One of the first stops on our trip around the world was Cambodia. Siem Reap, which is located near many ruins of the Khmer Empire, has developed into a major destination with modern hotels, Asian and French cuisine, and a reputation for welcoming visitors. Although the country and its people were devastated by the Khmer Rouge during the 1970s, things have slowly improved for citizens and tourists. So we decided to give it a try and enjoyed it immensely.

The Khmer Empire controlled a large portion of Southeast Asia from 800 to 1450 A.D. and built numerous cities and majestic stone temples with beautiful carvings. The capital city of Angkor was built near a huge inland lake known as the Tonle Sap. Its builders relied on an elaborate series of waterways to provide irrigation, water and transportation for an estimated 500,000 residents.

Visiting the famous temple of Angkor Wat is one of the most dramatic and exciting experiences for travelers. It is a 200-acre complex surrounded on all four sides by reservoirs called borays. The site only can be reached by walking across a large causeway with snakelike figures called Nagas on each side. At the center of the square complex is a stone temple with five tall spires that symbolizes the Hindu universe.

All four of the temple’s corridors and some of the temple’s chambers contain engraved murals telling elaborate stories. The walls of one long corridor depict a story of the world’s creation by various deities. Another corridor shows a judgment day where good people are rewarded in paradise and the wicked are sent down into a special hell where demons administer gruesome tortures. A third corridor displays a military procession by the army of King Suryavarmin who built Angkor Wat in 1150.

The architectural complexity and grandeur of Angkor Wat was never equaled. In subsequent years, other rulers including Jayavarman VII built beautiful temples in the area around Angkor including an entire city known as Angkor Thom. All of these later structures were dedicated to Buddha rather than to Hindu gods. Angkor Thom features 37 towers, and each tower contains four huge stone faces of a smiling Buddha looking out in each direction, as well as hundreds of carvings of dancing female spirits known as apsaras.

At a special place like Angkor Wat, it is important to proceed at your own pace and enjoy the experience. While the views will make you want to take a picture every minute, sit in the shade from time to time and allow yourself to think about the talented artisans that built these temples, and the world in which they lived.

Glenn Carberry of Norwich is a local attorney who practices in New London. A frequent world traveler, he has visited more than 50 countries and more than 100 World Heritage sites. This series shows some of the sites he and his wife Kimberly visited on a recent trip that included India, Singapore and Cambodia.

Tips for visiting Angkor Wat

When to Go: The best months are between October to February, which is after the rainy season and before the heat becomes overwhelming in the spring.

Where to Stay: Victoria Angkor Hotel is a classy throwback to the French colonial era with a wonderful pool and an excellent variety of Asian and continental food. Shinta Mani Resort is another top hotel with modern decor.

Guides: It is affordable and worthwhile to use a private guide rather than to join a large tour group. Pin Vannak is an outstanding guide who provides a driver, an air conditioned car, and insight into his country’s past and present with grace and personality.