"Tourists visit. Travellers explore." – Unknown
It is certainly not a definitive list but we have chosen four of our favourites.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
This architectural masterpiece from the Khmer-era (9th to 15th century) is Cambodia’s main tourist attraction - attracting hundreds of thousands of international tourists each year. What many forget is that Angkor Wat is just one of several temples in the ruins of Angkor. There are at least 50 temples scattered over 1.6 square kilometres of this UNESCO World Heritage site. There are some superb luxury hotels in Siam Reap and booking a private guided tour through the Concierge is recommended.
Petra, Jordan
Once the capital city of the Nabatean Kingdom, Jordan's most famous archaeological site - Petra - dates to 300 B.C. Nicknamed the "Rose City" after the colour of the sandstone rock that makes up the temples and tombs, its most famous structure is the 45 metre high Al Khazneh - known as The Treasury. Stay at one of the luxury hotels in Petra or Amman and book a private tour of the Rose City from there.
Tiwanaku, Bolivia
Tiwanaku is an ancient city located 3000 metres above sea level, near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. It is still unknown when the city was built, but it is believed to be at least two thousands years old and was an important capital of this pre-Inca civilisation. The highlights include spectacular, carved temples, pyramids, and stones with The Gate of the Moon and Kalasasaya Temple prime examples. The city of La Paz is a 90-minute drive from Tiwanaku and is the administrative capital of Bolivia.
Pompeii, Italy
Pompeii was once a summer retreat for wealthy Romans and was home to over 20,000 inhabitants. On August 24th, 79 AD, the still-active volcano Vesuvius erupted and buried the city under a thick layer of pumice and ash. The city was rediscovered in the 17th century, and has been an important archaeological site ever since. Around 44 hectares of the ancient city have been excavated, but one-third still remains untouched. In addition to the well-preserved buildings and objects, this is the only ancient city that has the whole topographic structure in its original state. Naples is just 20 minutes by car from Pompeii. The journey passes through Herculaneum, another town that was destroyed on that fateful day nearly two centuries ago.
