Born out of the ashes of the Civil War and Khmer Rouge era, Phare Ponleu Selpak is an extraordinary initiative that aims to provide a channel and a future for young Cambodians through the arts. One of the most visible, and exciting, outcomes of this is the Phare Circus just outside of the city and a trip to Battambang genuinely ...
Born out of the ashes of the Civil War and Khmer Rouge era, Phare Ponleu Selpak is an extraordinary initiative that aims to provide a channel and a future for young Cambodians through the arts. One of the most visible, and exciting, outcomes of this is the Phare Circus just outside of the city and a trip to Battambang genuinely can’t be considered complete without it.
Battambang is home to Phare Ponleu Selpak, a well known NGO which gives youths from deprived backgrounds the opportunity to channel their energies into learning circus skills such as juggling, clowning and acrobatics whilst raising awareness of issues such as HIV/AIDS, landmines and child rights. It started back in 1986 in the refugee camps on the Thai border with simple drawing workshops. The experiment continued after the refugees returned to their homelands in Battambang and Phare Ponleu Selpak now has a worldwide reputation. Performances in the big top are held on Thursday evenings but also at other times. Well worth a visit, other activities also include traditional schooling, drawing, music, dressmaking and a community leisure centre.
In a proper big top, the circus hosts performances several nights a week with choreographed shows highlighting different elements of Cambodian culture. With music, acrobatics, dance, live art, juggling and more, the shows are lively, noisy, funny, death-defying and above all fun, even when dealing with quite dark subjects, such as the Khmer Rouge. They are all choreographed at Phare and all of the music, which draws on influences far and wide, is also scored there. Everything within these shows is home-grown, especially the talent.
And like the art graduates, these kids are going places worldwide. Graduates from the circus school are training with circuses in Europe, and a couple have even been taken on by Cirque Du Soleil in Canada.
It’s also possible to visit the school on weekdays between 08:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00. There is an exhibition space, music hall and you may even catch sight of the circus performers rehearsing their moves.
From November to March, there are four performances a week, on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, while in April, July, August and October there are three performances on Monday, Friday and Saturday, and two performances on Mondays and Thursday in May, June and September. You’ll see details of what is showing in schedules in most bars and guesthouse across town.
This tour is perfect for those who want to explore the city of Battambang and its surrounding areas. This tour is customizable and you can add additional stops to your itinerary (own ...
Bike ride is one the best way to see countryside and the local lifestyle and also their way of living from day to day life. Moreover, Kiwi cycling is gear for exploring the countryside more in dept ...
Just like many other places in East Asia, Cambodia existed for some time under French colonial rule, which changed many facets of the country’s infrastructure. People still debate over whether the ...
Discover Battambang at the most atmospheric time of day on a sunset tour of the town’s renowned bat caves. Traveling by tuk tuk—a traditional Cambodian form of transport—you’ll ascend to the ...
Pedal Battambang back roads on a half-day bike tour that explores village life, livelihoods, food, and agriculture. With the chance to meet locals where they live and work, you’ll get a glimpse of ...
Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia and it is full of rice paddy for supporting whole country. Beside the rice, Battambang has a lot of interesting places such as ancient temples, ...
Guest Name: Miss. Lamaerne trinderup
Country: Denmark
City: Hillerød
N.of Person: 6 pax
Travel date: 2025-03-14
Booked: Angkor Stunning Hot Air Balloon
Tour Style: Tour Activities
Duration: 30 Mins