BATTAMBANG CAMBODIA

November 2018

I was involved in a Habitat for Humanity Global Village build in Battambang Cambodia. The Habitat Team spent most of the 10 day habitat build working on two houses (Habitat Build) and in our spare time and the weekend we did a bit of touring around Battambang. I spent several days in Siem Reap before and after the build.

While in Asia I also spent a few days in each of Laos, Philippines and Singapore.

Battambang City is the capital of Battambang Province and is in north eastern Cambodia. The city was founded in the 11^th century by the Khmer Empire and was an important city when the French controlled the region. The current population is around 200,000 and agriculture is the primary industry in the region. Rice is the main crop along with oranges and other fruits.

During the Habitat Build we stayed in the King Fy Hotel in Battambang. The hotel overlooked the Sangker River and the downtown area of Battambang and was within easy walking distance to lots of good restaurants and the local markets.

After we finished the Habitat Build we did a bicycle tour thought out Battambang then north through some traditional villages and the country side. We stopped at a rice paper shop (making rice paper for spring rolls), a dried banana shop and Ek Phnom Temple which is a Hindu temple built in the 11th century.

We also took a ride on the Bamboo Train which consists of a small bamboo platform mounted on train axles powered by a small gas engine and we visited the Killing Caves of Phnom Sampeau and the bat cave at Phnom Sampov.  

We also visited a local wet market to pick up supplies in preparation for our visit to Nary Kitchen Cooking School and Restaurant where we learned how to prepare a Cambodian dinner.

Motor cycles are the primary form of transportation in Cambodia. They are used to move people and absolutely everything else. The Cambodian Tuk Tuk is a motor cycle with a trailer attachment behind the rider which is fixed to the bike frame.