1,000 Miles +
Tucked away in the country’s uplands and nestled along the bend of the Ayeyarwady River, Bagan was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan – the first kingdom to unify on the Ayeyarwady Plain. The city enjoyed its glory for two-and-a-half centuries before falling to Kublai Khan’s raiders. The Bagan historical site, it’s said, is in many ways equivalent to Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. British historian Arnold Toynbee, who saw both, even coined his own phrase “See Bagan and live. See Angkor Wat and die”.
Phoowadon Duangmee, The Nation.
Angkor Wat is the ultimate expression of Khmer genius – an awe-inspiring temple that is stunning for both its grand scale and its incredible detail.
The temple is the heart and soul of Cambodia and a source of fierce national pride. Unlike the other Angkor monuments, it was never abandoned to the elements and has been in virtually continuous use since it was built.
NICK RAY Lonely Planet Writer