Cambodia

A luxury river cruise carries passengers west and north on the Mekong: across countless villages, through bucolic scenery, to two countries, and with so, so much Southeast Asian culture.

The fact that Cambodia’s southwest coast is a little less famous than its neighbors to the east and west makes the country’s beaches a tranquil retreat for well-worn sunseekers.

Home to one of the wonders of the world, not to mention several others that could arguably be considered for the big seven, Siem Reap, Cambodia is packed with sites of interest that may seem daunting to navigate.

Start from Saigon, I plunged deep into the Vietnamese countryside for an adventure up the mighty Mekong, finally to dock in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh

Situated about two hours north of Siem Reap, Phnom Kulen is a worthy full-day excursion away from the crowds at the most famous Khmer temples of Angkor.

Once the jewel of French Indochine, Angkor Wat remains the largest religious building in the world. Touring via helicopter can be the adventure of a lifetime.

A visit to the notorious Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, known as S-21, as well as the Killing Fields to learn more about what happened here.

When you’re about to engage in a live land mine field you’d better wear your halo, as in the orb which hovers over beings from the angelic realm. Following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie and Princess Diana, I went to visit a land mine dig in Cambodia. I brought along my family for moral support.