Is Battambang Worth Visiting?

Battambang is located in northwest Cambodia and is the third-largest city in Cambodia with a population of around 120,000 people. It is also the capital city of Battambang province. Over recent years the city and province have become popular tourist destinations in Cambodia. So, is Battambang worth visiting?

Yes, Battambang is worth visiting but it depends on your interests. Battambang is worth visiting if you are interested in exploring the town, riding the bamboo train, visiting the ancient house, and the killing fields to visit. On the other hand, there is not much nightlife and after a few days, there is not much to do.

In this post, we will go through is Battambang worth visiting. Let’s get started!

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Is Battambang Worth Visiting?

Battambang is developing as a tourist destination but if it is worth visiting it depends very much on your interests. If you enjoy exploring new places and learning about Cambodia’s history where you can visit the ancient house, and the killing caves.

There is not much nightlife in Battambang but it is a great place if you are a foodie. You can enjoy Western food to local food, either way, you won’t be disappointed. The city and province have a very traditional rural charm about it and the locals are friendly.

There are three reasons that Battambang is worth a visit. These are as follows.

Not As Busy As Phnom Penh Or Siem Reap.
History.
Friendly Locals.

Not As Busy As Phnom Penh Or Siem Reap

Battambang is slowly developing as a tourist destination and is not as well known if compared to places like Phnom Penh or Siem Reap so there are not loads of tourists everywhere. This is great if you want to leave a busy city for a few days and relax. But it is quiet at night.

History

Visiting Battambang gives you a chance to learn and see Cambodia’s history. In Battambang, you can visit the killing caves of Phnom Sampeau which is similar to the killing fields in Phnom Penh except it is a cave.

Along with visiting several temples in Battambang, you can try the bamboo train which was used for a long time to transport goods as roads were underdeveloped and difficult to use.

Friendly Locals

The locals from Battambang are generally friendly. There will be a bit of a language barrier as the city and the province are not touristy. They are happy to welcome visitors from other countries and are happy to help visitors.

Does Battambang Have An Airport?

Yes, Battambang does have an airport. It is called Battambang Airport which is located about 3 kilometers from Battambang City. It has only a single paved runway.

In 1987 it closed to all flights and became a military airbase but in 2018 it reopened for private aircraft. In early 2020 the airport was planned to reopen for domestic flights.

Is Battambang A Party Town?

No, Battambang is not a party town. The city is very quiet at night so it is unlikely that you will have a crazy night but is a great place for eating out at night.

Things To Do In Battambang Cambodia

Battambang city itself has no major tourist attractions but the province has a few places worth a look at. You can read more on the main things to do in Battambang in this post, lets go through a few things to do in Battambang.

Go On The Bamboo Train

Riding the bamboo trains is a popular thing to do in Battambang. The bamboo trains are all so known as Norry. These trains are made from bamboo platforms and small motors that run on the train lines.

Traditionally used by locals to move cargo back when the roads were more difficult to use. The trains can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph) on the meter gauge tracks around Battambang and Poipet.

It costs about $3 per person but they will try and charge more. Don’t pay more than $5 per person.

Killing Caves Of Phnom Sampeau

Similar to the killing fields in Phnom Penh the killing caves of Phnom Sampeau are a Khmer Rouge execution site on Phnom Sampeau, this is a hill 11 km southwest of Battambang in western Cambodia.

The Khmer Rouge killed their victims on top of the cave. Then the dead bodies into the cave with men and women were thrown into separate caves.

There are several caves at Phnom Sampeau that have traditionally served as Buddhist temples.

Today, there is a large glass memorial in the cave next to the skulls and bones, and a golden reclining Buddha, which can be accessed easily via a staircase into the cave.

Explore White Elephant Pagoda

Wat Tahm-rai-saw otherwise known as the White Elephant Pagoda is one of the most visited tourist spots because it is in the city center area.

Properly, the best time to visit the White Elephant Pagoda is when the Khmer New Year festival is on.

It is during this time that the temple and the adjacent streets are particularly decorated with various colorful accessories making it more beautiful.

USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES

Book Accommodation

Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.

Booking Flight

Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.

Booking Transportation & Things To Do

Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.

Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.

Wrapping Up

Finally, Battambang is worth visiting but it depends on your interests. Battambang is worth visiting if you are interested in exploring the town, riding the bamboo train, visiting the ancient house, and the killing fields to visit. On the other hand, there is not much nightlife and after a few days, there is not much to do.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on is Battambang worth visiting has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.