Why Cambodia
Angkor is the largest religious monumental complex in the world, and it does not come down to the postcard temple: it is a city of four hundred square kilometres, with dozens of temples, some of them left in the forest.
The country also carries a recent and painful memory, that of the Khmer Rouge regime. The sites in Phnom Penh that tell it are harrowing, and they are part of understanding the country, not of its folklore.
Getting around
Coaches link the major cities on roads that are now decent; the journeys remain long. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are linked by a short flight, and a passenger train has resumed service on a few lines.
On the ground, the tuk-tuk is the normal mode, booked through an app in the cities to avoid negotiation. At Angkor, you hire a tuk-tuk for the day with a route agreed in advance.
Money
Prices are displayed in dollars, ATMs dispense dollars, and change under a dollar is given in riel. You need notes in good condition: a torn or marked dollar can be refused.
Withdrawal commissions are high and fixed, so withdrawing rarely and in quantity costs less. Cards are accepted only in hotels and tourist restaurants.
Before you go
The Angkor ticket is sold only at the park's official counter or on its official site, with a photo taken on the spot, and it is issued in your name. Any reseller offering anything else is selling a fake: the ticket is checked at the entrance to each temple.
It is sold for one, three or seven days; the three days do not need to be consecutive. Entry after five in the afternoon on the preceding day is included for the sunset.
Unexploded ordnance is still present in some rural areas of the north and west: you do not leave the marked paths, and the warning signs are taken seriously.