When Traveling Is Caring ❤️
បាត់ដំបងNorth-West Cambodia13.10° N · 103.20° E
A laid-back river town with French shophouses, hilltop temples, a lively arts scene and some of Cambodia's prettiest countryside. Here is what to do, what to know and how to fit it into your trip.
Battambang lies on the Sangker River in the rice-growing heart of north-west Cambodia, and it is one of the country's largest cities while feeling like a big, friendly town. Its centre is a grid of well-preserved French colonial shophouses, Art Deco buildings and riverside pagodas, and the pace is noticeably slower than in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.
Most people come for the countryside around it: quiet villages making rice paper, fish paste and bamboo sticky rice, hilltop temples such as Phnom Banan, and the caves of Phnom Sampeau, where millions of bats stream out at dusk. Battambang also has a creative streak, with galleries, an arts school and evening circus shows. Two nights is the right amount of time, ideally on the way between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
Every journey below is private and tailor-made, so Battambang can be a calm two-night stop between Angkor and the capital.
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The experiences our travellers enjoy most, in order of what we would not miss.
A hill of temples and caves about 30 minutes from town. Climb for the views, visit the memorial caves, then watch the bats pour out at dusk.
An 11th-century temple at the top of a long stone staircase, with five towers in the style of Angkor and views over the rice fields.
Ride a flat bamboo platform on rails through the fields. Today it runs on a short circuit built for visitors, but it is still a fun, breezy hour.
Watch families making rice paper, dried banana, fish paste and bamboo sticky rice in the villages around town.
Wander the shophouse streets near the river, the old market and the Governor's Residence, ideally in the soft morning or late afternoon light.
The Phare Ponleu Selpak arts school, founded to help young people through the arts, puts on lively circus shows in the evenings.
An atmospheric 11th-century ruin beside a modern pagoda and a giant seated Buddha, on a quiet road north of town.
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Customise My TripLocal specialities worth seeking out, and when the locals eat them. Your guide will know the best places to try each one.
Add a food experience →Most travellers arrive by road from Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, which is about 5 hours away. In the rainy season a boat sometimes runs between Siem Reap and Battambang across Tonle Sap, but it is slow and depends on water levels.
Included on our journeys and the easiest way to reach Phnom Sampeau and the temples.
Best for: CountrysideIdeal for village visits and short hops around town.
Best for: Village toursFlat, quiet roads make the countryside lovely by bike.
Best for: Active travellersPlaces that pair well with Battambang, with approximate travel times.
November to March is dry and pleasant, perfect for countryside trips. March to May is very hot, so plan outings early and late. The rainy season from June to October turns the rice fields bright green, with heavy afternoon showers.
A general guide. Weather varies from year to year, and we plan each route around the season.
Quick answers from our local team. Anything else, just ask your travel specialist.
Ask us on WhatsAppYes, if you enjoy a slower pace, colonial streets and countryside. It does not have Angkor-scale sights, but its village visits, hill temples and the bat cave at dusk give a real feel for rural Cambodia.
Two nights is ideal: one day for the countryside, Phnom Banan and the bamboo train, finishing at Phnom Sampeau for the bats, and one morning for the town and a short trip to Wat Ek Phnom.
The original line was taken up when the national railway was restored. A shorter bamboo train now runs on a dedicated circuit for visitors. It is still enjoyable, just not the local transport it once was.
Usually around sunset, though the exact time varies. Arrive a little before dusk, find a spot at the foot of the hill and wait for the long stream of bats leaving the cave.
By road it is about 3 hours. A private car lets you stop along the way. A boat across Tonle Sap runs in some seasons, but it is slow and depends on the water level.
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