In 2024, Cambodia’s Koh Ker Temple Complex emerges as a top recommendation from Seth Sherwood of The New York Times. Offering a remote and adventurous alternative to the heavily touristed Angkor Wat, this millennium-old sprawl of ruins is nestled in the lush Cambodian countryside. Accessible from Siem Reap, about 70 miles away, it beckons intrepid travelers seeking unique experiences.

Built in the 10th century, some two centuries before Angkor Wat, the sacred city of Koh Ker was recognized with UNESCO World Heritage status in the fall of 2023. The heart of the site is a 4.5-square-mile cluster of temples—notably a seven-tiered pyramid known as Prasat Thom—along with statues, stone carvings, artificial ponds, and vast trees whose roots entwine many of the crumbling structures.