Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung in eastern Thailand is perched on an extinct volcano. — Photos: DAVID BOWDEN
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful in the region from the ninth to early 15th centuries. At its peak, it extended over much of what is now Thailand, Cambodia, Laos (Lao PDR), and southern Vietnam.
There are now numerous sites in these countries where budding Indiana Jones archaeologists can admire the architectural masterpieces of the former empire. This legacy of well-preserved archaeological sites and others in ruin still attract millions of curious tourists annually.
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Monuments from the kingdom of Khmer
Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung in eastern Thailand is perched on an extinct volcano. — Photos: DAVID BOWDEN
Prasat Sikhoraphum is a 12th-century Khmer site located between Surin and Sisaket.
The Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap is a very popular tourist attraction. — Pixabay
The Phanom Rung Hai Historical Park is a Khmer site located just south of Buri Ram in Thailand.
Wat Phu near Pakse in Laos is an 11th-century Khmer Temple and a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Phanom Rung dates back from the 10th to 13th centuries and was initially a Hindu temple.
Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious site, is surrounded by forests and agricultural land.
Intricate carvings like these at Wat Phu in Laos are a feature of Khmer temples.
The Ta Prohm temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park is mainly known today for this strangler fig tree.
CAMBODIA SIEM REAP ANGKOR HERITAGE PARK TA PROHM TEMPLE STRANGLER FIG