The city of Battambang is located in Western Cambodia, a couple of hours from the border with Thailand and south of Siem Reap. Despite being one of Cambodia鈥檚 largest cities, Battambang exudes a small-town vibe with some of the friendliest locals who welcome you to their hometown with shouts of hello and waves as they go about their day.
This mini guide shares everything you need to know to plan your stay in Battambang, including where to stay, how to get around and where to eat. Click here to jump to things to do.
Battambang is a large city, with transport options from the major tourist hubs of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville via bus. The bus route from Sihanoukville takes 10 hours, which can be pretty gruelling on Cambodian highways, so we opted to return to Phnom Penh for another visit before continuing to Battambang.
馃挵 $13.50 from Phnom Penh
The city is also connected to Phnom Penh via the northern line of the Royal Railways. During our Cambodia trip, the trains only ran on weekends, making the bus more convenient to get to Battambang.
You can book transport to Battambang via Baolau*, a search engine that compares all transport options and supports online bookings.
As we were only spending one day in Battambang, we decided to book a tuk-tuk tour of the city to see and do as much as possible. We joined Kim Tours who was amazing and I highly recommend him for your trip to Battambang. Born and raised in Battambang, Mr. Kim has so much knowledge to share about the region.
馃挵 $15/person for the day
If you prefer to explore on your own, you will need a motorbike to get around the sites. Battambang Scooter and Motorcycle Rentals start at $7 a day.
There are lots of accommodation options* in Battambang, but be aware that many budget hotels here don鈥檛 have AC (only fan).
We wanted to have a pool to cool off in, so we stayed at Blue Diamond Guesthouse*. The hotel is very budget-friendly, in a peaceful neighbourhood, a quick 15-minute walk from the riverfront where you鈥檒l find street vendors in the evenings.
In the heart of the city is THE PLACE hostel*, where some friends stayed and they loved it. They have dorms and privates, with the option of AC and a social vibe complete with a rooftop bar.
On our first evening in Battambang, we ate at one of the riverfront street vendors; they mostly sell hotpot, rice dishes and seafood. Along the riverfront, you鈥檒l find street vendors selling snacks like crepes.
I recommend checking out Nary鈥檚 Kitchen for great Cambodian cuisine; we had such a lovely dinner that we returned for breakfast the next day. The hosts are super friendly and the meals budget-friendly.