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Traditional Livelihoods Battambang – Half Day Cycle Tour, Cambodia
$18.00 $16.00
Join us to learn all about the cultural traditions and livelihoods of the local people of Battambang on this half-day 19km bicycle tour. This is our most popular half-day tour and is a perfect way to experience Battambang’s lush peaceful countryside!
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Cycle from place to place learning about the local community and enjoy the relaxing pace of village life. In the duration of 4 hours, you feel the relaxed village pace on this 19km Cycle Tour. Traverse through Donteay Village, famous for rice paper production. Learn about local banana agriculture, taste a quick rice wine drink and witness the making of Khmer noodles before biking down to Battambang’s largest fish paste market. Wind up your tour with bamboo rice cakes and a relaxing 19km bike ride.
Tour Itinerary – Battambang’s Traditions
Stop 1: Rice Paper
Donteay Village is nestled in the northern region of Battambang, roughly seven kilometres from the city. This village is well known for its unique hand-made products, including its production of rice paper—a fundamental ingredient in Asian cuisine!
Stop 2: Bananas for Bananas!
For our second stop, we will visit a veteran villager who has been involved in the dried banana trade for over 20 years! Learn more about this local agricultural activity and the ways it has continuously supported many families of the village.
Stop 3: Rice Wine
It’s Stop 3 and already time for a drink! On our next stop, we will take you to visit a local producer of rice wine. Learn more about the process involved in this local trade, and sample the taste of the sweet and smooth homemade liquor!
Stop 4: Khmer Noodles
After some rice wine, we hope you are still peddling steadily at this point! We will next take you to observe the making of Khmer noodles using a manual wheat pounder – a tool not often seen in urban areas. Learn more about the simple yet intriguing process of noodle-making, an activity that has been the cornerstone of many Asian societies.
Stop 5: Fish Paste Market
Up next, we will bike to the fish paste market – the largest market in Battambang. See and learn more about Cambodian fishery and the local livelihood that this industry supports. Be warned though: the smell of fish paste might be a little off-putting at first, but not to worry, we won’t linger for too long!
Stop 6: Bamboo Rice Cakes
We wind down our tour with a visit to the makers of bamboo rice cakes. Find out more about the processes involved in the making of this special countryside delicacy. As you head back to the city, enjoy the unspoiled views of the beautiful Battambang countryside!
Butterfly Tours
Butterfly Tours is a leading bike tour company in Cambodia operated and owned by a group of university students. Visitors taking our tours are guaranteed an experience like no other; besides viewing truly local and stunning sights, you will simultaneously be supporting an eco-friendly and sustainable effort that directly benefits rural Cambodian communities.
Butterfly Tours goes beyond being an ordinary tour company. As advocates of young Cambodian leadership, we believe in the power of education and the development of entrepreneurship. Our stance reflects the ultimate aim of our company: To create local, empowered, and independent Cambodian employers and employees who will ultimately contribute to the development of Cambodia’s local economy and the environment.
Our tours are specially designed for you to:
- Take a relaxing bike ride through local Cambodian villages in Battambang, Siem Reap, and Kampot—away from the usual tourist hotspots
- View and photograph magnificent scenery of the Cambodian countryside
- Observe Cambodia’s rural ways of life—visit local temples and learn about the variety of cottage industries, as well as our rich agricultural livelihoods
- Immerse yourself in “the local”—sample authentic Cambodian cuisine and learn about our unique Khmer customs and culture!
- Meet friendly Cambodian children and villagers!
Our tours benefit local Cambodian communities:
- We train local students and youths to be your guides, in turn offering them employment and leadership opportunities
- We personally nurture and develop leadership and managerial skills of our Butterfly team members, who are made up of Cambodian youths from the countryside
- Within villages, we engage local Cambodians to share their knowledge and skills with us, who in turn share them with you when you take our tours!
On a larger scale, our tours seek to:
- Educate visitors on the socio-cultural and economic landscape of Cambodia
- Deepen visitors’ knowledge on local Cambodian cultures and customs
- Support the integrity of local cultures by favouring businesses and local goods that conserve the cultural heritage and traditional values of Cambodia
- Support the local economy through the purchase of local goods from small Cambodian businesses
- Conserve the local environment by engaging businesses that are eco-friendly and sustainable
- Develop sustainable forms of tourism that create more jobs and support local Cambodian trade and investment
What's Included
- English speaking tour guide
- Mountain/local bike
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- First aid kits
- Bike maintenance
- Cold towel
- Drinking water
- Village compensation fees
- Helmet
What’s Not Included
- Personal expenses
- Beverages
- Travel insurance
Cycling info
- Estimated cycling distance: 18km
- Cycling environment: flat terrain, dirt road.
- Fitness level needed: 1.5 / 5
- Guide to cyclists ratio: 1 guide to 5 cyclists.
- Our cycling guides are first-aid trained and carry a first-aid kit with them during the experience. A safety vehicle also accompanies the group on this experience.
- Riding style: group ride, solo travellers, family, senior citizen for all ages.
- Please note that this experience needs to be booked at least 2 days in advance, as we need time to ensure everything is ready for you for an unforgettable experience of Siem Reap countryside homestay.
- If you have children below the age of 16 or group ride more than 5 people, please ask our customer service for special rates.
Schedule
- Morning session: 7:40am-12:00pm
- Afternoon session: 1:40pm-5:30pm
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