Find Hotels in Battambang, Cambodia

Apart from these two a trip to some of the Pargodas and villages are essential to have an understanding of these these great people.

I also really enjoyed the Circus - visitors should be aware that the performers are just kids, and are still perfecting their skills. A visit to the Cambodian Cotton Club is another 'must see'. We found it just by chance. The very eccentric Japanese owner is trying to create a cottage industry that will bring a skill and work opportunities to the very poor and uneducated villagers. You can watch the process of cotton production, from the raw material to the weaving and dying processes and finally the finished item, in the shape of a shawl. The dyes are natural - even the indigo is produced from plants growing in the garden. Since Battambang is getting a name for itself as the centre of Cambodian art, there should be a formal tour of the galleries, rather than letting tourists just happen upon them. The hotel provided no advice at all on what to do and where to go. It would have been useful if there had been someone who could have advised us what was worth visiting.

I hired a Tuk Tuk driver for two days and he took me to all kinds of places that he knew of such as: countryside, rice paper maker, fish factory, bamboo dessert maker, crocodile farm, bat cave, etc.

If you find a good tuk-tuk driver and head north to drive through the countryside, it is worth your trip. You will get a view of Cambodian village life and the tenacity of the Cambodian people that you will miss in other places.

The temple on top of the hill is great, very sad history so try to have a driver who speaks some English to explain. When you get to the base of the temple you have to pay, then you can walk up (free- 20-30min walk) or get a moto. CONFIRM price of moto before...we did not and it cost us $6 for a very short ride. Lonely planet recommends a bbq for dinner, we went was 6.50 per person and a great Cambodian experience. Probably only need 1 night here (stop over to other places) Make sure you know what bus you are booking when you continue on for future travels!!!!!

The architectoral walk around Battambang was interesting. Our favourite restaurant was Tastes of India and White Rose was our second favourite. Take a torch as Battambang has lots of power failures

It is a good place to relax and just wander around. The youth circus is definitely a worthwhile inclusion to any stay. I would also recommend Soksabike tours for a sustainable way to get out and explore the surrounding area (bicycle tours with friendly guides).

Battambang is a cute small city but there nothing much to do. Main attractions would be to visit the countryside around.

Take a tuk tuk with someone who can explain everything to you, including their feelings and emotions about Cambodia.

Visiting the bat cave, bamboo train and killing cave are highly recommended, and local dining is a treat - the newly opened restaurant (can't remember the name) on street 2, round the corner from Kinyei is incredible, and teaches local kids the ropes in cooking amazing meals, serving amazing coffee, and running a very tight ship.

Everyone looks at you like they have never seen a foreign person before.When you're out visiting stuff, you run into the tourists, but they are very few compared to the bigger cities? The tuk-tuk driver, mister tenks outside of my hotel, was very good and very helpful. He was also one of the few people in this city who spoke a certain level of English. Once you're out in the open, in the countryside part of the city, people are much more friendly and open ( probably because they think you are rich ), there is a high sense of poverty and I can't blame the kids for trying to get a few dollars here and there. Battambang is well worth a visit, but a short one.

The food is particularly good and the local people very hospitable.

30 in the morning and takes 3.5 h. At Battambang's bus station, you will have the possibility to take a tour, there are a lot of tuk-tuk drivers offering their services. It is also easy to rent a motorbike or a bike. The thing is that there are no buses going back to Siem Reap in the evening/night, that means, you have 2 possibilities: or you stay in a hotel and take a bus the next day back to Siem Rep early in the morning or you get a taxi or a shared taxi to go back. Things I did in Battambang: - I walked around the city. You can see the most important things in 1h, approximately: the market, the street along the river, the colonial houses. I have to say that I was expecting a little bit more of the architecture of the place. -I took the bamboo train. It is fun and not very long and I think it was nice. - Phnom Sampeau. It is a mountain with great views, with some temples, a cave where the khmer rouge used to torture and kill people and now there is a laying buddha -the place itself is nice, but as usual in a lot of places in Camboia, the story behind is so sad-. To get to the top of the mountain you can walk or you can take a motorbike lift. I walked and I think it was nice, you can find some small temples along the way. At the evening, at the same momennt, millions of bats go out from a crack in a cave, personally, I think that with seeing it 5 minutes is enough. - Because it was thursday, I went to see the local circus, which was a nice experience. Don't expect to see the 'cirque de soleil' but enjoy a fancy show involving talented young artists that perform complex accrobatics in a very nice athmosphere. Actually, there is a very interesting project behind involving a music, arts and circus school, so by attending the show, you are supporting them, and just because of that it is a place worthy to go.

We took a boat from Battambang to Siam Reap which was a highlight of our holiday. Took 8 hours but was very interesting all the way.

There's almost no "night life", which is good for families and if you want to feel safe walking the streets late at night. There are many things to see and did in and around the city but it's not an "easy" tourist experience...you have to make an effort and get out and see things! If you do that, you will be rewarded.

I did enjoy the experience of the Bamboo train, loved meeting the people along the way...the locals are so humble and appreciative of any generosity of buying souvenirs or anything at all or just a small tip/donation. It is so amazing to think that these local workers working just to earn US $2 a day and working crazily hard...anyway, please tip directly to the person who served and made a difference in your day, not the business owner! Happy travelling. Oh, one more advice, you can buy the Tuk Tuk service for the day with the right and fair negotiation with the driver. Our Tuk Tuk was great, he did not demand a price, just left it to us...but he was ecstatic when we paid him $15 for the day...

But this is NOT a tourist oriented city at heart and I would never travel there alone or with small kids. We were met with wariness & a tiny bit of hostility at a couple of small shops & while eating out. Another couple we met had similar experiences. There are one or 2 expat eateries that actually offer info on buying drugs. NO THANK YOU and that may explain the strange & closed atmosphere of the city. The rest of Cambodia was a delight!

It is developing quickly.

The bat caves are particularly breathe taking! Locals friendly.

To view the bats leaving the cave in the late afternoon was unbelievable. A wonderful community to see in every day life with the sad history of the suffering during the Khmer Rouge era. Apart from Ankor Wat in Seam Reap, a town not to miss!