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Provincial capital and third largest city in Cambodia
Photo: Milei.vencel, Hungary, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Battambang (Khmer: ក្រុងបាត់ដំបង) with about 119,000 people (2019), is Cambodia's second most populous city, and a popular tourist destination due to the nearby ancient temples, the circus and the bamboo railway. It is the capital of Battambang Province (population 987,000 in 2019).
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The shows are fun, energetic and exciting and include a range of circus disciplines. The ticket price helps support the NGO school which works with disadvantaged children and teenagers.
A hill with the killing caves of the Khmer Rouge, a few others caves adorned with Buddhist statues, and a monastery with two Buddhist stupas on the hilltop. The admission charge also includes Wat Banan. It takes about 1 hr to climb the circuit to the monastery on top, with a short-cut leading back down to the shops and restaurants which line the approach road.
The so-called mini-Angkor Wat, an impressive flight of stairs lead up to a dilapidated Angkor-style temple which is still in use as a Buddhist shrine.
Battambang is known for its statues, which seemingly decorate every public place. Most are of animals (both mythical and real) and deities.
The most famous of these statues (Lok Ta Dambong Kra Nhoung) is on the main road from Phnom Penh and is of an ancient Khmer King holding a stick which he used to quell rebellions in the Battambang area. The name of the town and province derives from this legend.
A temple where hundreds of fruit bats live in trees under the protection of the Buddhist monks.
Angkor-type temple ruin. The road runs along lovely small rivers flanked by trees and small villages making it a generally nice area. Approaching Wat Ek Phnom, you suddenly encounter a giant Buddha statue in the wat, which is certainly picture-worthy. The grounds of the wat also have an Angkorian-era temple which is in relatively good shape and with some interesting carvings.
Roughly translates as "wat in the forest". An extremely old pagoda on the east side of the Sangker River. The eerie old wat was used as a Khmer Rouge prison, and there were many executions on the premises. A new pagoda is now being built, and there is a memorial to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime, with graphic illustrations, just to the north.
Established in 1963, the Battambang Provincial Museum houses a small but impressive collection of Khmer artifacts. The core of the collection is statutes and temple pieces dating from the advent of Hindu and Buddhist religion in Cambodia all the way through the Angkor period. There is also a notable collection of neolithic artifacts from the Laang Spean site. The museum has been renovated, and all artifacts have English-Khmer signage.
The term "train" is here used loosely: a large bamboo platform mounted on train axles powered by a small go-kart engine. A trip on the train can be booked in most hotels or arranged with a motorbike/tuk-tuk driver. It is regulated by Battambang's Tourist Police, with a standard rate of US$5 per person, minimum 2 people or US$10 for one person, with discounts for larger groups. Ask the driver to pause at scenic places. The old Bamboo Train service was terminated as the tracks were rehabilitated for the reopening of the line to Poipet and Phnom Penh. The current Bamboo Train runs on a new purpose-built track: it takes about 10 minutes to get to a stop where you can buy drinks and t-shirts; it then returns along the same route.
Soksabike is a social enterprise dedicated to sustainable tourism in Battambang. They offer half day and full day bike tours around the countryside where guests can learn about the everyday life and culture of Cambodia. The money for the tour is distributed to families in the community along the way and goes to pay the salaries of the guides, all local university students. They use high-quality mountain bikes, provide a helmet and even include a coffee at one of the best cafes in town. Hotel pickup included and group discounts are available.
Go on a beautiful Stung Sangker River voyage from the small village of Ksach Poy to Battambang, past riverside terraces and traditional bamboo houses. Get away from the dusty roads and learn first hand about traditional fishing and farming techniques. Half-day trip, 11 km.
Battambang Orphanage Village Assistance
Stay at a home stay in Samroang Khnong Village and volunteer to help teach English to children. Call Mr Sophorn and he will pick you up from town and make you very welcome indeed. No experience or special skills are required, just a willingness to help the delightful local children speak a bit more English. The small price includes accommodation and three delicious meals a day.
Offers tuk-tuk day trips to the countryside surrounding Battambang including seeing local crafts, temples and other major sites. Customised trips available.
A homey, familial approach to cookery conducted in a family home.
Battambang's original cooking school, and still highly popular. Hotel pick-up, market tour to buy ingredients. US$10 (4 separate dishes; vegetarian available; free cookbook to take away).
You'll meet Chef-owner Vannak outside the restaurant and go by tuk-tuk to a produce market south of town to buy herbs, vegetables and fish; then you'll go to his house outside of town and spend about two hours cooking up several Khmer dishes. The patio-turned-training-kitchen is authentically Khmer, an insight into how most of Cambodia cooks and eats. Vannak's is very knowledgable about Khmer cuisine and speaks excellent English, so everyone (from amateurs to pro cooks) will learn something.
Khmer cuisine with a French twist, sophisticated and creative with pleasant staff. Wine list.
Au Cabaret Vert-Hôtel à Battambang
Traditional Cambodian dishes, their speciality is fish amok, complemented by a French-style menu that includes desserts and wine.
Western-style river front cafe restaurant run by an American woman. Serves Western and Asian food, and coffee. Kitchen works to Western food handling and preparation standards.
Offers a nice compact menu with mainly Khmer dishes. The food is recommendable.
Nice atmosphere, limited but very tasty menu. Free Wi-Fi.
This Battambang mainstay offers a good variety of Khmer, Thai and Western food in an aging-yet-charming setting that echoes the city itself. Vegetarian friendly. Good drinks.
Ko Lap Sor
Huge menu, and some great fruit shakes. This place is a bit more 'Asian' than Western, but is still full of foreigners. Service is chaotic, food is quite good, and the upstairs provides one of the few Battambang eateries where you get an outlook and a breeze.
Home of Battambang's original cooking school, this restaurant remains highly popular. A nice range of Asian and Western dishes, US$3-4.50. Nice shakes. Host speaks fluent English and French. Central.
Everything is provided with a smile. Great smoothies. A good family-run Khmer restaurant.
Street One and a Half
Good cafe menu with a few snacks but mainly just excellent coffee and drinks. Cool alleyway atmosphere.
Open air ambience.
Nice stained glass lamp with subdued lighting.
Cheapest place in town and main center of the backpacker concentration. The place is often disliked by the other accommodations for its cheap prices. However, many people come for the restaurant and the tours, the latter of which are quite inexpensive due to the number of people joining — price depending on joining people. The dorm is good, probably not the most fancy one, but the ground floor is great for hanging around and socialise.
Good hotel with elevator and large reception area. Rooms have air-con or optional cheaper fan, free Wi-Fi, cable TV, refrigerator, hot and cold water, and en suite bathroom. Swimming pool. Rooftop with 360⁰ views. (There is a new Seng Hout a few doors from the original - on the corner facing the market. They're of roughly equal quality.)
Dorm and rooms. Run by a German guy, but he keeps neglecting the place a little.
6-bed dorm and rooms. Security lockers. Free wifi. Hot water. Air con 6-bed dorm US$5 per person
Spacious place and decent dorms, but the high walls in the rooms and washroom invite for a lot of mosquitos. Even during the day, hanging in the outdoor, roofed chill area can be annoying, but this might depend on the time of year.
Close to bus station and city centre. Helpful staff. Free Wi-Fi, free bicycles.
Very comfortable beds, clean rooms with Internet access (LAN cable, but in some rooms a connection from a nearby Wi-Fi network is available), TV, air-con, fan and a fridge. Car parking possible. Also has great outdoor swimming pool. In room massage available from US$5/hr. Bicycle hire US$4/day.
Rooms include hot water, air-con, fan, cable TV, free Wi-Fi, fridge, and minibar. Rooms are big clean and nicely decorated, as goes for the entire hotel. Staff are friendly, helpful and a little bit shy. Location is close to nice eating places and at a road which is lighted at night.
10 en suite bungalow rooms, 13 m x 18 m swimming pool, free Internet and in-room Wi-Fi, free bicycles, free shuttle to town, airport shuttle (surcharge), car or taxi arranged. All rooms have hot water, air-con, fan, network cable LCD TV, DVD player, in-room safe, mini bar, hair dryer, bathrobe, toiletries. 2 private terraces, one is sun terrace facing the swimming pool. Restaurant and bar open from 06:00–24:00.
Incompetently run with plumbing leaks and reception can rarely help with anything. Quite new and quite cheap for a nice room with modern conveniences.
Bungalows around a natural swimming pool. Library, parking, free Internet, tours, car and motorbike, electric bike and tuk-tuk hire arranged, international telephone, laundry and historic film screenings.
16 rooms, including 4 suite rooms (32 m² including bath), 6 deluxe superior rooms (27 m² including bath), 4 deluxe standard rooms (27 m² including bath). All have en suite baths, air-con, telephone, cable TV, DVD player, access to DVD library, mini bar, safe and private terrace or balcony. Free Wi-Fi, 2 computers in reception for use by guests, salt water swimming pool (14 m x 6) open from 08:00–21:00. Restaurant open 06:00–22:00.
Guesthouse with a swimming pool in a renovated 1930s French colonial period villa, Art Deco furniture and fittings. 7 rooms (6 in the main house and 1 in the house nearby the swimming pool). Each room has a private toilet with bath or shower, hot and cold water, air-con, fan, TV and cable network, 4 poster bed with mosquito net, light summer duvet, wardrobe, work desk, safe, coffee and tea facilities, DVD player with DVD for rent. Book ahead as it is often full.
Fruit stalls.
By bus
By train
By boat
One boat a day travels from Siem Reap (for Angkor) to Battambang, departing Siem Reap at 07:00 and costs US$20.
By bicycle or motorbike
Bicycles can be rented from most hotels or private companies for US$1-2 per day. Motorbikes can be rented from US$5 a day. The driving habits of locals are hazardous.
By taxi
Tuk-tuks and motorbike drivers hang around popular tourist areas. As most of the interesting and useful destinations are quite close to each other, most rides should only cost you US$2–4.
By boat
Small boats serve as ferries (500 riel) and cross the river from in front of the market.
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Battambang · Regional · BBM
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