Battambang Province : Banan Temple is a natural cultural tourism resort

Banan Temple is a natural cultural tourism resort with an ancient temple named Banan Temple on the top of Banan Mountain. The resort is located south of Battambang Province, about 20.20 km from Battambang Provincial Hall to Banan Temple. Tourists can travel by car or motorbike from Battambang Province on Road No. P1571 and Road No. 800 along the mouth of Stung Sangke River. It is located in Banan Village, Kanter Pei Commune, Banan District. Banan Temple was built in the mid-11th century and late 12th century. The first king to build it was King Udayadityavarman II (1050-1066), and it was later completed by King Jayavarman VII (1181-1219). The temple was built on the top of Banan Mountain, arranged in a similar manner to Angkor Wat, but is a separate structure made of brick, sandstone, and mudstone. HENRY MOUHOT, a French explorer of Angkor Wat, reported 140 years ago that the water in the sacred cave, which he drank, would reveal the past, future, and present. The name of the cave at that time was called Kuha Preah Teuk (Sacred Water Cave). The site has a temple on the top of the mountain, and at the foot of the mountain there is a water trough and two main caves: one cave called Angkor Thaet Meas, which means the cave covered with gold. Although there is no gold there, you can see sparkling water dripping from the roof of the cave, and another cave called Chong Cave, also called Chong Aceh. At the foot of the mountain and the top of the mountain, there are small and large forests that grow together in a dense forest that provides cool shade. Tourists can listen to the beautiful sounds of animals, breathe in the clean air, and relax in the cool cave. At the entrance, there are restaurants and stalls selling local food, which are well-organized and safe. In addition, tourists can walk along the stairs made of dry stone with dragon hands from the foot of the mountain to the top of the temple mountain, and there are two resting places. What is more important is that in the caves, on the mountain, in the valley, there are beautiful forests and many kinds of animals there.