Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia, apart from the capital, and is located along the Sanker Stung River. However, one could believe staying in a peaceful provincial town. It was founded in the 11th century and remained under Thai rule for a long time. It was until 1907 when the province joined the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The French designed the layout of the city as a four-sided space with well-defined streets and urban infrastructure, their vision of a modern city. They built roads and a railway linking Battambang to Phnom Penh.

Battambang is a mix of three periods: Thai influence, French colonies and modern life of the 1960s. The beautiful colonial houses take ochre and yellow shades at sunset, evoking the cities of Diago Suarez in Madagascar or Saint Louis in Senegal.

The best time to visit

You can visit Battambang all year long. However, the rainy season starts in June and ends in October. The landscapes are greener but dirt roads may be muddy. The best time would be between October and March. The weather then is nice and dry. From the end of May, temperatures can reach 38°C.

Top things to do in Battambang

1. Tuk tuk ride

Hop in a tuk tuk and drive along the Sangker river to visit the Vat Ek Phnom temple and pagoda. On the way, drive past ancient pagodas, colonial houses, green orchards and uncharted villages. Discover craftsmen and meet hospitable villagers, creating unforgettable memories.

2. Phnom Banan

It’s a beautiful temple just a few minutes drive from Battambang, a really nice place that very few tourists come to visit. Muster some courage to climb up this miniature “Angkor Wat” with a bit more than 350 steps in the heat but the panorama is breathtaking and definitely worth it! 

3. Bamboo Train

This “bamboo train” was created in the 1980s by the local community themselves to transport goods and villagers, using abandoned rails. The trolleys were then pushed by hand with the help of a bamboo stick. This 7 kms journey costs just over €4 per person; less than half going to the driver, the rest of the money going to the few families who take care of the machinery. It takes 1h30 for the 14 km round trip. You will sit on a platform made of wood and bamboo, resting on 4 wheels and pushed by a bicycle. Locals nickname it “norry” and we call it TGV - train à grande vibration in french, meaning high vibration train!

4. Bike ride

We are offering a half-day city tour, partly on foot, partly by boat and partly by bike, to explore the city and admire the colonial buildings of Battambang. Another half-day tour, the “Authentic Visit of Popular Livelihoods”, will take you to visit local industries such as sticky rice bamboo making, rice liquor and spring rolls packaging.

5. Khmer house in the Battambang countryside

We invite you to visit the house of Mrs. Bun Roeung (donation - 800 Street Vat Kor Village). A Khmer house that has belong to the same family for 4 generations. Tour the house with one of the family members who will explain the history of the house, the materials used (mostly wood) and the reasons Khmer houses are on stilts. Some of them being to avoid floods, big bugs and to allow better air circulation.

6. Cooking class

Among the many cooking classes in town, we chose the most famous, ‘the Smokin’ Pot’. This course begins with a visit to the market and ends with a tasting of the delicious three-course lunch you made. All students receive a cookbook written by your teacher, Vannak, featuring Khmer and Thai dishes. Vannak is originally from Battambang but grew up in a refugee camp on the Thai border, he’s a fan of Thai and Cambodian cuisine.

 

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