Battambang

Battambang – 2nd big city of Cambodia

Me and Clyde left Siem Reap at afternoon of 4 of September 2013. We arrived at Battambang after 3 hours road-trip.

We arrived bus terminal at Battambang but we didn’t know where the our hostel is. I checked it from Google Maps and found route to get there. Name of the hostel was Chhaya Hostel. It was strongly raining outside and very hard to walk. After few minutes I checked again about the place but route was changed. Actually I should say Google Maps didn’t work at this time but we saw Holiday Hotel and asked them about price. Price was much more than our expected price of Chhaya. Thus, after learning how to get that hostel we left there. We found Chhaya after getting too wet. We asked about places and prices.. It was only 2 usd for dorm bed, 5 usd for the room with 2 beds (there was no hot water, with hot water price was at least 10). We decided to stay at private rooms since there was not much difference.

You can check about the location from here: Chhaya Hotel

This one was taken from our room.. not bad for 5 usd right?

After settling in our room, we went out to buy slippers for me because I didn’t have any with me. We checked the prices at a few places but they all said at least 10 usd. Therefore, I didn’t buy any and returned back to our hostel lobby. I asked the guy in the lobby whether he can lend me his slippers since we need to go out for have dinner. First he was not keen on giving it but later I could convince him  (Actually I used his slippers for all of the time I had stayed at Battambang, 4 days in total).

We went the restaurant so close to our hostel. We learnt about it from the guys in the hostel lobby. Photo was taken when we were at 2nd level of White Rose Restaurant.

There were a few beggar children just next to this restaurant can be seen in above photo.

We had some kinds of fish for our dinner and paid about 5 usd per person (not cheap indeed). Later on finishing our foods, we went back to hostel and asked about where we can go for night. We came to know 2 club names we can go.

First night we went Sky Night Club by taking tuktuk paying 3 usd. We paid 1 usd for entrance per person. It was not bad, but the problem is they play some local slow music half of the time like 30 minutes hit English 30 minutes local slow. Furthermore, we were the only foreigner inside, yes we were the only! Many gays and strange types of people were in with us as well. It closed at 1 am which is really early for this kind of places. Anyway.. When it closed, we looked each other to how to go back! We left the club and searched around & asked some tuktuk drivers about how much they want. They said 5 usd at least but it was much more than normal price. As always I don’t accept paying more, I didn’t do again. I said Clyde wait and asked one guy with motorbike: “can you drop us at our hostel man?” He was shocked since it’s really not ordinary case. First he didn’t accept as normal. After my insistence to him for couple of minutes, he said okay and started to ride. We were going but he was drunk a bit. Fortunately we reached our hostel safely. We would like to pay him 2 usd but he didn’t accept and said: “hey bro I just did it for friendship between your country and mine”. What an exceptional guy!

Location of it: Sky Night Club

You can check this video to understand what Sky Club exactly is: Youtube

Next day started at 8 am for us. We went to one restaurant which has dorm in upper level. It has great breakfast menu for 3.5 usd. After eating breakfast at first day, we always have chosen there for breakfasts. We returned back to hostel to ask about tuktuk to go our targets. We took tuktuk from hostel lobby one day for 15 usd.

First place we have visited was Bamboo Train. That train was used to provide transportation of some crops from one village to another. It took almost 20 minutes to get other side of the railway.

On the way we had to take out our train from the railway since there was another train coming through us (there is only one railway).

This is the other side of the railway:

We drank coconuts by paying 1 usd and I bought t-shirt from these sweet kids for 3 usd.

Next we moved to one cave which was used as grave of people killed in Khmer rouge time. That cave was top of one hill and we took motorbike to get there by paying 3 usd for 2 people.

There is really nice viewpoint of Battambang.

There was a temple next to it as well.

Later on we moved back to the bottom of hill in order to watch bats movement from cave to the all city.

That scenary made us really excited since it’s not ordinary case to see that number of bats in one cap. We waited there for almost half an hour and still they were leaving to cave. It is told us it takes more than an hour (starting before sunset) to all of them leave that cave and there are millions, yes millions, of them. Luckily they are not harmful to people, they just eat some plants and bugs.

After this place, we moved back to our hostels. We rested for an hour and moved to have our dinner at same restaurant we had one day before. In the night time we went Sky Club again and tried to enjoy. But the problem about that club for this day, they played almost same tracks as they did one day before. It was awful to hear same ones! We returned back to our hostel soon.

Next day (6 of October) we woke up at 9 am and had breakfast at same place. After that we tried to find tuktuk for our destination. We could find it difficultly and paid about 15 usd again.

First destination was Crocodile Farm. We paid 2 usd per person to enter there. It was big place to feed crocodiles and there were hundreds of crocodiles.

After this place, we moved to one cute temple (called Wat Ek Phnom I think).

Later we moved one historical house stayed steady from French colony time. We paid 1 usd per person just to help the guy showed us to inside of the house.

There was one guest notebook I wrote my name as well.

After this place we took a drive thru Wat Banon temple. It was heavily raining on the Battambang and roads were floaded. Everywhere was water and very verrry hard to drive our tuktuk.

After passing some floaded roads, our tuktuk were stuck as expected. When we arrived our next destination, tuktuk driver went to repair the motor.

It was very hard to walk thru Wat Banon since strongly floading water on the way. There’s no proper way for tuktuks. We really got too hard to get other side of the river.. We could even slip and break our bones.

Passing the river was not enough to get that temple. We raised a lot of staircases too.

Here is the temple we struggled for:

I can say you can skip to visit this temple. Only if you have pretty much time, you can visit here…

Photo on the way:

We returned back before sunset and rested. In the night we went to one restaurant opposite corner of the White Rose and ate kinda fish there. After dinner we went to Madison Corner and ate ice-cream there. It was really expensive place, even more expensive then Singapore prices. We paid 6 usd per each ice cream plate. Althought it is expensive, I should say it was delicious.

Later we went back to our hostel and didn’t want to go because of floading. Furthermore, next day was our last day for Battambang.. so sad? Not really…

Next day we woke up early, 7:30 am. Clyde were supposed to go Phnom Penh back at 9 am and I was planning to go Bangkok at 11 am. We made our aideus and Clyde took a move as supposed. I had 2 hours to go and started to hang around. When it was close to departure time, I went to the point where I bought the ticket. But the guy said to me there is no bus today because of flooding. I said “Whatt? No buss? Flooding? But my friend just went now??” I started to discuss but there was no point.. I got what happened.. Probably there was not much people travelling with me and they cancelled the minivan because of the less number of people. I said okay to him since I had to be! But I forced him to stay at the dorm room for free since I had to stay there for one night more because of them. He accepted my staying for 1 usd there.. I moved that dorm room, there was only one more guy staying in 12 bed dorm. Dorm was pretty nice but problem is toilet inside the bath and shared with the restaurant customers. You got what this means?..

Anyway.. I slept a few hours more by hiding my wallet and phone under my pillow. After sleeping, I went down and chatted with the guys on the restaurant.. Later I tried to go out and find sth to do.. I walked around the river.

While walking around I saw one small shopping mall.. kinda shopping mall. There was not any international company inside.

This is central market of Battambang.. it’s closed before sunset, opened early morning.

Later I went to have dinner at food court where local people eat.. I ate fish soup and coke with paying 3 usd in total.

After finishing my food, I went back to the dorm room. I was really really bored to stay one more day without having anyone with me and without having anything to do.. Thus, I moved out again just for getting relax. I walked thru Sky Club and got there after long and hard walking because of flooded roads. I was just opposite of it but I saw it was close probably because of flooding! So bad.. I had to move back again..

On the way back to the hostel I saw many shemales and gays in groups near the river. 2 prostitutes stopped me and tried to convince me as well.. Fortunately I was still alive and could reach my dorm safely at 11 pm. I forced myself to sleep to wake up early next day to catch my bus.

8 of October.. I woke up at 7:30 am and searched some places to stay at Bangkok while eating my breakfast.

Later our minivan departed from my dorm this time without any delay. We got the border after 1:30 hour driving. Photos on the border:

We walked from Cambodia border to Thailand and it was told us one guy will take us from Thailand border. We filled our visa forms and entered Thailand all together. I should add between two country borders there are really cheap stuff because of no tax at that point.. really cheap!

Anyway.. it was all for Battambang.. After this time I should write it for Bangkok trip since I was in Thailand now!

Things Good to Know Before

How to travel inside Battambang, from Battambang to another cities of Cambodia or Thailand?

Travelling within Surabaya: Best option may be tuktuks. It will cost 15-20 usd depending on distance.

Battambang to another cities of Cambodia or Thailand; You can find public bus at Battambang city center, at one of the tour companies or just ask at hotel lobby.

How to get Battambang?

Only the option is taking bus or taxi from nearby cities.

How to communicate people there?

English will be enough to travel around

What about nightlife at Battambang?

For foreigners, there are couple of bars and clubs. Madison Corner as bar and Sky Club as night club I have ever visited and can suggest you to go.

Are these places safe?

I dont think they are safe. There was nothing happened to me fortunately but many things could happen. There are many beggars and prostitutes on the streets, especially in the nights.

How much does it cost for whole journey?

You can think to spend 5-10 USD for good food each day.

Where to stay?

Chhaya Hotel will be nice to stay. One of cheapests and clean environments.

For more info about Battambang, check this out: Battambang