Phnom Sampeau

Phnom Sampeau is a popular attraction during a visit to Battambang. The mountain, which sits about 30km from Battambang city, has plenty to explore from its peak, including pagodas, caves, and a recreation of Buddhist hell with tortured statues. Its interesting rock formations have been the setting of Khmer music videos.

It is also home to the infamous killing caves, which feature a hole in the cavern roof where people were thrown to their death during the Khmer Rouge era. It now has a shrine at the bottom.

There is a road to the top that can be accessed by motorbike but it’s well worth the scenic walk up.

As the sun starts to go down, people congregate on the road leading to the mountain to view tens of thousands of bats leaving the caves for the evening.

The mountain is Sampeau named because apparently it looks like a ship.