Giant Bats

Giant Bats is a attraction in Kampong Thom, Cambodia — one of 72 things to see and do we map across the province, and part of a wider dataset of 325 mapped locations in Kampong Thom. In Khmer it would be described as កន្លែងទេសចរណ៍នៅកំពង់ធំ. It sits at 12.71376, 104.88337, which is the coordinate any Cambodian tuk-tuk or PassApp driver can be shown directly if the name is unfamiliar to them.

As a attraction, it serves both residents and visitors passing through Kampong Thom. It has no official website, so opening hours and prices are best confirmed by phone or by asking locally on the day — small businesses in Cambodia change hours seasonally and close for family events and festivals.

The easiest way to find Giant Bats is by nearby landmarks. It lies roughly 200 m south-west of Provincial Hall, and about 200 m north of Old Market, with Provincial Hospital a further 300 m south-west. Drivers in Kampong Thom usually navigate by these anchors rather than street numbers, so naming the closest one gets you there faster than an address.

From the centre of Kampong Thom, a tuk-tuk or PassApp ride is the standard way to arrive; short in-town trips generally cost US$1 to US$3, and longer provincial runs are worth agreeing in advance. Rented motorbikes are widely available from guesthouses, and self-driving is realistic on sealed roads in the dry season — less so between June and October, when heavy afternoon rain floods side streets and unpaved approaches. The "Get directions" link on this page opens the exact coordinates in Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation.

Giant Bats is recorded as a attraction in Kampong Thom. Sites of this kind are generally open through daylight hours, roughly 7am or 8am until 5pm or 6pm, with the best light and the coolest temperatures early in the morning and in the last hour before sunset. Entry is often free at local temples and viewpoints; museums, managed parks and ticketed heritage sites charge from a couple of dollars up to the Angkor pass prices in Siem Reap.

Dress modestly if the site is religious — shoulders and knees covered, shoes off inside prayer halls — and carry water, since shade and shops can be scarce. Photography is normally welcome outdoors but restricted inside shrines and galleries. Weekends and Cambodian public holidays are the busiest times, so a weekday visit means fewer crowds and easier parking.

Giant Bats is not isolated: our map records 8 other mapped locations within a short ride, including Provincial Hall (townhall, 200 m south-west), Old Market (marketplace, 200 m north), Provincial Hospital (hospital, 300 m south-west), Police Station (police, 300 m south). Pairing a visit here with one or two of those makes a more efficient half-day, especially if you are paying a driver by the trip rather than by the hour.