Fancy riding a rickety bamboo train at high speed with nothing to hang onto? Then visit Battambang in Cambodia but this unique rail-journey experience.

The bamboo train consists of a small wooden frame, covered in ultralight bamboo which rests on-top of four wheels which are connected to a fan belt engine. If you are lucky, there might be a pillow to sit on to add a bit of comfort to this basic ride!

Ready, Steady, Go!

Warning: This ride is not for people with back problems!

The tracks are warped and misaligned so you have to prepare yourself for the jarring thuds and unexpected sways as the train hits speeds of up to 15km/h. It feels very fast and you know that back in England this wouldn’t pass any safety standards but that’s makes it all the more fun as the beautiful landscape flies past.

The journey takes 20 minutes to a small village who are waiting in anticipation for new tourists to buy from them. Prepare yourself for the onslaught of offers of cold drinks and t-shirts to commemorate this unique experience.

The best part of the journey is when you see another train coming and the drivers have to quickly decide who will have to concede and dismantle their train. The rule supposedly is that the car with the fewest passengers has to cede priority, but I’m not sure that was the case when we went!

In a flurry of activity, you will be standing beside the train now in pieces at the side of the track, to allow the other train to pass with a wave to the other amused tourists.

The clickity-clack sounds made from the train hurtling back become the soundtrack of this peaceful landscape.

There are a few hair-raising moments when you pass over the most primitive of bridges and hope you will make it across.

This experience is purely a tourist attraction as the locals don’t use it and don’t fully understand why the tourists leave with a big smile plastered to their faces.

If this sounds like fun to you, then GO! You will not regret it. 🙂