Battambang

Battambang

Battambang miles (290 km) NW of Phnom Penh.   140,000.

Cambodia’s second largest city and a provincial capital, Battambang lies a short distance southwest of the Tonlé Sap Lake. Sitting by the Stung Sangker and surrounded by beautiful, verdant countryside, the city has been under Thai influence for much of its history and was returned to

Cambodia only in 1907.

The impact of the French Colonial administration on the city is evident from the number of Colonial villas and shop houses still surviving today, hidden down side streets and by the riverside. 

In the center of town stands Psar Nath, a sprawling mustard-hued Art Deco market that was built in 1936 and is well worth a visit. The most charming area of the city is by the river, south of this bustling market. The Battambang Provincial Museum located here houses an eclectic Angkorian and

pre-Angkorian collection of statuary, pottery, and traditional musical instruments.

Battambang is only now finding an identity as a tourist destination, with a number of excellent cafés and Colonial-style hotels starting to open up. The natural beauty of the rural countryside surrounding the city must not be missed.

BATTAMBANG’S BAMBOO TRAINS

Noris (bamboo trains) are indigenous to Battambang province and seem to have developed in response to a lack of local public transport. A cheap and effective way for locals to travel, they were created from flatbed mine sweepers that were used in the Civil War of the 1980s. Noris are assembled on the track, which is often warped, and have no brakes. It is worth traveling by these trains for the experience.

Killing Caves of Phnom Sampeau

7 miles (11 km) SW of Battambang. 

Halfway up Phnom Sampeau, a hill with several temples at its summit, and belying a peaceful rural scene, the Killing Caves of Phnom Sampeau tell yet another brutal tale of the atrocities perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. The caves bore witness to the cruelty of the regime, during which victims were bludgeoned to death before being thrown from a skylight in the roof of the cave. There was one cave for male victims and another for women. The largest cavern is festooned with the victims’ clothes. A glass memorial located in the cave displays the bones and skulls of the deceased. Next to it is a statue of a golden Reclining Buddha. Nowadays, local children hang around the base of Phnom Sampeau hoping to show visitors around the caves and summit for a small tip.

Wat Ek Phnom

7 miles (11 km) N of Battambang. 

The journey to Wat Ek Phnom takes visitors through dense forest, lush rice fields, and bucolic villages dotted with houses where rice paper, used to wrap spring rolls, is made. After it is made, the circular paper is dried on mesh boards in the sun. Built in the 11th century, during the reign of King Suryavarman, this partially collapsed Angkorian temple comprises finely carved prasats (towers) mounted on a platform. The root-strangled ruins have been looted, although the lintel above the eastern entrance to the central tower has survived; it depicts the Churning of the Ocean of Milk by the gods and asuras (demons), a Hindu myth.

Close to the temple is a small, peaceful pond that is covered with lily pads. There are several large, shady trees around the ruins, with a number of alfresco cafés that make for an excellent lunch venue. Opposite Wat Ek Phnom is a modern pagoda of the same name.

Wat Banan

Wat Banan 17 miles (27 km) S of Battambang.

Reminiscent of Angkor Wat in terms of layout, this mountain top temple on Phnom Banan is reached by a flight of 358 steps. Flanked by naga balustrades, the stone steps lead to five 11th-century prasats, which, despite having been looted in the past, are mostly upright. The views from the top are some of the best in the province, and visitors can buy drinks from vendors at the summit. Local children often trade hand fans in exchange for a tip.

From the temple, visitors can descend a narrow staircase to explore a group of three caves, with the help of local guides. Flashlights are essential since the caves are very dark.

Visitors must be war need that one of the caves is still unmined and not safe to enter. The caves can also be quite a tight squeeze.

Kamping Poy

Kamping Poy 17 miles (27 km) West of Battambang.

Yet another poignant reminder of the brutal Khmer Rouge, Kamping Poy, also known as Killing Dam, stretches for some 5 miles (8 km) between two hills. Over 10,000 people, forced into slavery under the regime, lost their lives from malnutrition and execution, building what is now a largely worthless dam. It is believed that the dam was built in an attempt to re-create the irrigation system of ancient Angkor, although the scheme proved to be a failure. Today, there is nothing left of the sight except the sluice gates. The dam is now used by locals as a picnic spot. Visitors can take a boat, rowed by local boys, to the middle of the lake, but prices can often be exorbitant.

Choob

Choob 55 miles (89 km) West of Siem Reap.  5,000.

Located toward the northwest border with Thailand, the small village of Choob is worth a visit for its renowned sculptors, who sit by the roadside with their wares.

Choob’s sculptors are celebrated throughout the country for their craftsman-ship and are often commissioned by temples to make huge, elaborate sandstone statues that can take months to complete. The village is a great place to buy magnificent souvenirs such as miniatures of apsaras or myriad statues of the Buddha.

Ang Trapeng Thmor Reserve

62 miles (100 km)

North-West of Siem Reap. Tel (012)-520-828. www.samveasna.org

Based around a water storage reservoir built in 1976 under the Khmer Rogue by slave labor, this wetland bird sanctuary occupies 19 sq miles (49 sq km). A mixture of grassland, dipterocarp, and paddy fields, the area was officially declared a Sarus Crane Reserve by royal decree in 2000. The

sarus crane is an extremely rare and elegant bird depicted on bas-reliefs at the Bayon. Besides being a feeding ground for 300 sarus cranes, Ang Trapeng has more than 200 other species of birds,

18 of which have been classified as globally threatened. In addition to the birds, visitors may chance upon the large fruit bats that inhabit semi-submerged trees on the edge of the reservoir. The very fortunate may also sight the rare eld’s deer.

It is possible to tour the preserve on a boat, but visitors must register at the Wildlife Conservation Society Office in the adjacent village first. While most people visit the preserve on a day trip from Siem Reap, overnight stays can also be organized through the Sam Veasna Center in Siem Reap.