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Soksabike is a social enterprise dedicated to sustainable tourism in Battambang. They offer half day and full day bike tours around the countryside where guests can learn about the everyday life and culture of Cambodia. The money for the tour is distributed to families in the community along the way and goes to pay the salaries of the guides, all local university students. They use high-quality mountain bikes, provide a helmet and even include a coffee at one of the best cafes in town. Hotel pickup included and group discounts are available.
The shows are fun, energetic and exciting and include a range of circus disciplines. The ticket price helps support the NGO school which works with disadvantaged children and teenagers.
A hill with the killing caves of the Khmer Rouge, a few others caves adorned with Buddhist statues, and a monastery with two Buddhist stupas on the hilltop. The admission charge also includes Wat Banan. It takes about 1 hr to climb the circuit to the monastery on top, with a short-cut leading back down to the shops and restaurants which line the approach road.
The so-called mini-Angkor Wat, an impressive flight of stairs lead up to a dilapidated Angkor-style temple which is still in use as a Buddhist shrine.
The most famous of these statues (Lok Ta Dambong Kra Nhoung) is on the main road from Phnom Penh and is of an ancient Khmer King holding a stick which he used to quell rebellions in the Battambang area. The name of the town and province derives from this legend.
Angkor-type temple ruin. The road runs along lovely small rivers flanked by trees and small villages making it a generally nice area. Approaching Wat Ek Phnom, you suddenly encounter a giant Buddha statue in the wat, which is certainly picture-worthy. The grounds of the wat also have an Angkorian-era temple which is in relatively good shape and with some interesting carvings.