Explore Battambang

Battambang is known for its statues which seemingly decorate every public place. Most are of animals (mythical and real) and divinities.

The most famous of these statues is on the main road in 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 / province comes from this legend.

The town also has a number of fine early-20th-century French colonial buildings. Most of the colonial buildings can be found along the waterfront (St 1), especially just south of Psar Nat (which is quite impressive in itself). Famous Art Deco buildings are the Central market, the swimming pool Victory (riverside) and the train station. Along streets 1, 2, 21/2 and 3 are charming examples of Chinese, French and Italian architecture, with peculiar mirroring of houses constructed on one side in brick, square pillars and on the other one in concrete, round pillars. Street 3 has some charming French shop-houses.

• The Governors Residence is the most impressive colonial building, a legacy of the early 1900s with balconies and wooden shutters and grand reception room with a 5m ceiling. It was designed by an Italian architect for the last Thai governor, who departed in 1907. The interior is closed but you can explore the grounds at leisure.
• Battambang Museum (admission US$1) displays fine Angkorian lintels and statuary from all over the Battambang province, including Phnom Banan and Sneng, and it has multi-lingual signs.

Around Battambang:

Phnom Sampeu’s Killing Caves

• Phnom Sampeu, 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. Entry is US$3 – and 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 approaching road. Just before the ticket office, you can see a cave about 100 metres or so up the rock face. At around about 5.30 or thereabouts every evening, you can witness a steady stream of bats exiting the cave. It takes about 40 minutes for all the bats to leave. There must be tens of thousands of bats that make this journey every night. Some locals say over 1 million bats, but who knows? Whatever the number is, it’s an amazing sight. From the main road, you should be able to see the bats forming various formations in the sky.
• Wat Banan,Entry is US$3 – 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. Once at the top of the temple follow the trail on the south side of the hill. It will lead you down and eventually to a breathtaking cave. Huge sky light ceilings and plenty of bats.

Secret Cave: (12°56′57.89″N, 103°08′11.15″E)

• Wat Baydamram, a temple where hundreds of fruit bats live in trees under the protection of the Buddhist monks.

• Wat Ek Phnom, another Angkor-type temple ruin, about 15 km north west of Battambang. 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. Entry US$1.
• Wat Samraong Knong, roughly translated as ‘Wat in the forest’ is an extremely old pagoda on the eastern 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.

There are several opportunities to explore villages just south of town. The cultural village of Watkor, just a few kilometres south of the town centre has several “ancient wooden houses” from the early 20th century. Further south are the agricultural villages of Kompong Seyma, and Ksach Puoy. For info call District Administration Battambang: ☎ +855 1288 1516, +855 1666 6111.

• Battambang Circus, Phare Ponleu Selpak (10 min journey in tuk-tuk from the centre of Battambang-most drivers know the the circus), ☎ +855 53 952 424, [1]. Performances every Mon and Thurs starting 7pm. 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. After the show, you can have dinner there for US$6. Show US$14.  

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The bamboo train near Battambang

• Soksabike Tours: [30] : 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 and include a coffee at one of the best cafes in town. ☎ (+855)12542019 Email: info@soksabike.com Address: Street 1.5, Near Psar Nat
• Bicycle Tours: [31] : Bicycle tours with Butterfly Tours takes you on a half day or full day trip to various sites around Battambang. The tour is an initiative run by university students and priced reasonably – around $15 for a half day tour. The guides are students of English at the university level and provide an interesting local insight into life in Cambodia. ☎ (855) 89297070 (booking@butterflytour.asia)
• Visit local industries by asking a tuk tuk driver to bring you around the local countryside. See the locals weaving silk material with old wooden looms, making rice paper for spring rolls, visit a crocodile farm and hold a baby crocodile, see and smell fish paste and fish sauce being made and in the dry season visit the mushroom farms. Only the crocodile farm charges $2 to visit while most of the others will have items for sale, they make very little money so consider buying something and bring small change as they will have none. This tour will only take a couple of hours so it is possible to hire the driver for the whole day for $20 and include other sights. Tuk tuk drivers at The Lux Guesthouse (see below) are familiar with this tour, ask in particular for Peter ☎ 097 920 1988 bouset@rocketmail.com
• Rent a bicycle and cycle along the river. Upstream (south) or downstream (north). Both directions are flat and mostly paved, and it is possible to cycle along the river bank for a considerable distance, of up to 20 km each way. Also worth trying are the unpaved roads, they are easy to cycle along, have nearly no traffic and there plenty of children to say hello. A good address for renting bicycles is The Battambang BIKE rental and repair directions=”60 street 2,5″ info@thebattambangbike.com ☎ +855 17 905 276 or Soksabike Tours on Street 1.5 offers city and mountain bike rentals as well (info above).
• The Bamboo Train: (The term “train” being used loosely – A large bamboo platform mounted on train axles powered by a small go-kart engine). A trip to the train can be booked in most hotels or arranged with a motorbike/tuk-tuk driver. Currently 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. It is worthwhile asking the driver to stop at scenic places. The old Battambang bamboo train has now been replaced by a new, more sedate (= safe), more modern one – ask at your hotel.
• Green Orange Kayak, ☎ +855 77 204 121. 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, 13 km. US$12.  edit

Buying ingredients

• Abandoned Pepsi Factory. While the abandoned factory existed from the 1970s until 2015, this is no longer the case. The land has been repurposed and the location will now serve as a wastewater treatment facility. However, researching the history of this factory still makes for an interesting read, as it involves the battle between Coca Cola and Pepsi in Thailand.  edit
• Tep Kao Sol, Street 2 (Next to the chinese noodle man), [2]. from 9am to 9pm everyday. A gallery-boutique where you can find watercolors, reproductions and postcards at an affordable price. They are all made by a local artist. from 10dollars to 50 dollars.  edit
• Loeum Lorn Gallery, Street 2 (Next to the chinese noodle man), [3]. from 9am to 9pm everyday. A contemporary art gallery by a local artist whose work relies on the use of ice and photography. A good place if you want to learn more about the contemporary art scene of Cambodia.  edit

Take a cooking class[edit]

Many restaurants around Battambang offer cooking classes at varying prices.

• Coconut Lyly – Street #111, 200m West of the Phsa Nat Central Market Battambang (Google Maps). Cooking course cost 10$ and are led by a young and enthusiastic chef. You cook traditional Khmer meals but you get a little more, as the website says: quality over quantity. Courses can include the shopping, you find yourself back watching coconut milk get produced freshly for the Amok you prepare.
• Ch’Ngainh Ch’Ngainh – a homely and familial approach to cookery carried out in a family home. (sambath_9@yahoo.com) ☎ +855 12 63 93 50. Daily courses priced at US$10.
• The Smoking Pot Restaurant and Cooking Classes – [Google Maps] – Mr. Vannak is a good-hearted Cambodian cook with an excellent English vocabulary who has recipes of traditional Cambodian dishes that have been passed through his family for a long time. Learn how to cook a delicious Fish Amok or whatever dish that you feel like cooking. He will take you to his home (4km from the restaurant) and on the way you will stop in his village’s market and learn how to choose the best ingredients and buy everything fresh. His home is simple but everything is super clean. Mr. Vannak has a beautiful family and his children will often help in the process with big smiles. He teaches vegetarian dishes as well. Class usually starts at 9:30am, so sign up the day before in his restaurant or call him at ☎ +855 12821400. US$10

Volunteering[edit]

One of CAD’s projects – Takom Village

Students during break at CAD’s Takom School

Giving something back to the friendly and helpfull locals.

• GHV (Give Hope to the Vulnerable) NGO, ☎ (855) 92 20 63 48,(855) 92 855 255(pichyan@hotmail.com,john4peace27@yahoo.com), [4]. Primary focus is providing free English lessons to very poor local children. GHV needs volunteers in these areas: Teaching (all subjects in English), Teaching English, Vocational Training, Sewing, Cooking. Comfortable, safe accommodation is available on site for $5 per night, close to Battambang city.  edit
• Children’s Action for Development(CAD), [5]. is a community-based non-government and non-profit organisation that provides Khmer and English literacy classes, life skills, child rights awareness, environmental awareness, job training, girl empowerment, nutrition, community education and family business programs to support poor, orphaned, vulnerable and disadvantaged rural children and families. Depending on current projects you are able to volunteer in a variety of ways.  edit
• Khmer New Generation Organization (KNGO), ☎ +855 092 79 05 97, [6]. is an NGO founded and run by Mr. Sun Saveth to aid the community of Bospo Village, Cambodia (reachable from Battambang by bike, moto, or tuk-tuk, about 5km from the city). KNGO is a nonprofit that also works on health, environment, and employment initiatives in the Bospo community. KNGO welcomes volunteers who are willing to come and teach or to work in the office assisting the Executive Director with various tasks such as social media outreach, project management, and writing. Volunteers can elect to stay in Bospo Village and experience the traditional Cambodian lifestyle for a small fee (currently $13/day including all meals). KNGO also offers tours to visitors, donations gladly accepted.  edit
• PTD (Ptea Teuk Dong – Cambodian NGO), ☎ (855-53) 63 66 788, (855-12) 96 30 16(ptdcambodia@gmail.com), [7]. Non-political, non-religious organisation.  edit