Battambang in March

As we move towards end of March the temperatures here in Battambang have cranked up a notch or two giving us an early taster of what to expect in April which is traditionally the hottest month. January and February were actually relatively cool and some mornings were positively chilly although not enough to get me out of my shorts. In my village the locals had taken to wearing balaclavas and scarves along with padded jackets most mornings – all because of temperatures as low as 20 degrees Celsius! These have now been packed away and I wouldn’t expect to see them again until December. Last week Battambang saw an unseasonal torrential downpour which took us all by surprise. It lasted over 4 hours and there was much unblocking of drains around town in an attempt to alleviate the flash flooding. The intensity of these rainstorms can be frightening at times and I always worry about leaking roofs but thankfully there were no problems at Bambu Hotel and the guests seemed to enjoy a respite from the sun.

Water levels in the Sangker River had been almost down to a trickle last month forcing the boat service from Siem Reap to drop its passengers off about 10km out of town and then shuttle them in on tuk tuks. The Battambang –Siem Reap boat trip is one of the most scenic in the country and very popular with visitors and locals alike. When the water levels are high in the wet season it is possible to complete the journey in around 5 hours but this figure can be doubled at times in the dry season. The Sangker River rises near Pailin towards the north of the Cardamom mountain range and as the river has a fair bit of water in it right now I can only assume it has been raining up there recently.

A couple of weeks ago I hired a kayak (from Green Orange Kayaks) in Ksach Poy village. Organised by FEDA, a local NGO, for $12 you can paddle downstream for about 4 leisurely hours until you arrive back in Battambang. A number of our guests had done this trip and had really enjoyed it so I was keen to give it a try myself. The kayaks are super buoyant sit on types and there are life jackets to fit all sizes – even me. There is plenty to see on the gently meandering river and you are provided with a, thankfully waterproof, guide to points of interest along the way. Having arrived in Battambang I was met by a driver in a lorry and we loaded the kayak onto the back before being dropped off at Bambu Hotel. A great service and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

The beautification of the Battambang riverside continues at a leisurely pace. The local authority started this project a couple of years ago and it is still ongoing. I have marvelled at some of the inefficiency – paving stones were laid and then pulled up a month later to allow for electric cables to new lampposts. The stones were then re-laid but again pulled up this time for water pipes! Works are nearing completion now and I must say it is a great improvement. I was initially alarmed to see many of the more established trees being felled to make way for the new parks and pavements but these have been replaced with new semi mature trees and I reckon it looks great.

We took delivery of a new beer at Bambu Hotel recently. It is called “Kingdom “and is marketed as a “craft beer “which to my mind sounds like an excuse to charge more. It is certainly more expensive than Angkor and other local beers but it does taste rather good and has become a favourite of mine. It is brewed in Phnom Penh and currently only available in bottles although there are plans to have it on draught later this year. I shall be keeping a close eye out for that. Although it is a pilsner it does appear more complex than most ordinary lagers and it has a slightly bitter aftertaste which suits my palate perfectly. It will be interesting to see how the beer takes off over here. Bambu is one of only a very few outlets selling it in Battambang but it is widely available in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.