CAMBODIA

Captivating Cambodia is a land of beautiful temples, wild jungle and unspoilt countryside, yet still bears the scars of years of conflict.

For so long off limits to the tourist trail, Cambodia began to open up to visitors again in the late 1980s. Travellers poured into the gritty capital Phnom Penh and marvelled at the jungle temples of Angkor as the Khmer Rouge militia dissipated.

An extensive landmine clearing programme has made other areas of Cambodia accessible, and visitors should take the time to discover the hill tribes around Banlung, the colonial architecture of Battambang and the sandybeaches of Sihanoukville.

Today's tourists can expect to mix luxurioushotels and restaurants with traditional markets and ramshackle side streets in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

Intrepid foodies can look forward to samplingdeep fried spiders and cockroaches which have become delicacies in northern Cambodia, despite being a reminder of the food crisis endured by Cambodians under the Khmer Rouge.

With the road network improving, it's time for visitors to start exploring this delightfulcountry beyond its imposing temples