Meal:  not any | Accommodation: not included

7:30 AM – pick up from your hotel, we travel to the lost temple of Beng Mealea, the titanic of temples, a slumbering giant lost for centuries in the Cambodian forests. It is the most accessible of Angkor's lost temples, a mirror image of Angkor Wat, but utterly consumed by the voracious appetite of nature. It is possible to enjoy an Indiana Jones experience clambering about the vast ruin, but please be gentle in this sacred place for the sake of future generations. For those who prefer a more gentle adventure, there is also a sturdy wooden walkway running right into the heart of the temple. It is also possible to visit a nearby Angkor-era quarry from which stone was cut to build these massive monuments.

We then head into the bush to the remote Angkor city of Koh Ker. The history of Cambodia is riven with dynastic spats and political intrigue and one of the most memorable came in the 10th century when Jayavarman IV (928-942) fell out with his family, stormed off to the northwest and established the rival capital of Koh Ker. Although the capital for just 15 years, Jayavarman IV was determined to legitimise his rule through a prolific building programme that left a legacy of 30 major temples and gargantuan sculptures that are on display in the National Museum in Phnom Penh. We climb to the summit of Prasat Thom, a seven level step pyramid, more Mayan looking than Khmer, with its commanding views over the surrounding forest. Nearby is Prasat Krahom or the Red Temple, named after the pinkish Banteay Srei-style stone from which it is built. There are many more temples in the area, including the five towers of Prasat Ling, each enclosing a giant linga (fertility symbol), the biggest and best found in situ anywhere in Cambodia.