Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire (locally known as Kambuja) with its capital Angkor was one of Southeast Asia's preeminent empires, existing from the 9th to 15th century AD.

Understand
The empire was centered in Cambodia and ruled much of modern-day Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar for over 600 years.

The cultural underpinnings of the Khmer began in the first century AD when the Kingdom of Funan emerged, one of the first Indian-influenced states of Southeast Asia. This was followed by Chenla, which may have been a kingdom or a loose confederation of small states, in the seventh and eighth centuries. In 802, King Jayavarman II stood atop the sacred Phnom Kulen mountain, declared Cambodia's independence from Java and founded the Khmer Empire.

The Khmer were experts at building vast irrigation systems, large reservoirs called baray, sophisticated road networks and most notably, enormous temples and religious monuments. The empire accumulated its wealth as it became immersed in the maritime Silk Road trade routes, connecting the Khmers to India, China, Arabia and even parts of Europe.

Stay safe
Some of the lesser-known Khmer sites are in the middle of the jungle, which is still full of landmines, a result of the three decades of conflict that Cambodia and neighboring countries endured during the Indochina Wars.