Travel by Boat; Battambang to Siem Reap

Regardless of many bad internet comments and in spite of the hotel clerk doing his best to dissuade us, we've decided to take the boat trip from Battambang to get to Siem Reap as it's supposed to be very scenic, although in the dry season it can take up to 12 hours and the bus only takes 3 (and costs less). At 7am we're informed it's a particularly crappy plastic boat that's operating today and indeed it is but it'll do the job. The onboard toilet however is well below our pompous standards, consisting of 4 walls 3 ½ feet tall surrounding a hole in the floor, yes, no roof, so the men sitting behind will see you doing your business! Err won't be using that then! It is a very beautiful trip up the river, passing rural villages where life revolves around the river and the land. Some people have floating houses on the water or live in boats and others live on it's banks. We pass by an entire floating village on the lake near Siem Reap which is quite a sight. Arriving in Siem Reap at 3pm were pleasantly surprised we're already there! Not a bad 8 hour journey at all, quite pleasant.

Battambang Bamboo Train

If you're stopping by in Battambang take a trip to the Bamboo Train. Also known as the 'Nori' Battambang's bamboo train is situated 15kilometres outside the city, it's a pretty drive through the countryside and on arrival we pay $5 each for a ride on one of the little 'carriages'. It's a normal looking train track but the trains are simply two axels with wheels, a bamboo platform and a motor sitting on top!

We sit on the wooden mat and whizz down the line, the fresh countryside wind in our hair, surrounded by views of rice fields and grazing cattle. There's only one line and trains run in both directions so when you come face to face with another carriage one of you has to offload and dismantle the simple train to allow the other to pass. It's actually great fun. We stop some way down the line at a small village where lots of smiley children are keen to show us around the brick making factory there. After following the kids around for a bit and practicing their English we grab a drink at one of the villager's stalls. She's a lovely friendly lady who makes us rings out of leaves and high-fives us with a big smile before seeing us back off down the line. The sun is rapidly falling in the sky and it's a beautiful scene as we chug and rattle along the lines which are pretty bent and warped all the way along. Well worth the $5. See for yourself.

I spend my other day in Battambang visiting some temples and caves and temple caves; beginning with a climb up 358 steps to the ruins of Angkorian temple Banan. Marvelously carved stones are crumbling from the 5 stupas which feel authentically ancient and are very beautiful. The surrounding cactus plants make for quite a scene, coupled with the hilltop view it makes it worth the climb up the steps. After Banan temple I visit Phnom Sampeou which is set a-top a rather tall hill that has to be walked up, well if you're lazy you can hire a moto. On the way up I explore a cave which now contains a shrine and reclining Bhudda but in the times of Pol Pot this place was used like the killing fields. Innocents murdered above and their bodies thrown into the pit of the cave. The bones have been displayed here inside a glass shrine. After a very sweaty climb I make it to the top of the temple and am rewarded with a stunning view across the landscape. The land is so flat you can almost see past the horizon! That concludes my sightseeing of Battambang.