Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

Despite the ungodly hour, Angkor Wat is busier than a rush-hour Tube station at sunrise. Dodge the crowds with a dawn visit to the enigmatic faces of the nearby Bayon or seek solace amid the ruins of Ta Prohm. If the morning sounds uncivilised, try a sundowner on the shores of the Western Mebon, an island temple in the middle of the immense Western Baray reservoir.

Arts and culture

Any stay in Siem Reap will mostly focus on temple trawling, but there’s modern history as well: learn about the culture of survival at the Cambodia Landmine Museum (www.cambodialandminemuseum.org). The museum includes deactivated civil war mines and serves as a chilling reminder of the effects of war.

Something for nothing

Deep down, Siem Reap is a spiritual place, and strolling through the backstreets reveals a serene side to local life. Wander the pagoda district, setting off from the ancient, pre-Angkor brick temple of Wat Preah Inkosei. Follow the sleepy riverside road south to Wat Bo, complete with its traditional frescoes, and meander on to Wat Dam Nak, a former royal palace.

Shopping

The Angkor Night Market is a smart stop for a taster of everything you can buy in Siem Reap, but practise your best bargaining banter. Artisans d’Angkor (+855 (0)63 963 330; www.artisansdangkor.com) in the Chantiers Ecoles compound just off Sivutha Street is the place to get Khmer-style sculptures, or pick up pretty modern silks by French-Madagascan fashion designer Eric Raisina at his Wat Thmei workshop (+855 (0)63 963 207). Mrs Smiths should check out Wanderlust, which sells clothes, jewellery and interiors pieces made by local Cambodian women, and is located in Alley West in the Old Market area (+855 (0)63 955 980; www.wanderlustcambodia.com).

Daytripper

Go beyond Angkor and you’ll rediscover remote temples lost in the wilderness. Beng Mealea has a similar architectural footprint to Angkor Wat, but has been almost entirely swallowed by the jungle. Continuing west, hike through the dense forest to Kbal Spean, or the River of a Thousand Lingas. Sacred to the ancient Khmers, this romantically cascading series of streams has been venerated with hundreds of phallic symbols, symbolically rendering the waters fertile as they descend to the rice paddies below.

Perfect picnic

Pack a picnic breakfast from the hotel and arrive in Angkor Wat through the secluded backdoor (eastern entrance) around 7am, almost exactlythe hour the sunrise crowd heads back to their hotels. The mother of all temples almost to yourself – that’s worthy of a wow.

Walks

The ancient Khmer capital Angkor Thom offers a tantalising trek thanks to a carpet of forest and rewarding temples. Starting out at the spectacular south gate, make your way along the top of the massive walls to the west gate with nary a visitor in sight. Check out Baphuon, the ‘world’s largest jigsaw puzzle’, and the Terrace of Elephants. Finish at Bayon, one of Angkor’s most mysterious treasures.

Children

Little Smiths will love clambering about the spiritual adventure playground that is tree-entwined Ta Prohm; and you can expect inquisitive infants to test your natural storytelling ability to its limits after visiting the Bayon’s giant carved-stone faces. Calm things down at the Angkor Butterfly Centre (www.angkorbutterfly.com/abchome.html), where more than 30 species of Cambodian butterflies flutter by in lush tropical gardens.

Activities

Cooks ‘n’ Tuk Tuks fires up the wok at 10am daily with a visit to a local market, then returns to the RiverGarden resort for a masterclass in Cambodian cuisine – lessons cost US$25 a head (+855 (0)63 963 400; www.therivergarden.info). Channel your inner cowboy (or girl) at the Happy Ranch (+855 (0)12 920 002; www.thehappyranch.com), where you can saddle up to survey Siem Reap on horseback. Helicopters Cambodia (www.helicopterscambodia.com) and Helistar (www.helistarcambodia.com) operate scenic flights.

And

You can hire a private car to take you round the temples from US$30 a day. Tour guides are available from US$25 per day. Hanuman (www.hanumantourism.com) offers local reliable guides.