Battambang,Cambodia is a place of contrasts. It is located in the lush countryside surrounded by villages, and yet is the second largest urban center in Cambodia next to Phnom Penh. It has been a center of trade and development for a very long while. Battambangian rice is prized all over Cambodia and locals can be found transporting sacks of it to their respective locations. This town was the cause of a great deal of strife between Thailand and Cambodia with Thailand seizing control over the territory until resolved by the Allied Forces after World War II.
Battambang even has a story about its name. It means "Loss of Stick". There is a statue dedicated to this story on the outskirts of the town and you encounter this smiling villain as you enter or leave the town. Yes, you read that right, there is a statue to the villain of the piece. The story goes that there was a king who ruled over this province. One day a cowherd discovered a stick which gave him superpowers and thus he was able to overthrow the king and establish himself on the throne. It was then prophesied that a holy man on a white horse would lead to his defeat. The cowherd went about systematically destroying all such holy men and at last a holy man did arrive on a white horse and steal his stick. It was none other than the son of the deposed king. The cowherd was left to lament his loss of a kingdom due to the loss of a stick leading to the name Battambang. The whole town is dotted with such strange statues, one of which looked like a mixture of Buddha, Vishnu and Shiva.
The first thing that strikes you about Battambang is how almost every hotel is located on the river and almost every government building most definitely is. You can find the remains of French shop fronts huddled over the present day shops, most of which seem to be selling wooden shrines or complicated cross stitch templates. The cross stitch templates were put into extensive use by the shopkeepers we encountered at the Psar Nath or the Central Market. The Central Market in Battambang is definitely reminiscent of the one in Phnom Penh, both built by French, though at a smaller scale and closer to the ground. The market was different from the ones in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap that were definitely positioned towards the tourists. This one was all for the locals. Even before you walk in you are assaulted by a variety of sights and smells- some familiar and some strange. Peeled coconuts, black long fish laid out in rows, vegetable sellers, people selling seafood crispies- the list goes on and of course like any self respecting tropical market it has its share of mango, tamarind and amla vendors on the street.
So, lot of tourists don't come to this town, but here are some reasons why you shouldn't give Battambang a miss.
1. The Norrie or the Bamboo Train- The remains of a past era when according to my tuk tuk driver and guide it took 17 hours to go from Battambang to Phnom Penh. This now runs only from Battambang to a tiny village about 20 minutes. It's a single track train which now runs on a motor but was previously operated by hand. When two trains heading in opposite directions meet, the one with the lighter load has passengers disembark and they dismantle the train to allow the other to pass. A bumpy and beautiful ride.
2. Beautiful side trips on the countryside on a tuk-tuk to Wat Ek Phnom and the Bat Caves: I didn't make it to the top of Wat Ek Phnom. But the sunset view of the bat cave and the hourly ritual of bats leaving the cave is one no one should miss. There are a lot of people who annoy the bats by whistling and clapping to disrupt their movement. But the bats inevitably find their way back to the flock. We witnessed a great purple sky sunset and the exodus of workers into packed trucks and carts from the factories around Battambang.
3. Take pictures along the river and walk. You can find a play ground for children right next to the river and benches if you want to rest your feet. Feast your eyes on French architecture which turns out to be the Electricity Board or the bank. Take squiggly light pictures of the pretty lit up hotels on the river side.
4. See how real people live. This is not a town filled with tourists. You see real people going about their lives and you will probably be one of the attractions if you are from a non-European country.
5. Last but not the least, go for the food. Jaan Bai is a restaurant run by underpriveleged children and serves yummy food even for vegetarians. It was some of the best food I have had anywhere in the world. And one should not miss trying these miniature Battambangian oranges. They are awesomely sweet and thirst quenching, perfect for the hot days in Cambodia.
The best way to get to Battambang from Siem Reap or Phnom Penh is by mini bus. I tried the bus and it was average but the mini bus was more comfy especially if you travelled up front. Hotels can help make your bookings if you call the reception in advance and most of them also pick you up from the bus stand. All in all Battambang is the perfect mix of urban and rural, tourism and life in general which makes it a great break for a couple of days.
