Wat Kor Village

Travel Location Battambang

OVERVIEW

About 2km south of central Battambang, the village of Wat Kor is centred around a temple of the same name. It's a great place to wander, especially late in the afternoon when the opposite (east) bank of the Sangker River is back-lit in amber tones by the sinking sun. Picturesque bridges span the river, the spires of Wat Kor glow bright platinum and Khmer village life is on full display.

Video Travel Inspiration

WatKor is called a cultural village for its number of Charming ancient wooden houses, of which some were constructed in the early 20th century. Explore the Khmer's simplicity in housing the past land the present. Step inside and discover the Cambodian way of living... The owners and their families are happy to take you around explaining the history of their homes and sharing stories out of their lives with you. Getting around in all villages to explore the Khmer's life and the environment by Oxen Cart is fun! Follow the signs to book your tour in Kompong Seyma village.

Wat Kor Cultural Village is away from Phnom Penh at Wat Koh village in Battambang province, there is the “homeland” for many Khmer traditional houses, most of them built from 1920 – 1056. An interesting house that belonged to Mr. Noun Chea, Brother Number 2 of the Pol Pot regime, survives there today. But this house no longer belongs to Mr. Noun Chea’s Family. It belonged to a local family that bought this house in the late 1980s. This house was built during the French colonial era although the exact date is not known. In spite of its age, the original, robust construction still remains intact.

About 1.5km beyond Wat Kor, you'll encounter a cluster of Khmer heritage houses that the village is known for. Built of now-rare hardwoods almost a century ago and surrounded by orchard gardens, they have wide verandahs and exude the ambience of another era.

Two of the approximately 20 heritage houses in the Wat Kor area are open to visitors: Bun Roerng House and neighbouring Khor Sang House. The owner of each will give you a short tour in French or English. They have floors worn lustrous by a century of bare feet and are decorated with old furniture and family photos.

Bun Roerng House was built in 1920 by a local lawyer. During our last visit, the current owners were busy planning to turn the rear section of the house into homestay accommodation which, when finished, could be a unique option for architecture and history fans.

Khor Sang House was built in 1907 by the French-speaking owner’s grandfather, who served as a secretary to the province’s last Thai governor. The rear section dates from 1890.

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