Just go, C!
I'm Charity, a proud auntie, wine lover, semi-nerd, and dreamer who can't stay in one place for too long.
Tourists generally come to Cambodia and spend most or all of their time in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat). While these places do have plenty to offer, I was fortunate to have enough time to explore a few other lesser-known parts of Cambodia, including Battambang. It was a bit of an undertaking getting to Battambang from Kampot. There isn't a direct route; I would have to either take a boat to Sihanoukville and then a bus to Battambang which would have been a very long journey, or go back to Phnom Penh and then out to Battambang. I chose the latter option, thinking it would save me some time and trouble. Welp, turns out the first van I was supposed to board had a breakdown and wasn't able to pick me up. So, I had to take a later van which forced me to cancel my 2nd van from Phnom Penh to Battambang and rebook a new one (no refunds for any of this, by the way). When you travel to SE Asia and need to use the local transportation to get around, you have to add at least an hour to the travel time they advertise online, and expect plenty of stops, and sometimes loud local music along the way. This trip was an example of such things. Grumbling aside, I got to my destination safely which is all that matters. I then got a bit lost trying to find my accommodation, but in the spirit of true Southeast-Asian hospitality, I was assisted by a few guys who were closing up a restaurant. They rode around trying to find the place, called the owner, got directions, and gave me a ride on the back of the motorbike to the hotel, which turns out was literally on the other side of the block. HA! Listen, Google maps was wrong, ok? In any case, I was reminded yet again about the kindness and generosity of the people in this corner of the world. After breakfast the next morning, I saddled up another motorbike rental and headed out to the country to experience my first Battambang tourist attraction: the bamboo train. If tourists make their way to Battambang, it's usually for this reason. Is it the most exciting, thrilling thing to do in Cambodia? Absolutely not. But is it fun? Hell yeah. It is a single train track that is used exclusively by locals for transporting produce, building materials, and of course, tourists. The bottom of the flat is made of bamboo (hence the name), which despite its appearance is very strong and sturdy. The rest of the "train", however, would probably not pass most safety standards. But hey, that's part of the excitement. You get to enjoy a very rickety ride through the countryside, where you'll see plenty of buffalo, rice paddies, farmers out in the fields, and kids riding bikes. If you encounter another "train", then one of you will have to dismantle the train, get it off the track, and let the other one pass before you can keep going. The train operators have to figure out who is going to be the one to dismantle. You will go for maybe 1-2 km then stop to have a "rest" which really means you'll buy some snacks and possibly some souvenirs from some pushy kids in a little shop. I was able to hold my ground and only purchased 4 friendship bracelets and a bottle of green tea. Haha! But, I was able to have a chat with them and let a baby play with my phone that she absolutely didn't want to give back. One of the little girls gave me two parting gifts on the way out (below). So sweet. Again, it's probably not an experience you'd write home about but it was fun and made me feel like a kid again, so what's the harm in that? Afterwards, I headed to the other side of Battambang to visit Wat Ek Phnom. Ek Phnom was built in the 11th century around the same time as Angkor Wat. I'd read other travelers' accounts stating that the Khmer temples around Battambang were a great introduction to Angkor Wat, and now that I've seen both, I'd have to agree, if you don't visit Angkor Wat first. Ek Phnom is in pretty bad shape, but there are still several beautiful stone carvings (called bas-reliefs) found around the premises. A young boy was hanging around walking on top of the stone wall surrounding the temples; he hopped off and offered to give me a tour by saying, "Look! This way!" I figured out not long after that he was going to expect some kind of tip for the "service" he was providing, but I didn't mind since he actually showed me some really neat carvings that I'd missed the first time around. After lunch, I headed southwest of Battambang to Wat Phnom Banan. Banan is another Angkorian ruin that is meant to resemble the Big Daddy itself (Angkor Wat). For a long time, many thought Angkor Wat was built after Banan, but archeological finds indicated the opposite was true, and that Banan was built as a smaller replica. Banan is in much better shape than Ek Phnom, but great care must still be taken in and around the temples. In true form, you must climb over 350 steps to get to the top of the hill where the temples are located. I think I've done enough cardio to justify drinking a few more beers, right? After the first set of steps, I was taking a little break, trying to breathe less-heavily so that people wouldn't think I was going into cardiac arrest, when a couple of girls on a school field trip asked me to pose for a picture. I don't care how drenched in sweat you are, and on the brink of death by cardio, you always say yes to cute kids who want a picture with you! By the time I was finished checking out Wat Banan, it started raining pretty heavily. I took shelter in one of the temples for a while until I got impatient and decided to get going. My next stop was Phnom Sampov, about 12 km from Wat Banan. It was a very muddy, pothole-filled ride in the countryside to get there. Sampov is a rather large limestone hill in the middle of the countryside that houses a killing cave used by the Khmer Rouge, a Buddhist temple, and another cave that is home to thousands of bats that make an appearance each evening around 5:30-6pm. The killing cave was yet another reminder of the horrors inflicted by the Khmer Rouge. At the bottom of the cave stands a shrine and a reclining Buddha in memory of those who were slain here. A large class case encloses hundreds of human skulls and bones. It's difficult to imagine what went on here, and even more difficult to try to understand the reasons why which had absolutely no merit. The temple near the cave is ok to look at, but nothing striking compared to other temples in the area. It does, however, boast some nice views of the surrounding rice paddies and villages. Getting up to the top of the hill was a bit of fun - I was advised by the guy who rented me the motorbike that I shouldn't attempt to ride it up the hill. I think he was probably more concerned for the welfare of the bike, but I didn't take my chances and decided instead to hire a local to drive me up in an open-top jeep. It was a unique experience, enhanced by the speed with which he drove over the potholes on the road leading up the hill! He made up for any discomfort by offering me a free can of beer, though, which was later stolen by macaques. I had a fantastic and memorable time in Battambang, and would certainly recommend it to anyone who is looking to experience something beyond the usual Angkor Wat/Phnom Penh route. The countryside is beautiful; the temples are intriguing; the people are warm and laid-back.
Thank you for taking time to read about my experience in Battambang!
1 Comment
2/21/2020 02:50:14 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
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AuthorHi! I'm Charity. I'm from Omaha, Nebraska, USA. I quit my job in October 2016 to travel the world. Archives
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