Battambang: bats, bones and bamboo trains

A four and a half hour bus ride where a grandmother fed her grandchildren red bull at the beginning of the journey, a child peed in a bag with holes in, and the average temperature in the bus was hotter than the sun, brought us to the city of Battambang. Ah Asia. We spent just 2 nights here, but that’s the perfect amount to fit in Battambang’s best bits, so here they are...

The Old Bamboo Train

If you’ve seen Jack Whitehall’s ‘Travel’s With My Father’ you might have seen their hilarious journey on one of Battambang’s famous bamboo trains. We followed suit for a unique ride through the Cambodian countryside. Apparently there’s 2 trains, an old and a new, but we were told by a friendly local that the old (more authentic) one is better as it gives money to the less well off locals whereas the new one has been purpose built for tourists and gives money to the already rich- so be sure to request the old one from your tuk tuk driver!

These trains are made up of a bamboo platform with a mat and cushions on for comfort, and a small motor on the back. They were once used to help transport goods along the country’s battered northern line after the devastation of Pol Pot’s regime, but now their railways are back up and running, they’re mostly just for the experience.

We hopped aboard and our driver steered us down the track. The journey costs $5 per person and is about 20 minutes either way, taking you past lush green rice paddies and their famers, palm trees, children splashing around in muddy pools and under bright blue skies. At one point a whole herd of cows was crossing the tracks so we had to slow right down and roll along behind them as they ambled along. Oh Asia.

If you happen to meet another train coming in the opposite direction, one or other train has to off load it’s passengers and cargo and be completely dismantled and taken off of the tracks. Whichever direction has the most trains travelling or whichever train has the heaviest cargo/most people wins this battle.

At the midway point the train stops in amongst a few little open front wooden stalls where we met the friendliest family and you can buy bamboo train t-shirts (they ain’t selling those in Primark!) and drinks.

It’s probably one of the best train journeys I’ve been on- the views were beaut, you could fully stretch out under the sun, and it was just the right temperature thanks to the breeze. Tanning whilst I travel is absolutely something I can get on board with. Network Rail, you’ve got a lot to learn mate.

Phare Ponleu Selpak

Phare Ponleu Selpak translates to ‘Brightness of the Arts’ and is a non-profit Cambodian association improving the lives of children, young adults, and their families with art schools, educational programs, and social support since 1994. This is where the artists we saw perform at the Phare Cambodian Circus in Siem Reap come to learn their skills. It’s the artists that have become professional who perform in Siem Reap, but if you want to see final year students perform for a slightly lower price tag, Phare Ponleu Selpak has their own little Big Top and put on shows 3 times a week.

Their vision is lovely- they believe in the power of the arts as a tool for human development and social change. We were taken on a tour of the grounds, and saw children learning traditional dance, circus skills, traditional music, and saw much of their artwork. They really are a talented bunch. The association also provides social support and free meals to the poorest families and children so that they get just as good a chance at life as their peers. What an amazing outcome from such a horrendous past.

The Bat Cave and Killing Cave

Our final stop of the day was to see the flight of the bats. If you arrive a little earlier (4pm ish) you have time to go up the hill and explore the few temples and caves. The temples are pretty small (especially considering what we’ve seen in the last 3 months across SE Asia) but their charm comes from their setting on the top of the hill or in the caves, plus the view up there is pretty cool- Cambodia is fairly flat so you can see for miles across the patchwork of rice paddies dotted with palm trees. The long tailed macaques that live up there are fun to watch too, and they’re not interested in humans which is great- they’re free to get on with monkeying around, and you’re free to observe.

As you descend into the Killing Cave of Phnom Sampeau you see a golden Buddha reclining in the centre, sunbeams shining and vines hanging. And then you see the pile of human skulls. These are the bones of those murdered by the Khmer Rouge in this cave. At the top of the cave is a natural skylight where the Khmer Rouge marched people towards, lined them up, and then bludgeoned them, letting their bodies fall into the darkness below. It’s a stark reminder of just how much horror this lovely little country has had to endure. Despite their history, the Khmer are some of the loveliest, friendliest and most helpful people I’ve ever met across 31 countries. It’s a real testament to them that they choose joy to move past tragedy.

We were back down the hill by 5:15pm because the bats start their flight around 5:30. Locals set up plastic chairs and tables facing the cave so that you can sit and watch the spectacle with a drink. The bats were already milling around the mouth of the cave and you could hear their squeaks as they got ready for a night of hunting. And then all of a sudden they’re off, and a steady stream of millions of bats snakes out of the cave and across the sky into the sunset. The double whammy of the bats and the sunset-streaked sky makes for a pretty amazing end to the day.

Battambang may not be the biggest of Cambodia’s cities, but they do say good things come in small packages and it was absolutely worth the visit. Next stop: Phnom Penh!