Siem Reap is a city that exists in permanent conversation with the past. Gateway to the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor — a UNESCO World Heritage Site spanning 400 sq km of temples, causeways, moats, and forest. The city's name 'Siamese Defeated' echoes a proud military legacy. Walking through the Old French Quarter, you'll encounter colonial-era shophouses beside centuries-old pagodas where saffron-robed monks chant at dawn. Angkor Wat — the world's largest religious monument — materialises from the jungle at sunrise: five lotus-bud towers reflected in a vast reflecting pool, their silhouettes turning from grey to amber to gold as the sun climbs.