Battambang is a city in Northwest Cambodia, some 293 km from Phnom Penh, and was the leading rice-producing province of the country until the war years. It was part of Siam for centuries serving as its eastern commercial hub. The French left a strong mark on the town's architecture, resulting in a pleasing colonial effect.
The true bonus is the village life that is merely a motorcycle, jeep or boat ride away. Battambang is also a popular base for visiting the nearby temples of Phnom Banon and Wat Ek Phnom and it serves as a gateway between Thailand and Phnom Penh. Even so, it still retains a sleepy atmosphere not conducive to people looking for nightlife and fine dining.
Battambang is somewhat of an ode to French Colonialism. The city lies in the heart of the northwest and was once the leading rice-producing province of the country. The 100,000-person town offers not only one of the best-preserved examples of the French Colonial era but also the small-town feel you expect to encounter in Cambodia as a rule.
The true bonus,...
Battambang is regarded by many visitors as the best place in the country to see and enjoy the traditional and rural Cambodian way of life. With that, you'll also naturally come across an array of flavoursome traditional Khmer cuisine.
The people here are friendly and the town seems less commercial than other Cambodian cities. As an indirect result, the choice of...
