What to do in Battambang? — 12+ must, top & best things to do in Battambang

Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia. Contrary to that reputation, this place possesses a peaceful setting like a small town. The fresh atmosphere and slow pace of life in Battambang will help visitors temporarily get away from the hustle and bustle of tourist centers like Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. So, what to do in Battambang (Battambang what to do)? Let’s check out our top rated 12+ best things to do in Battambang and top things to do in Battambang as follows.

So, what is interesting here for tourists to entertain and explore? Let’s find out with us in this article!

Touring the city on a bamboo train (# best things to do in battambang)

Bamboo trains used to be a popular means of transportation and transportation in Battambang. However, it is gradually being outnumbered by powerful and fast means of transportation in modern times. To this day, the bamboo train has become one of the interesting tourist services for tourists who referring to Battambang city.

It is said to be a bamboo train because this vehicle runs on the rails like a regular train does. In the local language, this type of vehicle is called norry. To make a sturdy means of transportation, people must use wooden frames tightly packed together, then bamboo bars are covered on top to create the vehicle’s floor. The frame system is connected to a set of wheels and a push motor at the back to move on rails. On the floor of the vehicle, people spread mats and a few pillows to serve customers.

When moving, the driver will use a wooden lever that acts as a brake and steering wheel. The fastest speed that bamboo trains can achieve is up to 50 km/h. While traveling on this train, visitors have the opportunity to see the scenery and the simple life of the people along the route. An open landscape with wind blowing in all directions will create a rare feeling of refreshment.

In recent times, the use of bamboo trains has been banned in Cambodia. However, the government issued a directive allowing this type of transportation to resume operation in January 2019. With this change, a new rail system was installed to replace the old routes. That gives visitors the opportunity to experience an interesting trip in Battambang city.

Take a stroll around the city (# top things to do in battambang)

Battambang is one of the cities that owns a large number of architectural works that have existed since the French colonial period and the ancient Khmer period. That creates value tourist attractions for all tourists. You can download city maps on online websites like Khmer Architecture Tours to explore the most impressive places for yourself. Besides, you can choose a tour from Free Cycle Tours – a project organized by Cambodian students. This unique project offers free walking tours to visitors with young, enthusiastic guides. If you are still worried that walking is too tiring, rest assured! This city is not too large so you won’t need to spend much effort moving around.

Cycling around Battambang (# what to do in battambang)

If touring by foot doesn’t impress you, consider cycling! Here, we recommend you look to the Soksabike travel alliance. This alliance was established with the purpose of providing vocational training to local students as well as providing the most authentic view of the lives of Cambodian people in Battambang. With its humanitarian values, Soksabike is honored to be awarded as a pioneer organization in sustainable development.

When choosing the tourism alliance will be able to participate in bicycle tours such as Local Livelihood, visit rural communities, learn about culture and traditions or walk around the city to explore the impressive scenery. Contact Soksabike at: Street 1.5, near Psar Nath (Central Market), Krong Battambang, Cambodia / Hours: 7 AM–12:30 PM, 1–5 PM/Sunday: 1 AM–12 AM / Contact phone number: +855 12 542 019.

Take a river tour

Battambang not only offers the option of walking or cycling, visitors coming here can also experience an exciting river tour. This city is located on the Sangker River with many companies providing interesting cruise services. The boats floating on the gentle water will take you to peaceful lands on the shore. Sometimes, you have the opportunity to encounter the simple life scene of fishing villagers living on boats. They cook and do laundry while mischievous children are playing. One of the most prominent names providing cruise services is Gecko Private River Cruise. This company offers a choice of single or double boats with great river cruises for you.

Explore the large bat caves

Bat is are a mammal that grows in large numbers in Battambang. They often live in groups in large caves with the habit of foraging at night. That’s why large colonies of bats often fly out of their shelters in the afternoon. The magical sunset scene mixed with flying bat wings with special, somewhat weird sounds creates a vivid picture of the countryside in Cambodia.

To have the opportunity to immerse yourself in that impressive space, you need to catch a tuk tuk ride! This journey will take you from the city center to the outskirts of Phnom Sampeau with a distance of about 12 km. If you have free time, continue to exercise your legs a bit to climb to the top of Wat Sampeau! This is the perfect height for you to have a wide-open view that covers the entire impressive scene of the city.

Besides, Killing Cave is a tourist attraction chosen by many tourists. The reason this place is called that is because it is associated with a cruel history related to the Khmer Rouge regime. Right at the Killing Cave, cruel soldiers forced the victims to die miserably. To commemorate a sad past, a memorial was built in the cave. Before dusk, return to the foot of the mountain to see the impressive sight created by thousands of pitch-black bats. They flap their wings and chirp to call each other out of the cave at around 6:00 pm every day. Groups of bats spread their wings and flew high in the sky to start a new hunt for food.

Enjoy exciting performances at the circus

Battambang is known as the capital of creativity. In this city, local people have many artistic talents, especially circus performers. Phare Ponleu Selpak organization is one of the prominent names in nurturing and developing local artistic talent. This organization regularly creates conditions for artists to have the opportunity to show off their talents in performances in Siem Reap and Battambang.

The circus is the place that connects audiences with impressive performances from flexible dancing, acrobatics to circus with equipment. Before sitting down to enjoy the circus show, we recommend that you visit the daily practice area of the artists. That’s a good way for us to gain a deeper understanding of the efforts and difficulties they had to go through to get the results they have today.

Immerse yourself in the art space at the exhibition center

It would be a mistake if you missed art exhibition places in the capital of creativity. In Battambang, we can easily find many studios and galleries displaying creative works of art.

Romcheik 5 Artspace & Café is one of the famous artspaces founded by 4 young Cambodian artists since 2012. This place is located right across the river from the city center. Over the course of its operations, Romcheik 5 was recently expanded and is now a rotating art exhibition displaying a wide variety of artworks by contemporary artists. At the same time, it also has an area dedicated to regular art exhibitions for local artists.

Romcheik 5 is located at Street 201, Krong Battambang, Cambodia, contact phone number: +855 92 304 210. Hours: 9 AM–5:45 PM/Monday: Closed

Besides Romcheik 5, Sangker Art Space and Gallery is another famous place in the city. The facility regularly hosts rotating exhibitions showcasing impressive works from local artists. Visitors have the opportunity to meet and interact with these artists to better understand their hard working process. Find the Sangker Art Space and Gallery exhibition at: 229 Rd No. 1.5, Krong Battambang, Cambodia.

Enjoy local cuisine

Enjoying food is one of the indispensable things to do, right? This not only brings abundant energy to the body, but also helps us understand more about the traditional flavors and culture of each nation. In Battambang, you have many opportunities to taste local dishes in restaurants or street stalls. Besides, we would like to introduce to you Jaan Bai restaurant – a famous place throughout Cambodia.

Jaan Bai is a restaurant that operates to protect the rights of Cambodian children. This place trains and creates jobs for young people in difficult circumstances in the area. With talent and enthusiasm, young chefs have created many dishes diverse in form, texture and flavor. Jaan Bai is also a big supporter of the local arts scene and regularly organizes exhibitions at its establishment.

Coming to the restaurant, you will find a large wall colorfully painted by local artists right outside the lobby. This is where many guests check in and take impressive photos thanks to the vivid background. Don’t hesitate any longer and come to Jaan Bai at the address: Street 2 right next to Psar Nat, Krong Battambang, Cambodia, contact phone number: +855 78 263 144. Hours: 11 AM–10 PM.

Visit the ancient house of Mrs. Bun Roeung

It can be said that Battambang is a clear example of simple rural life in Cambodia. However, to get a more specific view of this lifestyle, you should go to the old house of Mrs. Bun Roeung. This address is located in a complex of ancient civil works in the village of Wat Kor.

Mrs. Bun Roeung’s house is made entirely of good quality wood, surrounded by gardens and palm trees. Therefore, everything about the architecture of this place remains intact as in the beginning. This house has witnessed the entire life of a kind-hearted person from the time she cried into the world until the days when she had her children and grandchildren together. When you tour the house, you’ll find images and stories that show it off in both English and French. Besides, you can also rent a room at the back area of the building. It’s  truly an impressive experience, right?

Visit Prasat Banan

Address: X42Q+9WF, Banan, Cambodia
Hours: 6 AM–6 PM

Prasat Banan is an ancient temple built in the 11th century located on the outskirts of Battambang city to the south, about 23 km. Tourists often choose to travel by tuk tuk to get to this famous place. All the impressive features of nature and ancient architecture will make you very impressed. However, you also need to prepare mentally and physically to climb 358 steps before reaching this temple.

What awaits you at the end of the journey is an impressive view of the peaceful Battambang region. Coming to Prasat Banan, you have the opportunity to explore the five-towered temple with ancient architecture. Each design feature of the temple clearly shows the artistic style of the ancients. This temple was built at the request of the Udayadityavarman II, son of the Suryavarman I. Even after a long period of time, this solid structure still survives all natural conditions. In this area there are also some impressive caves that you should explore. If you want to learn more about the caves, you can hire a tour guide right at the temple for a fee of a few dollars.

Relax with massage treatments

A long journey will definitely make your body tired and lifeless. Right now, the best thing you can do is trying massage services in the city. With the increasing number of tourists, the number of spa facilities in Battambang is gradually appearing with high quality. One of the newest ones here is Nature Boutique Spa. This facility promises to bring wonderful relaxing experiences to all customers. In a luxurious and peaceful space, you can choose from a variety of spa treatments from sports massages, four-hand massages, foot baths, tropical treatments to body scrubs. A small coffee shop located right in the facility helps you have hot cups of tea that are refreshing and good for your health. All create a perfect treatment to pamper your body after a tiring trip. Contact Nature Boutique Spa immediately at: Pub St, Krong Battambang, Cambodia, contact phone number: +855 12 251 569. Hours: 10 AM–10 PM.

Enjoy shopping at night markets

Nightfall is not the time to tie your feet up in the bedroom. In Battambang, we have two extremely popular night markets for you to enjoy shopping for souvenirs and gifts. The first option is located in the northeast corner of Phsar Nath market, which is a traditional night market. For the second option, you can go to the newly built night market by the river. Both of these places bring a vibrant and local atmosphere.

At the night market, visitors can freely explore and enjoy traditional street food of Cambodian people. Besides, the clothing, handicrafts and souvenir stalls will definitely bring many good suggestions for you. A small note before buying here is to carefully ask the price and bargain. Shop owners often raise prices to sell to easy-going customers, especially tourists. Therefore, good bargaining will help you save a lot of money on your sightseeing and shopping trip.

Battambang is gradually becoming a destination that attracts many visitors every year. The peaceful and simple city is a peaceful resort for everyone. Coming to Battambang, visitors not only find idyllic countryside scenery but also have countless extremely interesting experiences. With the suggestions mentioned in today’s article, we believe that you will find many impressive memories with this land. Save the most impressive things to do to prepare for your journey of discovery!