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Polaroid of the week: Coconut overload in Battambang, Cambodia

Polaroid of the week: Coconut overload in Battambang, Cambodia

Last Updated on April 22, 2021

polaroid of the week cambodia battambang coconut vendor

We arrived in Cambodia last weekend and spent the first few days in the town of Battambang in the north of the country. A charming riverside town with crumbling French-colonial houses, Battambang is skipped by many travelers who head straight to the famous Khmer temples of Angkor Wat near Siem Reap. We are so happy we spent time here, observing the vibrant town life from the balconies of colonial-style cafes.

The market is the commercial center of Battambang, and farmers from the nearby villagers arrive at all times with their freshly picked fruits and vegetables, like this young man with his coconuts. Cambodia, it seems, is nuts for coconuts. Hanging from palm trees in fields, backyards, even right in the city…and they are cheap, too!

Knowing that we’ll be leaving South East Asia soon, the thought of a time when we won’t have coconut water every day makes us sad (yes, poor us, we know). We now take every opportunity to sip ice-cold water out of  heavy green coconuts, so we sure were happy to see this guy arrive at the market the other day.

Sandra

Saturday 24th of March 2012

Wow, that's one heavy ricksaw and one hardworking man.

jess

Sunday 25th of March 2012

That's what I said! Just carrying one or two of these massive coconuts makes the arms tired, so imagine pedaling this thing. Just trying not to tip over is a feat!