The neighboring Southeast Asian countries offer untold riches when it comes to art, architecture, and culture --- There’s a tendency to assume a certain sameness among Southeast Asian countries—after all, the saying is “same same,” with the “but different” usually being left off. But though they’re close neighbors and are very easily paired on one excursion to the region, Cambodia and Laos, specifically the culture-rich temple havens of Cambodia‘s Siem Reap and Laos’s Luang Prabang—musts for anyone intrigued by ancient civilizations and exotic design—are quite distinctive. Both are incredibly spiritual and lush, especially in the southwest monsoon season (generally May to October). But while Siem Reap smells of jasmine, Luang Prabang oozes an incense-tinged frangipani scent. Khmer (Cambodian) cuisine relies heavily on coconut milk, lemongrass, and ginger flavors, while in Laos it more closely resembles Vietnamese with liberal headings of fresh herbs. And architecturally they’re disparate: The sandstone styling of the famed 12th-century Angkor Wat and surrounding temples is magical in a completely different way than the newer glass mosaic–accessorized structures of Luang Prabang, an entire city protected with UNESCO World Heritage status.
