Locals assembling the bamboo train in Battambang, ready for tourists to board. — ISDERION/Wikimedia Commons
A type of grass often mistakenly identified as a tree, bamboo can be found in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. You might even have this in your backyard as South-East Asia is one of the regions where the tubular plant has thrived for millions of years.
Recognised as the fastest-growing land plant in the world (giant sea kelp grows faster), with some of the roughly 1,000 species able to grow over 1m in a day, bamboo is a highly versatile material. It can be used for furniture, kitchenware and even clothing, among others.
It also contributes to tourism, and no, it’s not limited to staying in resorts that utilise it as the main building material, or wandering the many bamboo forests that dot the globe.
Coinciding with the annual celebration of World Bamboo Day on Sept 18, which was founded in 2009 by Kamesh Salam, then-president of World Bamboo Organisation, let us suggest a few bamboo-themed attractions that you can consider for your next travel.
Bamboo rafting is a popular water activity in Sarawak. — Borneo Adventure/Facebook
Bamboo rafting: Malaysia and Thailand
In areas where bamboo grew in abundance, it was often the buoyant material of choice to construct the traditional vessel known as a bamboo raft.
As the everyday usage of the watercraft is no longer as prevalent in today’s society, except in certain rural areas, it now serves a more recreational purpose: Some river-based tourist attractions include bamboo rafting as one of its leisure activities.
You can visit places like Kuching, Sarawak and Mae Wang, Chiang Mai (Thailand) to experience the relaxing water activity, which is as rudimentary as the raft’s construction – you sit on it and just drift slowly down the river.
Typically, you won’t have to paddle it yourself as the local guides will be the ones steering it with long bamboo sticks.
This activity would usually be packaged together with other offerings, such as a traditional lunch or, in Chiang Mai’s case, a day trek through Mae Wang National Park.
Bambouseraie de Cevennes houses a bamboo grove that is deemed one of France’s most beautiful gardens. — GEORGES SEGUIN/Wikimedia Commons
Bamboo forest: Jamaica and France
Japan’s Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto, or China’s Shunan Bamboo Forest, Nanshan Bamboo Sea and West Sichuan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area are captivating places to visit to appreciate the beauty of the giant grass.
But why not travel outside of Asia to see how bamboo thrives in other parts of the world?
Jamaica may not immediately pop into your mind, but it’s interesting to know that one of the Caribbean country’s heritage sites features bamboo.
Known as Bamboo Avenue, or Holland Bamboo Grove (in reference to the Holland Estate owners who planted the bamboos in the 17th century), the 4km-long path in Lacovia, St Elizabeth is sheltered by a canopy formed by the bamboos growing on either side.
Meanwhile in Europe, the list of “The Most Beautiful Gardens Of France” mentions Bambouseraie de Cevennes (or Bambouseraie de Prafrance).
The on-the-nose name simply translates to “the bamboo grove of Cevennes”, since it is located in the said French region, but it also houses various trees and flowers. The bamboo grove, taking up around 15ha of the overall 34ha park, was planted by botanist Eugene Mazel in the 19th century following his visit to China.
If you insist on going to Japan for a tranquil trip, avoid the increasingly overcrowded Arashiyama and head instead to Take-no-Michi, the lesser-known bamboo path in Kyoto’s Muko hills.
Kampong Cham’s bamboo bridge is unique in that it gets dismantled and rebuilt every year. — GONZO GOONER/Wikimedia Commons
Bamboo bridge: Vietnam and Cambodia
Getting your daily 10,000 steps in is a walk in the park at Tra Su Cajuput Forest – quite literally.
Located in Vietnam’s An Giang, the 850ha mangrove landscape is not only home to rows upon rows of cajuput trees but also a bamboo bridge that stretches roughly 10km long.
Certified by Vietnam Record Organisation as the longest bamboo bridge in the country (or even the world, some would say), its “10,000 steps bamboo bridge” moniker is self-explanatory, since walking its length will easily let you get your steps in, all while enjoying the calming view of the towering trees.
In neighbouring Cambodia, you’ll find a seasonal bamboo bridge that exists only during dry seasons and gets dismantled during rainy seasons to prevent it from being swept away.
The bridge often visited by tourists today isn’t the one that used to be vital in connecting Kampong Cham and Koh Pen Island – which was touted as the world’s longest bamboo bridge, spanning 1km across Mekong River. That has been replaced by a permanent concrete bridge since 2017.
But the current smaller version – meant only for pedestrians – continues the original bamboo bridge’s peek-a-boo legacy. So, plan your trip accordingly or you’ll find yourself staring at only rushing waters, no bamboo bridge in sight.
More than 300,000 bamboo plants make up the maze at Labirinto Della Masone. — SAILKO/Wikimedia Commons
Bamboo maze: Italy
Test your sense of direction at the “largest bamboo labyrinth in existence”, as described on Labirinto Della Masone’s official website.
The name of the cultural park, or museum as it is also referred to, translates to “the mason’s labyrinth”.
A brainchild of Italian editor, publisher and art collector Franco Maria Ricci, the park’s red-brick buildings house a foundation named after the founder, an art gallery, a library and event spaces, among others.
Surrounding these buildings is a maze (which it technically is since it has many branches, as opposed to a labyrinth which has a single path leading to the centre) formed by roughly 300,000 bamboo plants of various species, which can grow up to 15m tall.
As Ricci created the mystical maze for visitors to wander in relaxation, you can take your time strolling through it. Once you reach its heart, you will be greeted by a chapel in the shape of a pyramid.
Bamboo train: Cambodia
Arguably, the most memorably unique tourist attraction in Battambang, Cambodia is its bamboo train.
A mode of transportation born out of necessity to transfer passengers and goods in the rural areas during the 1980s, the bamboo train – or norry as they’re called locally – is now mostly a tourist attraction, with a return trip costing US$5 (RM22) per person.
Its minimalist design comprises a small motor tied to one of the two axles placed on the track, and a bamboo platform placed on top, serving as the “roofless open-air carriage”.
The main bamboo train is the old one that runs on a 7km-long dilapidated track at 30-40kmph.
Beware of scammers who will tell you the old train is no longer in service, then redirect you to the newer iteration that opened circa 2016-2017, which lacks the authenticity that the original – decrepit as it may look – has.
This is one experience you’d want to put closer to the top of your list, as the Cambodian government intends to replace the rustic train with a standard modern one. Then again, this intention has been discussed for about a decade now, so maybe you have another decade to try this out.
