Battambang is a sprawling town of about 200,000 on the Sangkae River, about 70 km West of Siem Reap. While the highlight of my visit was without a doubt my tour of Phnom Sampov, there are a few other reasons to stay a bit longer and explore this former French colonial city. You can book tours, but I explored downtown Battambang on my own. It’s easily done with a copy of the maps.me app on your phone and – to move more quickly in the heat – a bike.
Table of Contents
The Roundabout Men
Battambang means “Lost Stick, ” and the name derives from a legend about a cowherd named Ta Dumbong, who found a magic stick he used to usurp the king. The cowherd-cum-king had a dream forecasting that he would be defeated by a holy man on a white horse. He concluded that he should round up all holy men and kill them. The former king’s son had since become a monk and was therefore also ordered into town. A hermit gave him a white horse to ease the journey. It turned out the horse could fly. When Ta Dumbong saw the flying horse, he was scared and threw his stick after the holy man on the horse. He missed. And the magic stick disappeared. So the usurper took off never to be seen again.
Ta Dumbong, the Battambang Man, is immortalized in a giant statue on a roundabout at the entrance to town along Highway 5 coming from the East (Phnom Penh). People visit him to pray, and you can buy a small bird to release (but don’t be shocked that the bird won’t take off to never be seen again – their home is the cage the bird man sells them in).
On the Western side of Battambang along Highway 5 (coming from Siem Reap or the Thai border), you’ll find another roundabout with another large sculpture. This one is of Preah Noreay. He has eight arms – like a Hindu god -, in which he holds different weapons and items like a snake. This is a great place for street food you can buy in sit-down restaurants as well as little stalls. Don’t miss out on the sweet soup for dessert on the northern end of the roundabout.
Battambang Temples
Battambang is dotted with dozens of ornate Khmer Buddhist temples glistening white and golden in the sun. Each of them has individual features like gates reminiscent of the portals in the Angkor complex or golden monkeys guarding the flag posts.
Some of the temples are hundreds of years old. The oldest temples, among them Banan and Ek Phnom that date back to the Angkor period, are, however, a few kilometers outside of town. You can hire a tuk-tuk for the day to take you to the highlights (the drivers have lists you can choose from), or you stay downtown and take a wander about to discover the younger temples yourself.
- Toul Ta Ek Pagoda
- Graves at Wat Kandal temple
- Wat Kandal
- Guards
- Piphetthearam Pagoda
- Golden monkeys
Old Town Architecture
Cambodia was a French protectorate and later colony for almost 100 years. Battambang was expanded to a provincial capital and the old town with its grid pattern of streets, the balconies, the arched windows, and the ornate stucco remains an excellent example of French colonial architecture in Southeast Asia. In fact, efforts are currently underway to get the city inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Modernist architecture fans will also get their kick wandering around old town Battambang. The large covered market with its clock tower cuts the old town in half and at the Western end sits the currently derelict Battambang Railway Station, an off white and turquoise dream in simple lines.
- Monks on the river bank
- Battambang covered market
- Old Town Battambang
- Street in Battambang
Bamboo Train
If you are looking for a working train, you’ll have to go about 5 km South to the Bamboo Train. The Norry (or Nori) utilizes the old French-built train tracks, and locals have built small bamboo carts with an engine – but not always with a proper brake – running along the single-track line, which they use to transport anything. There is a service for tourists along about 4 km of track – on carts with brakes – between villages in 13.0689591,103.2166427 and in 13.0375677,103.2327923 (sorry, don’t know the name of the villages but copy+paste the numbers into Google and the map will pop up).
Phare Circus & NGO
If you have visited Siem Reap, you might have already heard about Phare Circus. The NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak was founded in 1992 by former refugees. They had received painting lessons by a French aid worker in their refugee camp at the Thai-Cambodian border and hoped to apply what they had learned to help many more children in their home country.
Phare grew from painting to music to circus school, and now also runs a regular school and provides social services in Battambang.
The artists at the professional Phare Circus in Siem Reap have all been trained and educated at the performing arts school in Battambang.
If you would like to support the work Phare is doing, you can visit the campus, buy merchandise designed and produced by the students, and you can visit one of the shows performed by the students. At $14 per person it’s not the cheapest night out in Cambodia, but it’s for a good cause. They have different programs, shows only happen a few times a week, and the performers aren’t pros, yet, so mishaps are bound to happen.
I went to a program called Tchamlaek, which means ‘weird’ in Khmer. It was an indeed strange but also very entertaining mix of dance, circus artistry, and traditional music threaded along a storyline about five children building their father a house.
- Students at Phare show
- Traditionale dance at Phare
- Daring artistry at Phare show
Battambang Logistics
- Getting to/out of Battambang:
- The easiest way is the direct bus/minibus from Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, or Poipet (Thai border). If you would like to organize a more complicated route (for example to the coast to Kampot, Kep, or Sihanoukville), talk to the Virak Bus office at the corner of Street 101/Street 106.
- I got into Battambang on the boat from Siem Reap. It’s a leisurely, albeit noisy 6-hour ride. Because there are currently works going on to construct a bridge downriver from the dock in town (near the market) I had to get off the boat about 8 km outside of town and take a tuk-tuk.
- As mentioned, there is a train station but currently no train service in Battambang. Word has it that the Chinese are helping in revamping the route. But as of writing the line had not made it this far West of Phnom Penh.
- Accommodation: Virak Bus is around the corner from the First Hotel where I stayed for two nights. It’s a large hotel with minimalist but clean private rooms and 4-bed dorms ($5 per night). However, due to the lack of common spaces and windows with daylight access, I only recommend it for shorter stays.
- Food: There are numerous coffee shops and restaurants for tourists dotted about the Old Town. I liked the Cappucino Coffee House across from the Star Hotel for breakfast. For lunch and dinner, however, I preferred proper local street food that is plentiful around Preah Noreay Circle.
- Any tuk-tuk driver in town will offer you tours to the main sights listed above plus some. If you want to have a better guarantee for quality (while supporting local students), contact Butterfly Tours. I booked with them on very short notice my Phnom Sampov tour and was more than happy with their service.
- BTW: You can also pre-book your Phare Circus tickets via Get Your Guide. That way you will get seats on the day of your choosing.
Carol
Love this post! I miss SE Asia! I wish I visited Cambodia before I moved to the US from the Philippines 🙂
Carola Bieniek
It’s never too late 😉
Kate
Battambang sounds like a very unique place! I love the back story of Ta Dumbong and the statue! Plus, I am a sucker for beautiful temples and great architecture. Might have to check out Battambang! Hoping to plan a trip to that part of the world next year!
Carola Bieniek
Yes! I’m sure you’ll visit the Angkor temples – Battambang is very close to Siem Reap.
Good luck & happy travels!
Bejal
Hey! I really enjoyed your post. Cambodia is one of my favourite countries, however I didn’t have time to visit Battambang. I really want to now I’ve read your tips and experiences.
earthsmagicalplaces
What at fab little city! The old city with the French colonial architecture looks stunning, I also love exploring SEA temples so this would be the perfect destination – thanks for sharing 🙂
Cassy
I loved this circus you mentioned. I had the opportunity to go twice while i was in Cambodia….best decision ever!!!
London-Unattached.com
That sounds like a fascinating trip. I always love reading old myths and legends like the one about the lost stick. And the Temples look stunning. As for the Tchamlaek – weird stuff but I can imagine quite intriguing.
Jody Robbins
That bamboo train sounds like a hoot. I spent a quick day in Phnom Penn years ago and then went onto Ankor. This Battambang region looks like it’s checking out if I ever get back there.
nickwheatley
I traveled to Battambang back in 2008 to check out the bamboo train but I couldn’t recall much about the city except it being very sleepy and laid back. This was a great walk down memory lane. My wife and I might be headed back to Cambodia this winter and hopefully we’ll get to spend a few days re-touring the city. I would love to go back and take some more photos of that retro-looking train station!
SherianneKay
Love the Roundabout Men, not so sure about the bamboo train but it would be a unique experience!
Sara Broers (@TravelWithSara)
From the architecture in the temples to a bamboo train, you had me at train! A bamboo train sounds very, very interesting. I’ve heard good things about Cambodia, as I’ve been on a couple flights in the U.S. with others that are connecting to end in Cambodia. They all light up when they talk about their end destination, Cambodia.
Sandy N Vyjay
This is a lovely post that looks beyond Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. The story of the cowherd king is fascinating. I can see echoes here of similar mythological stories in the Hindu religion of India. The temples too look so divine and enchanting. A lovely place to visit other than Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia.
Elisa
Even if I was not impressed by Battambang and its colonial architecture I had a lot of fun on the bamboo train plus the boat trip from Siam Reap was nice. I did not know the roundabout man’s story, so weird!
Carola Bieniek
Yes, Battambang is not a typical backpacker destination. I guess it takes a bit of time until the little details grow on you 🙂
Paige Wunder
These are great ideas! I missed Batammbang on my first trip to Cambodia, but it’s at the top of my list for my upcoming trip there, so thanks for the tips! I love visiting temples and it looks like there’s no shortage here! Bookmarked this!