The Most Beautiful Temples in the World

Let’s start with the largest religious structure in the world. Cambodia’s extraordinary Buddhist complex is a real feat of human creation. This is more about size, too, since Angkor Wat’s beauty comes more from detail than scale. The intricacy of carvings is awe-inspiring, while the real sense of age here will make even the least spiritual traveller have a butterfly or two in the stomach. The complex has taken on a new level of beauty over time, with Mother Nature’s clawing grasp – be it sprawling vines or chunky tree roots – slowly recapturing the land, and giving the area an amazing sense of history. Without doubt this place is most beautiful at the break of dawn, when a warm orange glow bathes the entire complex, reflected beautifully by the surrounding moat. That’s when you’ll visit on our epic Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam trip, which also includes visits to Wat Pho in Bangkok and Notre Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City. Neither will be able to top the sheer majesty of Angkor Wat at sunrise, though.

Luxor Temple is an astonishing 3,422 years old (approx.) but it barely looks a day over two millennia. Part of the beauty of Luxor comes from the sheer wonderment of how old it is, and the way in which that inspires your imagination to fill in the gaps. It’s one of the most historically significant structures in all of Egypt, having been added to by several Pharaohs over the centuries, and is also one of the most well-preserved. The imposing Nubian sandstone statues that guard the entrance are as impressive as ever, while the remains of pillars, pylons and courtyards are thrilling to observe. The temple’s best angle is surely from way down the Avenue of Sphinxes, and the best time to visit is unquestionably at night, when the whole complex is lit up with candlelight. That’s when you’ll visit on day four of our Ultimate Egypt trip, which goes from Cairo and Giza to Luxor and Aswan, via a stunning four-day river cruise down the Nile.

The island paradise of Bali is covered in glorious examples of Hindu temple architecture, but none are quite so perfectly positioned as Lempuyang. Found high upon the mountain of the same name, the complex’s primary temple – Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang – is characterised by its striking white split gateway. The complex is regarded as one of the six holiest sites in Bali, and that sense of spirituality exudes not only from the beauty of the man-made creations, but also of the natural backdrop they enjoy. The most spectacular (and popular) spot is the gorgeous Gates of Heaven, which act as a kind of perfect accidental photo frame. On a clear day the gates look straight out to Mount Agung volcano, Bali’s highest peak. We’ll visit Lempuyang on day six of our memory-making Blissful Bali trip – we won’t judge if you spend 15 minutes trying to get the perfect angle for your Gates of Heaven shot.