The nories will soon be a thing of the past, so catch a ride
while you can! Nories, also know as bamboo trains, are one of Battambang's must sees, if only for their novelty value. Formed by two sets of railway wheels, a bamboo mat and a generator, these are a local way of travelling up and down the railway line in lieu of a real train. (When the real train shows up, all the nories disappear.)
Aside from a rather peculiar way of getting around, they are also a great way of seeing rural Cambodia well off the road network. When two nories meet coming in opposite directions, the one with the lighter load is dismantled and removed from the tracks, allowing the other to pass.
Powered by a small motor, the speed seems quite reasonable and while interesting for an hour or so, anything longer will give you a very sore backside. They can carry motorbikes, so a nori ride is easily combined with a motodop trip to say Phnom Banan. Just let your motodop know before you leave Battambang that you want to do one of these trips and he'll suggest the best point in your journey to do it. Be sure to agree on a price before you get on.
