Nestled between rice paddies and stretched along the Siem Reap River, Siem Reap serves as the gateway to the millennium-old temple ruins of the Khmer Empire. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses dozens of temple ruins including Bayon, Banteay Srey and the legendary Angkor Wat whose artistic and archaeological significance and visual impact put it in a class with the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Unlike many other world class monuments, the ruins of Angkor are as yet unspoiled by over-development.