Battambang
town, with around 140,000 inhabitants, is Cambodia’s second-largest
city. Battambang covers an area of 4900 sq. mi. 664 sq. mi. is towns
and villages, 1021 sq. mi. is agricultural land and 1840 sq mi. is
forest. The rest is flooded land.
Battambang
has quintupled its area and become the industrial and commercial hub of
the region. Several large infrastructure projects and public facilities
have been built under the state modernization program; including
schools, university, sports center, a museum and exhibition hall and
roads. Battambang town hosts many outstanding arts, cultural and
heritages events. It is an elegant riverside town, home to some of the
best preserved French period architecture in the country and the
inhabitants are warm and friendly. Currently, Battambang is back on the
overland travel map and it makes a great base from which tourists can
explore nearby temples and scenic villages. There is a very popular boat
service connecting Battambang and Siem Reap, probably the most scenic
river trip in the country. And the Bamboo Train is one of the world’s
unique rail journeys.
Sights and Activities
Although
it is a major city, Battambang is fairly compact and easily negotiable
on foot. Most of the city’s hotels are centrally located. This central
area is bordered to the west by the railway line and to the east by
Stung Sangker (Sangker river). Across the river are several large
properties serving as administrative centers for the large number of
NGOs represented. Battambang has an integrated public transport network
comprising boat, bus and taxi and train.
The
garden of H.E SOR KHENG is located on the east bank of the Sangke River
near Sangke Bridge. It is spacious and has many kinds of tree. In the
morning and evening, people do aerobics and exercise.
Battambang
museum houses an interesting collection of fine-caved lintels and
statuary. The cinema has seating for 500 people and was built in early
1970s. It is one of two still running today. The building also
accommodates apartments on both sides. Today new Cambodian movies are
the primary films shown. Phsar Nat Market is a business center and main
heritage landmark of the city, housing vendors selling all types of
goods including food, daily equipment, vegetable, meat, especially all
kinds of fruits and developing photos for tourists. Much of Battambang’s
charm lies in the network of old French shop houses nestled along much
of riverbank. The Governor’s Residence is also a handsome legacy of the
French presence in Cambodia.
Heritages
Battambang
City has inherited a rich urban heritage with a great variety of
historic architecture, representing different phases of the city’s
history. The city center between Road #1 and Road #3 is characterized by
a coherent ensemble of about 800 heritage buildings from the French
protectorate and from the Sangkum Reast Niyum (period after the
country’s independence).
Outside
of this area, outstanding heritage buildings, like the New Khmer
Architecture of the Battambang University, French-Classical style villas
along the river and traditional Khmer wooden houses can be found.
Throughout the city beautiful Wats are expressive of the city’s
religious heritage. All these historic buildings and ensembles
contribute to the city’s unique character and beauty.
Climate
Battambang
has a tropical monsoon climate wet season and dry seasons. Wet season
is from June to November and Dry season starts from December to May. The
hottest weather comes in the dry season, where the temperature can rise
to 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) and sometimes drop to 68 Fahrenheit (20
Celsius).
Unique Characteristic
The
area is known locally and internationally as the “Rice Bowl” of
Cambodia. This is because Battambang is extremely efficient in the
production of rice, and also because of the comparative advantage and
local endowments of the region. An estimated 2,400 square kilometers of
land is used in rice production, with the figure growing consistently
each year. The abundance of land results in over 500,000 tonnes of rice
being produced annually; around 300,000 tonnes of that rice is traded
locally and internationally.Farm Of Grape in Battambang
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