Battambang, Cambodia: travel guide
Cambodia's Most Charming City — a riverside town with French colonial charm, temples, and authentic local culture away from tourist crowds.
- Country
- Cambodia
- Currency
- KHR
- Time zone
- Asia/Phnom_Penh
Top places to visit in Battambang
Wat Banan
Temple · 4.1 rating · about 1.3 h · entry USD 3
Often called the mini-Angkor of Battambang, Wat Banan is a 11th-century hilltop temple perched atop a steep 358-step staircase flanked by magnificent Naga serpent balustrades. The five towers of the temple are remarkably well-preserved and…
Phnom Sampov
Viewpoint · 4.4 rating · about 2 h · entry USD 3
A dramatic limestone karst rising from the flat Cambodian plains, Phnom Sampov is home to a Buddhist pagoda complex, stunning panoramic viewpoints, and the sobering Killing Caves of the Khmer Rouge — where an estimated 10,000 people were…
Bamboo Train (Norry)
Activity · 4.0 rating · about 1 h · entry USD 5
One of Cambodia's most quirky and beloved attractions, the Bamboo Train (locally called Norry) is a flat bamboo platform mounted on two axles powered by a small engine that rattles along disused French colonial railway tracks at 40 km/h.…
Ek Phnom Temple
Temple · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · entry USD 2
A partially ruined 11th-century Khmer temple set among rice fields 11 km north of Battambang, Ek Phnom is flanked by a newer Buddhist pagoda that is still actively used by local worshippers. The ancient sandstone towers are slowly being…
Sangker River Boat Trip
Nature · 3.3 rating · about 3 h · entry USD 15
The Sangker River flows through Battambang Province and offers one of Cambodia's most scenic boat journeys — gliding past stilted fishing villages, floating lotus farms, forested banks, and rice paddies. The seasonal route to Siem Reap…
Battambang Colonial Quarter
Heritage · about 1.5 h
Battambang is Cambodia's best-preserved colonial city — its riverside streetscape of French-era shophouses, yellow-painted administrative buildings, and Art Deco facades rivals anything in Southeast Asia. The stretch along the Sangker…
Battambang Railway Station
Heritage · 3.9 rating · about 0.5 h
Time-capsule 1920s colonial station, clock stopped at the old time.
Battambang Provincial Museum
Museum · 4.3 rating · about 0.8 h
Small museum of Angkorian-era sculpture from the surrounding temples.
Ta Dumbong Statue
Cultural · 4.5 rating · about 0.3 h
The black statue of the legendary lost-stick man who named Battambang.
Psar Nat (Central Market)
Market · 4.1 rating · about 1 h
Art-deco central market, the bustling heart of the old town.
Phare Ponleu Selpak Campus
Cultural · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h
Arts-school campus whose circus and galleries support disadvantaged youth.
Romcheik 5 Artspace
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 1 h
Contemporary gallery of work by formerly trafficked young Cambodian artists.
Things to do
- Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus Show Show · 1.3 h · from KHR 56,400 per person
- Bamboo Train Ride & Village Day Tour Cultural · 7 h · from KHR 106,000 per person
- Battambang Bicycle & Art Tour Cycling · 3.5 h · from KHR 63,400 per person
- Sangker River Boat & Countryside Half-Day Boat · 3.5 h · from KHR 70,500 per person
- Traditional Khmer Fruit Wine Tasting Food Tour · 2 h · from KHR 42,300 per person
- Phnom Sampeau Sunset Bat Cave Tour Nature · 4 h · from KHR 63,700 per person
- Battambang Countryside Tour Cultural · 5 h · from KHR 76,400 per person
- Wat Banan & Wat Ek Phnom Temple Tour Cultural · 5 h · from KHR 63,700 per person
Day trips and tours
- Bamboo Train, Bat Cave & Circus Full Day 12 h · from KHR 233,000
- Colonial Quarter Cycling & Art Studio Tour 5.5 h · from KHR 119,000
Where to stay in Battambang
- Old Town & Riverside about KHR 30 per night
Battambang's most atmospheric quarter lines the Sangker River with French shophouses, excellent Khmer restaurants, coffee shops and a thriving arts scene. Walking distance to the town night market; short tuk-tuk ride to…
- French Colonial Quarter about KHR 25 per night
South of the Old Town along the west bank of the Sangker River, the French Colonial Quarter retains intact villa streetscapes rarely seen elsewhere in Cambodia. Boutique guesthouses and cafés occupy restored shophouses.…
- Northern Countryside Ecolodges about KHR 45 per night
Beyond Battambang's town limits, the northern rice-paddy countryside hosts a handful of eco-lodges and farm stays that offer a genuinely rural Cambodian experience. Wake up to mist over the paddy fields, join a morning…
Hotels
- La Villa Battambang 4-star · USD 70 to USD 180 per night
- The Sangker Villa 3-star · USD 35 to USD 90 per night
- Maisons Wat Kor 4-star · USD 60 to USD 150 per night
- Bambu Hotel 3-star · USD 45 to USD 120 per night
- Here Be Dragons Hostel 1-star · USD 6 to USD 30 per night
- Au Cabaret Vert 4-star · USD 50 to USD 120 per night
Where to eat
- Jaan Bai Cambodian, Khmer, Fusion · about USD 14 per person
- The Riverside Balcony Bar Western, Cambodian, Fusion · about USD 7 per person
- Battambang Bat Cave BBQ BBQ, Cambodian, Street Food · about USD 4 per person
- Khmer Delight Restaurant Cambodian, Khmer · about USD 5 per person
- Phsar Nath Market Food Stalls Cambodian, Street Food · about USD 2 per person
- The Pizza Company Battambang Italian, Western, Pizza · about USD 11 per person
- Pomme French, Cambodian · about USD 8 per person
- The Lonely Tree Cafe Cambodian, Mediterranean · about USD 7 per person
Getting around
- Bicycle main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Scooter Rental main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Tuktuk main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Safety and scams to avoid
Bamboo train overcharging & fake tour packages
Battambang bamboo train track, market area
Touts quote $5 for a norry (bamboo train) ride at the track but the agreed price doubles at the return leg. Fake combo "tour packages" include non-existent circus or wine-tasting tickets.
How to avoid it: Confirm round-trip price in writing before boarding. Book circus tickets directly at Phare Ponleu Selpak box office (phare.com.kh).
Unofficial "guide" at Phnom Sampov caves
Phnom Sampov bat cave, hilltop temple
An unofficial "guide" attaches himself without invitation, carries your bag up the steep steps, then demands USD 10–20 for the "service." Refusing can turn confrontational at isolated hilltop.
How to avoid it: Politely but firmly decline any unsolicited guide at the car park. Hire guides in advance from the Battambang Tourist Information Centre.
Fake "killing cave" entrance fees
Phnom Sampov cave entrance
Men at the bottom of the hill collect USD 2–5 "cave entrance fees" using unofficial handwritten receipts. The cave has no admission fee; ticket is only for the mountain (USD 3 official, paid at the barrier).
How to avoid it: Only pay at the official barrier with a printed ticket. The killing-cave interior is free once you have paid the mountain entry.
Counterfeit Battambang Circus tickets
Guesthouses, tuk-tuk drivers near Phare
Touts resell Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus tickets at double price, or sell non-existent seats for sold-out shows. Fake tickets often appear authentic but are invalid at the door.
How to avoid it: Buy directly at the Phare Ponleu Selpak box office or via phare.com.kh. Doors open one hour before show; book at least a day ahead in high season.
Best time to visit Battambang
- May 35°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for May: 265.4 mm over 17 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).
- Jun 34°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for June: 245.6 mm over 20 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).
- Jul 33°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for July: 273.6 mm over 23 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).
- Aug 33°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for August: 362.1 mm over 25 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).
- Sep 33°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for September: 406.4 mm over 27 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).
- Oct 32°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for October: 430.9 mm over 29 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).
- Nov 32°C · MoWRAM/WMO WWIS 1982-2024 normal for November: 163.6 mm over 15 rain days (national station Battambang (WMO WWIS city id 3637), 11.6 km from the stored city centre).