I would say that Angkor is the single most enthralling historical site I have ever seen. The range of levels of preservation is unique among such culturally important "must see" temples. You can not only see some temples in relatively very good repair, but you can also see temples that have been intentionally left as is. You get a chance to discover these temples as they were when they were first "re-discovered" nearly 150 years ago.

I have wanted to see Angkor since a friend visited in 2001 and brought back tales of a country finding a new sense of its self and its history. Despite having traveled nearly half of the world previously, I have to say I was a little nervous venturing into Cambodia. These fears turned out to be completely baseless. The Khmers are among the most friendly and genuinely nice people I have come across. When visiting many of the other must see historical sights around the world, I have been poisoned, extorted, and generally treated like the locals would rather just take my money and be done with me. This was not the feeling I got while in Cambodia.

Angkor has not yet reached the tourism levels of the Great Pyramids or the Taj Mahal and therefore still allows you the chance to occasionally have a moment alone with your awe. I went to Cambodia with the expectation of seeing Angkor Wat temple and nothing else. I was blown away by the vast amount of other temples in the Angkor complex. If you decide to make the trip, you should definitely set aside a minimum of 4-5 days to see the entire complex. Travel into the nearby countryside and check out the Tonle Sap.