Cambodia - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 470

ALL ABOARD THE BAMBOO TRAIN

Battambang's bamboo train (1hr ride for 2-plus passengers US$5 per person, for 1 passenger US$10;
7am-dusk) is one of the world's all-time classic rail journeys. From O Dambong, on the East Bank
3.7km south of Battambang's old French bridge (Wat Kor Bridge), the train bumps 7km southeast to
O Sra Lav along warped, misaligned rails and vertiginous bridges left by the French.
Each bamboo train - known in Khmer as a norry - consists of a 3m long wooden frame, covered
lengthwise with slats made of ultralight bamboo, that rests on two barbell-like bogies, the aft one con-
nected by fan belts to a 6HP gasoline engine. Pile on 10 or 15 people or up to three tonnes of rice,
crank it up and you can cruise along at about 15km/h.

Drinking & Nightlife

Choco l'art Café
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( www.chocolartcafe.com ; St 117; 9am-midnight; ) Run with gusto by an arty French-Khmer
duo, this gallery-cafe sees foreigners and locals alike gather to drink and eat wonderful
bread, pastries and (for breakfast) crêpes. Live music gets going occasionally.

CAFE

Lotus Bar & Gallery
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(St 2½; 11am-late) In a beautifully renovated shophouse, the street-level bar here is a fine
place to mingle with all sorts of characters. Upstairs is a gallery.

CAFE

Riverside Balcony Bar
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(cnr St 1 & St 149; mains US$3.50-7.50; 4-11pm Tue-Sun) Set in a gorgeous wooden house
high above the riverfront, Australian-run Riverside is Battambang's original bar and a
mellow place for a sundowner.

BAR

Information

Most backpacker-oriented guesthouses can help arrange guides, transport and just about
anything else. The city map that the tourist office hands out details scenic routes to the
bamboo train and other attractions outside of town.