Cambodia 2016

Monks passing by the Golden Temple inside the Royal Palace in Phnome Penh, Cambodia. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Angkor Wat was once an important Buddhist shrine, so a visit to the temple is a pilgrimage for monks. They come from within Cambodia and from all over the world. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Ta Prohm temple is probably the most well known in Angkor Wat. Walking through it, it feels like a battle between nature and architecture, in which the Cambodian jungle is clearly the winner. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh was a former high school, which was used as the Security Prison 21 (S-21). Out of the 17.000 people who died there, only 7 survived. 14 others had been tortured to death as the Vietnamese were closing in on the city. Their graves have been placed inside the courtyard. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

For most westerners, Angkor Wat induces an image of a lone European explorer hacking his way through the thick jungle of Cambodia when he by chance stumbling across the lost ruins of Angkor… Ruins, which turned out to become a wonder of the ancient world. But this is just an urban myth; when Henri Mouhot came across the temples in 1860, Angkor was run-down, succumbing to nature and being in a serious state of disrepair, yet it was never lost as many people think… The location of all Angkor sites, which are on the tourist itinerary today, was always known to the Khmer and other westerners have been there before. Mouhot himself never claimed that he was the one to discover it, yet somehow he became associated with it. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Less than 200 kilometres bee-line lie between Cambodia’s island paradise and the well known beach-neighbour Thailand. Thailand’s picturesque beaches attract millions of tourists every year, but this popularity has its price: finding a pristine, quite spot has become almost impossible. But there are other islands in the Gulf of Thailand that lack of nothing and have not been overrun by mass tourism. One of these is Koh Rong Samloem. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Koh Rong Samloem is Cambodia’s own paradise island and a dream for everyone who has fantasised about tropical beach-feeling, yet still needs some sort of contact to the outer world. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

The view from the lighthouse on on Koh Rong Samloem is quite something. Depending on where you start, the trip will take you between 1 1/2 – 2 hours each direction. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

The monkeys in Angkor Wat might look cute, but they can be real jerks. Make sure your belongings are safe when trying to photograph them. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

The landscape around Neak Pean temple in Angkor Wat was one of the most stunning ones in the entire area. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

The area around the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh is frequented a lot once the sun goes down. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world. It’s the crowning achievement of the classical Khmer Empire, which once ruled most of Southeast Asia. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER

Ta Som temple is not as well known as it’s bigger brother Ta Prohm, but it’s gateway, which has been overtaken by fig trees is probably the most impressive one in all of Angkor Wat. © ULLI MAIER & NISA MAIER