Battambang Escape

📍 Siem Reap – Battambang (174 km): 3 hours

Depart from Siem Reap by road in your private vehicle, traveling through the beautiful Cambodian countryside and past rural villages to Battambang (transfer time 3 hours). Upon arrival, you will be taken directly to your hotel for check in. Even though Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city, you will find that the atmosphere is very laid-back in a charming and relaxed river town full of fine examples of French-colonial architecture.

In the afternoon, head out for a visit to Ancient House located in Wat Kor Village, the oldest standing Khmer timber house in Wat Kor Village, where the lady of the house will give you a guided tour, showing you everything from how they mill their own rice to demonstrating the after-dinner betel leaf ritual.

Next a ride on the Bamboo Train. The Bamboo Train has been set up by the villagers in order to facilitate the transportation of goods and persons because in the past there are no regular trains running. The “train” itself is very basic: one bamboo platform on 4-wheels is activated by a small motor. Sitting on the platform (we will provide some cushions for your comfort), you will travel the 8 km to the next station through beautiful landscape and rice paddies (depending on season of visit). A true rollercoaster ride without loops!

Dinner this evening is at the stylish Jaan Bai (meaning ‘rice bowl’ in Khmer), a social enterprise restaurant established by the Cambodian Children’s Trust to provide training and employment for disadvantaged youths, with all profits going to support the activities of the Trust. The restaurant was set up with the expertise and ongoing support of Asia’s best chef, David Thompson, of Nahm Restaurant in Bangkok, and restaurateur John Fink, owner of Australia’s best restaurant Quay in Sydney.

Overnight in Battambang.
 

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

Begins with a fun morning cycle ride around the local villages surrounding Battambang with SoksaBike, a social enterprise set up to provide scenic and informative bike rides through the local countryside. During the 30km cycle tour there are plenty of stops to learn how the locals produce rice paper, prahok (typical Cambodian fish paste), grolan (sticky rice stuffed in bamboo), and other Cambodian treats.

Take a break back at your hotel.

In the afternoon, head to take a short walk to the main market, Psar Nath. Explore the colourful array of produce for sale and stop to taste a cup of local coffee at one of the busy drink stalls. Then continue to Phnom Sampeau, meaning “Ship Hill” in Khmer, due to its distinctive shape, and one of the few hills standing out in this otherwise pancake-flat plain. From the small temple on the top, you will have a fantastic view over the typical landscape of paddy fields and sugar palm trees. Phnom Sampeau is home to the notorious killing caves, which are cruel reminders of Cambodia’s troubled past. Serenity and inhumanity represented in one place make this an interesting visit…Your visit will last until dusk – a time when millions of bats emerge from a cave and create patterns as they fly in tandem across the sky – a nightly spectacular show of nature!

Overnight in Battambang.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

📍 Battambang - Banteay Chhmar (141 km) 2 hrs Banteay Chhmar - Siem Reap – (161 km): 2 hrs 20 mins

Depart Battambang early this morning for the drive to Banteay Chhmar (2-3 hrs), a place of exceptional atmosphere that gets very few visitors. Begin with the main temple itself which is on the list of possible, future UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Banteay Chhmar was constructed by the great King Jayavarman VII and is probably the most stunning temple site outside of the Siem Reap area. Feel like a temple discoverer as you clamber amongst the ruins that are still being reconstructed today. Almost every step within this vast ruin gives another fabulous picture of stone being consumed by nature. It is a spectacular sight with its Bayon-style towers and walls cloaked with vegetation. Your visit will be assisted by a local guide as part of a community tourism project. 

Take a break for a simple, local lunch at the community center. 

Now it is time to head to Siem Reap (3 hrs) where you can choose to overnight and continue to explore Cambodia or depart on an evening flight to your next destination.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch