Countryside Tour with Local Student | 1 Day | BATTAMBANG, CAMBODIA

• Departure time: 9 am
• Return time: 6 pm
• Pick up Location: From your Hotel or another arranged venue
• Duration: 9 to 10 hours

Your Guide: Hello my name is Savet. I am 25 years old. Recently, I graduated from University and after working as an English teacher for a few years, I decide to do something different. Now I have just started my own business as a tuk-tuk driver and a tour guide in my hometown of Battambang. If you want to explore Battambang, I am very happy to show you the local side of Cambodia!

Basic Itinerary: Battambang Countryside Tuk Tuk & Cycle Tour

Morning: 9 am – 12 pm

STOP 1: Bamboo Train – $5 USD per person

Since the war, until very recently, the famous bamboo train of Battambang was used by the local people to transport, goods, animals, rice and people. In later years it became famous as a fun ride for tourists! The ride takes about one hour to go and come back from Odambang village to Osrolau village.

STOP 2: Village Life

Cycling is the best way to get out in the countryside and see the real Cambodia and the local way of life. I have been living here for my whole life and I am so I am happy to show you the real way of our people living. It is a special village where we will enjoy the riding through the beautiful jungle and nature. So in this activity, if you can not ride the bike so don’t worry too much we can use Tuk Tuk but just let us know before.

STOP 3: Countryside (Rice Season)

It is the best time to see the beautiful countryside. Battambang produces the largest and best rice in Cambodia. We will go to the rice fields so you can see a very nice countryside. You can take pictures as much as you can. Please note that we can do this activity only during the rice season so people grow rice one time per year so the best time to do is from October to December.

Afternoon – Tuk Tuk Tour: 12 pm to 3:30 pm

STOP 4: Making Rice Paper

Have you ever wondered how the rice paper for fresh spring rolls is made? Today, you will find out! We will visit a family who have a small rice paper business and we will witness how the skills that have passed down through the generations is used to make this delicate product, over a real fire.

STOP 5: Making Rice Wine

Rice wine is a homemade alcohol that has been made by local families for generations. It is made using rice and yeast following age-old traditional methods, then fermented for few days in clay jars before being distilled.

STOP 6: Khmer Scarf Making

Khmer scarves are made using large wooden manual looms. Watch the locals create the detailed patterns on scarves, weaving cotton threads together, quickly and with great skill. You can have a try at weaving yourself and get to wear a traditional Khmer scarf.

STOP 7: Making Dried Bananas

Dried bananas are a delicious and nutritious snack! Watch the locals patiently slice the bananas into thin pieces and dry them under the sun. This is a family business, where everyone helps in the process of selling the products to locals.

STOP 8: Making Fish Paste (Prohok)

For Cambodians, and many people in Southeast Asia, fish paste is a vital ingredient of many local dishes. Here at the market, we will find out how it is made. To create the distinct, strong flavour, the paste has to be stored in large pots and preserved for many months. We will also see the locals drying other kinds of colourful fish.

STOP 9: Making Bamboo Sticky Rice (Kro Lan)

This well-known snack, cooked in pieces of fresh bamboo, is enjoyed by local travellers and farmers all over Southeast Asia. It is often seen for sale on roadside stalls. You will find out how it is cooked using natural ingredients such as raw sticky rice, black beans, coconut and sugar before being cooked over a charcoal fire for several hours. Taste this delicious local snack yourself!

Lunch and Relax (2 pm to 3:30 pm)

STOP 10: You will have the experience to eat our local food. So my wife will prepare it for you. After lunch, you can rest a little bit in a hammock and use our free Wi-Fi. here.  (Please tell us before if you are vegetarian.)

Evening: 4 pm to 6 pm

STOP 11: Phnom Sompov mountain

On our visit to Phnom Sompov, you have the option of walking the path to the top of the mountain or you can hire a motorbike driver (or car) to take you to the top. (A lift with a motorbike costs $3, a car $12).

Pagoda: After a 20-minute stroll through the forest, we will reach the pagoda at the middle of the mountain. Enjoy the many beautiful paintings that tell the story of the Buddha.

Killing Cave: Many people were killed during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Many innocent people were marched up to the top of the mountain and plunged to their death into this cave. It is a very sombre experience to recount this dark period of Cambodia’s history.

Watch out for the monkeys: You will see many monkeys jumping through the trees and playing on the ground.

The beautiful views: At the top of the mountain you will see the beautiful panoramic landscape of the Battambang region and its extensive green rice paddies.

STOP 12: Bat Cave

Every evening, millions of bats fly to the nearby Tonle Sap Lake to feed on mosquitoes and insects, before returning in the morning to their cave. At the very bottom of the mountain, we will wait to watch this spectacle as the bats take flight. It is incredible to watch the long line of bats as they fly out from the cave. Lastly, we will catch the sunset and return to the hotel.

Please note:

• If you are  a couple traveler you can choose the option of the private or group tour.
• If you are a solo traveler you can choose the option of the group tour.
• If you are a family with kids you must choose the private tour.