Highlights of Cambodia - the Kingdom of the Khmer

DAY 1 Destination Cambodia

Today (most likely in the afternoon, depending on your routing) you will board an overnight flight from London to Siem Reap, connecting through your chosen hub city in Southeast Asia. Options include routing through Singapore (in which case you can visit the butterfly garden at Changi Airport while you wait for your connecting flight) and Bangkok, and the combined flight times should be in the region of 14 or 15 hours with a roughly two-hour connection.

DAY 2 Historical tour of the capital

Gentle Cambodia hides a dark past. In the late 1970s, the reign of terror of the infamous Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, tore the country apart. The resultant genocide left the survivors with both visible and intangible scars. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum documents this brutal episode in the country's history. The former high school which the Khmer Rouge converted into an interrogation centre and prison is now a museum and memorial to those that were tortured there. It's a difficult but compelling visit, essential to anyone who wishes to understand today's Cambodia.

After Tuol Sleng, you'll be taken to the Killing Fields Memorial at Choueng Ek. The term refers to the mass graves dug for the victims of the genocide. This is another harrowing yet poignant site.

The afternoon has been left free, giving you time to process what you've seen. This evening, you'll have the chance to experience Phnom Penh after dark. A tuk-tuk will take you to a hard to find restaurant where you'll be treated to a Cambodian barbecue. Be sure to head down to the riverfront to end your evening in style with a drink at the bar of the Foreign Correspondents Club, the former hangout of journalists and now the meeting place for expats and adventurers. Whether you choose a sunset cocktail or a post-dinner brandy, the stools overlooking the waterfront are the best seats in town.

DAY 3 Transfer to Paradise

The buzz of the city is all well and good, but paradise is calling. Tourists are only just discovering the idyllic islands of the Koh Rong archipelago as the luxury market unveils its newest jewel.

For the ultimate in bragging rights, choose one of the private island resorts where understated elegance and discreet service are the underpinning principles. It will take around four to five hours by car to transfer from Phnom Penh to the jetty where a speedboat waits to whisk you over to the resort.

The rest of the day is yours to relax and unwind while enjoying your exquisite surroundings. Indulge in a leisurely lunch, take a nap, have a swim - spoil yourself. The warm shallow waters of Cambodia are rewarding for qualified divers, who'll have the chance to glimpse sharks, barracudas and turtles amid the colourful coral.

DAY 4 Last Chance to Relax

It's worth waking early to make the most of your final hours in the beautiful setting of the Koh Rong archipelago. Don your snorkel mask or slip through the calm waters in a kayak. Through the clear waters, it is easy to spot a plethora of marine life, from turtles to tropical fish.

You'll make the return journey to Phnom Penh by boat and road, in time for your international departure flight. As before, you'll connect through a hub city in Southeast Asia en route back to the UK, once again flying overnight.