PNNOM PENH: During the last months of 2023, more national and international tourists flocked to visit Phnom Sampov (Sampov mountain) bat cave in Battambang province.

The growing number of tourists created job opportunities, generating more income for the locals.

A villager in Phnom Sampov, Mr. Van Chuon, echoed that the view of millions of bats flying from the cave from the afternoon until dusk is attracting more tourists to visit and stay in the province.

The local people called the herds of bats the brave bat troops, while foreigners called them the bat sea.

Classified as a historical cultural area, Phnom Sampov is located in Samnanh village, Sampov commune, Banon district, about 13 kilometers from the town of Battambang province.

The 100-metre-high Phnom Sampov also has an ancient pagoda named “Kirirom Pagoda” on its peak and 12 caves.

According to Mr. Horm Arun, Deputy Director of the Battambang Provincial Tourism Department, for foreign tourists alone, the mountain welcomed an average of 1,500 of them a month and over 3,000 a month from January to March.

Battambang is a province rich in historical and natural tourist sites such as mountain landscapes, shrines, natural caves, bat caves, magnificent ancient Buddha statues, and monasteries.