Battambang

Battambang consistently wins the loyalty of travelers who make the detour. It has none of the hype of Siem Reap and all of the charm. The Sangkae River runs through the centre; French colonial buildings line its banks; a thriving arts scene has grown up in the alleyways.

The Bamboo Train (Nori)

The most famous experience in Battambang. A hand-built bamboo platform on two axles, powered by a small engine, rolling along a single colonial-era railway track through the rice fields. When two nori meet, the rules are simple: whoever has fewer passengers has to dismantle theirs and let the other pass.

It sounds eccentric. It’s completely magical.

Street Art & Colonial Quarter

The alleys around Psar Nat market contain some of the most striking street art in Southeast Asia — murals painted by Cambodian artists processing the country’s history and imagining its future. The French colonial buildings along the river are the best-preserved in Cambodia.

Phare Ponleu Selpak — The Original Cambodian Circus

The mother school that spawned Phare, the Cambodian Circus (now in Siem Reap). The original Battambang campus still runs performances — acrobatics, music, visual arts, and theater that weld traditional Cambodian storytelling to contemporary performance. One of the most life-affirming things you’ll see in Cambodia.

Phnom Sampeau & The Bat Caves

A hilltop temple complex 12km south of Battambang. The caves here were used as execution sites during the Khmer Rouge period — a haunting but important visit. The temples at the top offer wide views across the rice plains.

At dusk, 3+ million golden bats spiral from the limestone cliffs in a ribbon that darkens the sky. One of Cambodia’s great natural spectacles.

Wine Tasting at Phnom Banan

About 10km south of Battambang on the road to Wat Banan, Cambodia’s only winery produces (surprisingly decent) wine from local grapes. More interesting than the wine is the drive through the surrounding farming villages.