Tags: Battambang

Bamboo Train & Transportation in Battambang

- Sunday, July 13, 2014 No Comments

Bamboo Train & Transportation in Battambang
Picture below we Called "norry" by the locals, the bamboo train is a unique and creative form of transport. It consists of a small motorcycle engine-powered bamboo platform that rides on the railway tracks picking up and dropping off passengers, cargo, animals and motorcycles along the way. When it meets another bamboo train coming the other way the least laden train can be disassembled and taken off the rails in a minute or two allowing the other to pass. It is then reassembled and the journey can continue. The rail tracks are in a pretty poor shape and there are very few "normal" trains operating these days.

Bamboo Train is a simple transportation of Battambang citizens. It is unique in the world. Bamboo Train is being focused by many European tourists as it is very exciting.

Virtually all visitors to Battambang have a go on the bamboo train - it is an unforgettable experience and best done in the early evening when the sun isn't so high. Catch it while you can as plans are afoot to upgrade the line and introduce a more conventional train service!

Visit Banan Temple
Banan Temple locates atop a 400-meter-high mountaintop which is 25km to the south of the provincial town. This sandstone and laterite temple was built between mid 11th century and late 12th century.

Its construction project was started by king Udayadityavarman II (AD1050-1066) and ultimately finished by king Jayavarman VII (AD 1181-1221). The temple has five towers similar to Angkor Wat, but here they were constructed separately. At the foot of the mountain, there is a moat and two natural wells, Bet Meas and Chhoung.

Ek Phnom 
Wat Ek Phnom Temple locates 14km far from Battambang Provincial town. This temple was built in AD 1027, during the reign of king Suryavarman I. There are 18 Banyan trees around the temple. Outside the temple to the south, there was a moat that is now a pond.

Tags: Battambang

Banon Temple

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After walking the 358 laterite stone steps up the renovated staircase you will have a commanding view for miles around. Looking down past below the steep staircase and slightly beyond into the rice fields you’ll clearly notice the remains of the abandoned 100 metre wide and 200 metres long baray or water table that was built to support this Angkor era mountaintop temple. Beyond that lies peaceful looking outlying countryside and this vast panorama, dappled with varying shades of green and dotted with sugar palms, continues for miles to the
Built imposingly on a hilltop, the Frenchman Henri Mahout famous ‘discoverer’ of Angkor Wat actually visited Phnom Banan in 1858. In his book, Voyage dans le Royalle de Siam de Cambodge, he describes a larger number of Buddha statues inside the temples as well as an infinity of smaller deities. He also describes an enormous statue at the entrance which he calls a guardian with an iron stick. Indeed many temples, both ancient and modern, have large yieks standing guard with their magic wands.
Unfortunately, the statues along with the yiek, have all been looted and only the bare edifice remains.
A small Angkorian ruin still stands at the base of the stairwell which is guarded by six sandstone lions. This terrace at the base of the one remaining stairwell (there were originally four – traversing the north, south east and west of the hilltop temple) is still regularly used for prayer ceremonies.
You’ll see monks more often than tourists sauntering slowly up the steep narrow steps which begin with recently restored statues of garudas and nagas. The curious inscriptions on the sandstone banisters are the names of the many Khmer donors to have contributed to the renovation work and as you pass upwards you’ll see a number of lion statues created in slightly different styles. There is no symbolism for this, it merely reflects the fact that the statues were built by different local artists. It’s a lot of work getting up these steep stairs and there is little to mitigate the steepness, but eventually, you will eventually reach a cool shaded terrace where you can sit on a stone bench and share the glorious view of open country with a young monk or two.

The five temples atop the mountain were built of dolomite and sandstone in 1057, according to inscriptions found there and reported by the Pavie Exhibition of the late 1900’s. This places it in the reign of Udayadithyavarman, predecessor of Suryavarman II, builder of Angkor Wat.
The temple five structures themselves remain intact with the central structure being the largest – the French hunter Boulangier said that local Khmers then referred to it as being ‘the navel of Cambodia.’
Look closely, however, and you’ll see the results of massive looting.
Shiva statues remain in parts but most of the apsaras on the temple walls have either been decapitated or not so delicately chipped off – with much of this looting reportedly taking place as the 1980’s when the hilltop temple was used as a military based during the Vietnamese occupation. Indeed, a large water tank built by Vietnamese soldiers still sits quite incongruously amongst the temples, although the artillery pieces they also left behind have now been removed.

Walking around the temple top you will notice the ruined, remnants of the three other stairwells and looking in a northerly direction you will see a verdant green forest covering an adjacent hilltop.
Back down below at the entrance to the temple there are a few simple food and drink stalls, smelling slightly of the locally produced fish sauce and making it possible to have a simple meal of rice and stew to fortify oneself for the long, steep and breathless climb to the mountain top. It would be certainly be wise to stock up with water before attempting the journey.

Tags: Battambang

Wat Ek Phnom

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Date:   Built in early elevenfth century
Religion:     Hinduism
King:   Soryavarman I (1002-1049)
Posthumous Name:     Paramanirvanapada  


Wat Ek Phnom Temple locates 14km far from Battambang Provincial town. This temple was built in AD 1027, during the reign of king Suryavarman I. There are 18 Banyan trees around the temple. Outside the temple to the south, there was a moat that is now a pond.

Built in the architectural style of the  11th Century, Wat Ek Phnom was constructed in 1027 during the reign of King, Sorayak Varman I (1002-1050) and predates Angkor Wat. It was damaged during the Pol Pot Era and the war that followed its overthrow.
A visit to Ek Phnom makes for a very pleasant, half day tour, especially in the mornings when the weather is generally cooler. It is a leisurely bicycle ride on a good road from Battambang and can and moto and tuk tuk drivers can show you a lot of interesting things along the way.

These include the abandoned Pepsi factory and local cottage industries that make rice paper wraps use in the preparation of spring rolls. Much of the journey winds through villages along the river.
When you arrive, you will find the old temple as well as a more recent pagoda and a beautiful pond full of water lilies. There are plenty of stalls serving drinks and snacks.

Phnom Sampov Mountain
Phnom Sampov is a natural and historical site located along National Road 57 about 12km from the provincial town. Atop 100-meter-high mountain stands a pagoda and three natural carves: Pkasla, Lakhaon and Aksopheak. Pkasla cave is full of uprooted stones and is considered important because it is where Phnom Sampov residents come to celebrate after a marriage.

Next to the mountain are several important mountain clusters, including Kdaong mountain, Krapeu mountain, Trung Moan mountain, Trung Tear mountain and Neang Romsay Sok. These mountains are related to Khmer folktale titled Reachkol Neang Romsay Sok.

Sneung Temples
The Sneung Temples are divided into two parts-East Sneung and West Sneung Temple. The East Sneung Temple locates in Sneung Pagoda, about 22km southwest of the provincial town. This temple was constructed with brick on the hill which is 30m by 20m. Its features three separate shrines and is similar in style to other temples built during the 12th century. Behind the temple, there is a new temple

The West Sneung temple is constructed of sandstone and locates near National Road 57 (former National Road 10).