Luxury hotel holidays to Cambodia

An Expressions tailor-made holiday to Cambodia offers travellers the chance to experience the wonder, culture and history of this magnificent region of South-East Asia. After three decades of war, Cambodia has thrown its arms open the world, welcoming visitors with an enthusiasm and warmth and that makes holidaying here – even without its myriad attractions – an extraordinary joy. Cambodia’s people may be the country’s principle asset, their unbreakable spirit and infectious optimism prevailing against all odds, but it is Angkor Wat for which the country is probably best known – and understandably so. Rediscovered only in the 19th century, this spectacular, nearly 900-year old temple complex is stunning fusion of symbolism, symmetry and spirituality, drawing tourists and pilgrims in their millions. But just as Angkor is more than its wat, so too is Cambodia more than its temples. Phnom Penh is a bustling, fascinating capital at the crossroads of Asia’s past and present, an assault on the senses with pagodas and palaces, markets and busy bars; Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor Wat, has a beautiful riverside location and cultural scene, as well as the beautiful Foreign Correspondents Club, a stunning hotel in what was once the French Governor’s art-deco mansion. Intimate, indulgent, with a sumptuous spa and exquisite cuisine to match, it is typical of the boutique hotels scattered across the country today. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh may be Cambodia’s main urban draws, but Cambodia’s spirit is essential rural, and the countryside is the best place to experience the rhythm of rural life and timeless landscapes of dazzling rice paddies and swaying sugar palms. As for beaches, Sihanoukville is surrounded by them, while the distant south coast is fringed by tropical islands with only the occasional luxury hotel in sight. Inland from the coast lie the Cardamom Mountains, part of a vast tropical wilderness sheltering elusive wildlife forming the focus of an emerging ecotourism. And through the heart of it all, the mighty Mekong River cuts through the country like its ancient lifeblood, and boat trips along it are an utterly intoxicating way of delving deep into the heart of Cambodia. With beaches as beautiful as Thailand, mountains and jungles more remote than Laos, cuisine as delicious as Vietnam and temples to leave Indonesia in the shade, Cambodia is South-East Asia at its bite-sized, undiscovered best.