary dimension. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda testify to the splendour of the Khmer monarchy, still in place today. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21, former school turned Khmer Rouge torture centre) and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek (memorial on the execution site of 17,000 prisoners) are a difficult but essential stop to understand the country. The National Museum holds the world's finest collection of pre-Angkorian and Angkorian Khmer art.

The south coast (Sihanoukville, Kep, Kampot, archipelago of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem islands) offers the beach dimension — relatively preserved beaches, bioluminescent plankton on moonless nights on Koh Rong, world-renowned Kampot pepper, Rabbit Island off Kep and its mythical green-pepper crab. Sihanoukville itself has lost its charm with the massive arrival of Chinese casinos; the neighbouring islands remain the authentic option.

The francophonie is still present in educated and hospitality circles (legacy of the 1863-1953 protectorate), colonial signs survive in Phnom Penh (Hotel Royal, former Cercle Sportif), and Paris-style street names (Rue Pasteur, Boulevard Norodom) recall a past the country has fully embraced. It is one of Southeast Asia's most welcoming destinations for French-speaking travellers.