Battambang

Yeah, Lonely Planet uses the phrase “crumbling French artitecture” rather too loosely, but Battambang is nevertheless an atmospheric place to wander around for a day or two. There’s not much to do, but it’s very pretty in a run-down way. Plus, there are no urchins selling postcards yet, either, so it’s refreshing after the sad onslaught of Phnom Penh.

The boat trip from Battambang to Siem Reap along the Sangker River, however, is best approached with caution. There’s some beautiful riverside scenery, yes, and an interesting stop for lunch at a floating village, indeed, but it’s a very long, very loud trip.

We did it in just under ten hours (on heavily vibrating wooden bench seats). We also had the privilege of a boat accident (we smashed the prow of a smaller fishing boat with an appropriately distraught family on board—no injuries, thankfully) and a mysterious breakdown.

Do it, sure, but make sure you really want to spend a long day on a boat. The bus is faster and cheaper.

Battambang was one of the highlights of my trip to Cambodia. It doesn’t seem like a lot of tourists go there.
We had a wonderful time riding on a Moto and having the drivers show us the attractions of the area.

This is Cambodia’s second largest city but to Westerners it’s not a city at all. A good place to stop on the way to/from Thailand but also a good place to visit in it’s own right. I fouund that the food was absolutely delicious in Battambang in all the places I ate. The surrounding countryside is both beautiful and arrid and there are some nice temples to visit if you head out on a bike. There is a good market for buying fruit and fthe locals are friendly too – i spent a large part of my time goofing off outside my lodgings with all the moto drivers who congregated there.