Cambodia Day Tours: battambang full day

What To Expect

There were three temples which were built around 11 century to 12 century, another one temple was built on the top of the mountains. Banan Tempe is situated around 18km to the South of the city. With its five towers it was thought by many to be a prototype of Angkor Wat although this has now been largely dismissed by scholars. The temple sits on the top of a large hill and has magnificent 360 degree views - well worth the climb up the restored staircase. Hidden in the undergrowth around the back of the hill are some caves.

Description

Stop 1: Wat Kor Ancient House

This house measures 28 meters in length and 11.5 meters in width, and was constructed on a surface area of 5, 450 square meters in Pet style (a kind of house), meaning that the house was verandahs (drying place) at the front and its two sides. The house has two staircases: the front staircase was made of concrete and the rear staircase was made of wood. The house roof was tiled with antique Naga-scale-shaped tiled, with no inside ceilings. The top portion of the roof was sdorned with splendid artistic decors. The above part of the roof was made of Phcherk wood (a type of very hard wood), and the floor-boards of the verandahs were made of kakoh wood (another type of very hard wood). As for the walls, they were constructed of woven bamboo and plastered. The 36 pillars were all made of Phcheuk wood, and they are still strong up to today.

Stop 2: Bamboo Train

Norry was called by the Cambodian locals and it is widely called everywhere in Cambodia. Battambang was also a colonial province among other provinces in Cambodia which was colonized from 1863 - 1953. When French colonized Cambodia, they have built the railway in Cambodia, and Battambang is one of the part of the railway lines. After Pol Pot collapsed, many Cambodian people have been living with their empty hands and they started earning a living by many traditional ways. For their transportation, besides, Ox carts or buffalo cart, and firewood trains, they also used Norry (Bamboo train) as the big part of train products and passengers transportation.

Stop 3: Cham Village or Muslim Village

The minority of Cham has been living in Cambodia for many years. The Cham who are living in Battambang these days mostly were evacuated during Khmer Rouge from the nearby provinces around Phnom Penh. If you go the north of Battambang along the river, you will see their houses were built closely along the river edge. A[art from that, if you look to the south of Battambang along the river also there is a small village where is the Cham minority are living there too. It is a nice place to learn about the lifestyle of Cham. You will see there are many boats and fishing materials. And we will see they are fishing along the river too.

Stop 4: Lunch Stop Meet up the locals

Eat with the locals, cool shadow of surrounding trees, and if you want to cook with you the local, please write us a suggestion when you book us at the first time. There are many kinds of Khmer food and if you want to us to order for you, we definitely welcome and let them prepare for you. If you are vegetarian, just also mention on your suggestion on the booking day.

Stop 5: Fruit Bats Located in Bay Damram village

We will see the sleeping day birds in a very big tree and you will learn more about the interesting living arts of bats; for instance, the way of finding food, where does the food come from, when do they start finding food, how many hours do they sleep a day, and what time do they come back.

Stop 6: Banan Temple

Exactly 350 stone lead up a shade to Prasat Banan whose five towers are reminiscent of the lay out of Angkor Wat. It was built by Udayadityavarman II, son of Suryavarman I in 11th and it is hillside location offers incredible views across the surrounding country.
From the temple, 28km south of Battambang a narrow stone staircase leads south down the hill to three caves, two of which are not mined and can thus be visited with a torch and flashlight equipped professional local guide. There are impressive carve lintels above the doorways to each tower and bas reliefs on the upper parts of central tower.

Stop 7: Winery - Grape Wine

The only one winery place in Cambodia, I am sure you will not find it somewhere else besides Battambang. And what is more interesting about this place, you are not only going to test the sharp test of many different kind of grape wines, but also you know how they first start their life and first start winery plantation in Battambang.

Stop 8: Bamboo Rice Cake and Fruits sale on the road

The most popular thing for sale in Cambodia for the locals is the market is always on the roadside and the sale in front of their houses for travelers. We stop somewhere as you want and show you about what kind of fruits are they and let's you try the each kind of fruit. Moreover, they also sale a Bamboo rice - the rice inside the bamboo, your tour guide will explain you more about how it made.

Highlights

Wat Kor Ancient House
Bamboo Train
Cham Village or Muslim Village
Lunch stop meet up the locals
Banan Temple
Winery – Grape Wine
Bamboo Rice cake and fruits

Schedule

Duration: 5 hours (approx.) 1.40 pm – 6.30 pm
Departure: Pick up at your hotel
Returning point: The departure point

Include

Temple ticket
Tuk Tuk tickets
Bamboo train ticket
Traditional lunch
Tour Guide
Snacks
Water

Exclude

Tips
Other personal expenses

Please Note

Your rides: You get a professional driver who is mainly focus on safety first. You will not boring about someone bargaining the price
Your group: In order to ensure the tour quality, we have decided to take from 1 to 4 people in a group. Because we can catch your attention and easily to be in group with everyone. You will learn a lots from your tour guide
Your tour guides: We provide you not only a good Tuk Tuk driver, but also we have a tour guide who are they very friendly, helpful, informative, knowledgeable, and experience bi-lingual local tour guide

What To Expect

Riding a bike is probably the most personal way you can experience the customs and society of Battambang. Surrounded by lively agriculture and hospitable locals, you’ll learn all about the region through our fully bilingual tour guides.

Description

STOP 1: MEMORIAL SITE

This is the final stop on the half-day “Traditional Livelihoods” tour. Here, you’ll learn about the horrors of the Pol Pot regime, and how the aftermath affects modern Cambodian society. The memorial is full of the bones and skulls of the Khmer Rogue’s victims, placed as a lasting testament to the evils which should never happen again.

STOP 2: BAMBOO RICE CAKE

On our way towards the whole tour, we will stop at a bamboo rice cake outlet, and try this local delicacy together. Before we settle down to eat, your guide will take a moment to talk about the industrious trade of these cakes, and pass a few secrets of its traditional recipe for you to take home with you.

STOP 3: FIHS PASTE MAKING

After our break, we’ll hop on the bikes again and make our way towards the local fish paste market. The smell can be slightly overwhelming to western visitors, but we’re sure you’ll find the stop fascinating nonetheless. As you watch the processes around fish paste making, you’ll learn about the fishing culture of the local area, and the amazing proportion of the community that depend on the sea for sustenance.

STOP 4: KHMER NOODLE

Here, you’ll learn about another important staple in the countryside’s infrastructure. This stop is likely to be a particularly unique experience, as most western tourists have never seen a manual pounder before. If we arrive on schedule, you’ll have the chance to try pounding yourself. The noodle makers are always happy to let our customers have a try, as it not only gives them a break from work but provides a hilarious spectacle!

STOP 5: RICE PAPER MAKING

This point in our tour will bring us into Donteav village, which lies about 7km from the centre of Battambang. This settlement has become famous over the years for its quaint hand made products including rice paper. While most of us have tried one or two dishes made with rice paper, the people of Donteav rarely go a day without it, incorporating it into dozens of popular local meals, folding it into intricate and beautiful designs.

STOP 6: RICE WINE

Next we’ll cycle to the local rice wine distillery, which is sure to teach you a lot about Battambang’s cultural norms. Rice wine is seen as a traditional symbol of the countryside all over Cambodia, and is used not only for social recreation but as a holistic cure to many common illnesses. We’ll take some time to watch parts of the distilling process, and afterwards you’ll have the opportunity to try or buy some rice wine yourself.

STOP 7: DRIED BANANA

At this stop, we’ll learn about the local organic fruit’s place in rural Cambodian society. We’ll be able to talk to a woman who has lived in the area her entire life, and has been producing dried banana for over twenty years. She is always happy to teach us about the natural processes around making her product, and how her part in the local market has provided a livelihood for her and her family.

STOP 8: LOCAL LUNCH

After cycling between all the previous stops, we’ll settle in the shade of the Wat Kor ancient house, and enjoy a delicious local lunch with similarly local coconut water. We’ll take our time here, relaxing in the hammocks and chatting about all we’ve seen and done. Your guide will be happy to answer any further questions you may have.

STOP 9: WAT KOR ANCIENT HOUSE

This beautiful piece of ancient Cambodian architecture measures 28 metres in length and 11.5 metres in width, and was constructed in the intricate rural pet style, which includes verandahs at the front and sides. The roof is covered with unique Naga-scale shaped tiles, with no inner ceilings, and the upper portion of the roof is adorned with beautiful artistic decorations. Much of the house is made with Phcherk wood, a local and very dependable resource, aside from the floorboards which are made of Kakoh, and some of the walls which are made of woven bamboo and plaster. As you walk around this ancient structure, you’re sure to be amazed at how long the traditional building principles have lasted.

STOP 10: BAMBOO TRAIN

Battambang, like many other provinces in Cambodia, was a colony under the French empire between 1863 and 1953. There are still mixed views over how good this was for the country overall, but most agree with the new technologies western occupation brought in. When the French colonised the country, railroads were set up to connect rural area like Battambang with major cities and towns. After the Khmer Rouge regime fell, many areas of Cambodia were economically destitute, and Bamboo trains played an important part in the transportation of goods during the period reconstruction.

Highlights

Memorial site of the Khmer Rogue’s victims (read more details in 5.Description)
Bamboo rice cake
Fish paste making
Khmer Noodle
Rice paper making

Schedule

Duration: Fullday. For 7 hours
Departure: Pick up at your hotel
Returning point: The same as departure