10km outside of Battambang, is Phnom Sampeau mountain. Climbing the stairs to the temple on top, we were rewarded with a commanding view of the agricultural plains that surround Battambang, and also finding a meditating monkey is always a pleasant surprise.
Located at the base of Phnom Sampeau, are bat caves, where every day before dusk (approx 6pm) several million bats emerge. In preparation for this big event, food stall vendors set up plastic tables and chairs along the road where the viewing is most favorable. So, for the price of a $1 beer you can have the best possible seat for the show. And the show is magnificent, with a steady stream of bats funneling from the cave en route to the nearby fields to feed on mosquitoes and other insects. Incredibly, I was told that the stream of bats departing the cave can last up to an hour!
Admittedly, much of the impact of this phenomenon is lost with my still photographs. However the following video clip helps to capture the magnitude of this natural event:
Comments
Post a Comment