Sitting on the Sangker River.

Just south west of the Tonle Sap Lake, Battambang town is at the heartof Cambodia's 'rice bowl', and even though it is the country's second biggest town, it still has a very local, untouristed, provincial atmosphere. Much of the architecture is French colonial and traditional Cambodian. Few buildings are over three stories, and the main streets are shared by cars and horse carts alike. Unlike more touristed towns, the local economy is truly local - based firmly in rice, wood, sapphires and food crops-and is reflected in the character of the town. Similarly, as you leave Battambang by road, the scene quickly becomes one of small villages, rice paddies, and farmland, offering an excellent opportunity for the visitor to see a bit of 'unspoiled' rural Cambodia. The nearby countryside also harbors old pagodas, Angkorian era ruins, caves, waterfalls, and even Khmer Rouge period killing fields. Battambang means ‘disappearing stick’, and is named after a powerful stick used by a legendary Khmer king to achieve and maintain power in the Battambang area.

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Boat: Battambang to Siem Reap Daily ferry departs Battambang for Siem Reap at 7:00am. $12-$15/person. It's a picturesque, 3-4 hour journey across the Tonle Sap and up the Sangker River in the wet season, but can be considerably longer in the dry season due to low water. Ask about current conditions. The boats in no way meet international safety standards. There is no direct boat from Phnom Penh.

Road: Phnom Penh to Battambang (291km, National Route #5): The road is paved and in good condition. Bus Neak Krorhorm Travel, Capitol Guesthouse and Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Co., offer several daily buses between Battambang and Phnom Penh. All charge $3-$3.50, depart between 6:30AM and 8AM, and take about 5-6 hours. In Battambang, buses depart from near Phsar Nath and the various transportation companies. Taxi A private taxi is $35 - $40. Shared taxi: 25,000R per person. 4 hours. Prices for local transport are very nominal, but are also crowded and uncomfortable. Buy more than one place for the extra leg room.

Road: Battambang to Siem Reap (National Routes #6 and #5, via Sisophon): Much of the stretch between Siem Reap and Sisophon is in poor condition. The road from Battambang to Sisophon is in good condition.

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Your hotel can arrange a car or motorcycle rental. Cars are about $20/day and motorcycle rental runs $5-$8/day - a bit more expensive than other towns. Motodups are plentiful during the day. Just step onto the street and they will find you. They can be much more difficult to find at night. A ride in town should range 500 to 1500 riel.

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La Villa: Western and Asian food and a wide range of cocktails served in an a/c restaurant or garden of a nicely restore 1930s colonial villa. 012-991801

Riverside Balcony: the name says it. Popular place. Very pleasant location. Western managed bar/restaurant overlooking the river. Beer and spirits. Burgers, pasta, enchiladas, specials on the board. Reasonably priced.

Cold Night Restaurant: A proper western style bakery/cafe with a variety of pastries, pies and cookies, as well as western breakfasts and a good selection of coffees and teas. Well known and long popular with the NGO crowd, extensive menu (in English) of very reasonably priced Cambodian, Western and Thai food. Set menu and A La Cart. Booking: 012-20 94 37 / 012 99 47 46

White Rose: Well known and long popular with the NGO crowd, this small, corner shop Cambodian restaurant offers and extensive menu (in English) of very reasonably priced Cambodian and Thai food.

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The following is just a partial list of things to see. Ray Zepp's Around Battambang is required reading for anybody who wants to explore the Battambang area. This 100 page book is an invaluable guide to the Battambang's pagodas, sights and tales, containing practical, descriptive and historical information presented in Mr. Zepp's inimitable 'just there yesterday' style. The book is available for $5 at hotels, restaurants and shops around Battambang. Proceeds go to the Monk's HIV Project.

Bamboo Train: The bamboo train is a unique and creative form of ad-hoc local transportation. It consists of a small (perhaps 2.5m x 4m), motorcycle engine-powered bamboo cart that rides the railroad rails picking up and dropping off passengers, cargo, animals, motorcycles along the way. When it meets on on-coming train or bamboo train, it can be disassembled and taken off the rails in a minute or two, allowing the other to pass. When touring the countryside ask your driver to take you to a rail crossing where you can meet a bamboo train to take a ride.

Circus: In partnership with Asian Trails, the Phare Ponleu Selpak NGO gives the opportunity to Cambodian children from poor and disabled families to “have access to culture via different artistic activities” including music, drawing and circus. See traditional Cambodian circus acts daily beginning at 7:00PM. US$6 admission. Contact Asian Trails (Tel/Fax: 053-730088 in Battambang, or 023-216555 in Phnom Penh), or the Phare Ponleu Selpak office
(Tel: 053-952424).

Countryside Tour: The rural countryside outside of Battambang is National Geographic picturesque. Within just a few kilometers of town the countryside turns into small villages filled with stilted houses and rice paddies that stretch to the horizon. You’ll see plenty of countryside on the way to any of the local sites. Check out some of the local products in the making-rice paper, noodles and the fishpaste market. It’s all very traditional if not a bit unhygienic and smelly. The roads are often rough and always exceptionally dusty. Bring a good hat and a krama to cover your nose and mouth.

Ek Phnom: Is an 11th century Angkorian ruin built as a Hindu temple under Suryavarman I. The temple consists of prasats on a platform with some carvings in pretty good condition. Wat Ek Phnom, a modern pagoda, sits next to the ruin. The river road drive to Ek Phnom from Battambang passes through some absolutely beautiful countryside.

Phnom Banan: Is a mountain top, 11th century Angkorian ruin consisting of five prasats. Peaceful location with a nice view of the area. Also L’Ang But Meas cave. Very old (150 years+) active pagoda at the base of the mountain.

Pagodas: Both Battambang town and the surrounding countryside are replete with pagodas, some of them very old and respected. See Around Battambang for complete information about visiting the local pagodas.

Phnom Sampeou Mountain: Steeped in legend, and topped by Wat Sampeou and a group of caves used as ‘killing caves’ by the Khmer Rouge, containing the skeletal remains of their victims. The wat is unexceptional but the view is spectacular. Ask about the legend of Neang Rumsay Sok.

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Phsar Nath: In the center of town is the main phsar (traditional market) and is geared to the locals, sporting the usual variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, clothes, sundries, food stalls, etc. Gem dealers, a couple of banks, photo shops and moneychangers line the streets that ring the phsar. Phsar Leu, just south of town, seems to be the place to buy the local specialties: oranges and pomelos from Pursat province. The oranges are said to be the best oranges in the country.

Chea Neang Drink Shop: On the west side of Phsar Nath offers ice cream bars, cheeses, yogurt, wines, and other imported items.

Local goods: Marble sculpture from Pursat province, woodcarvings from Battambang and sapphires from Pailin dominate the souvenir market in Battambang. Many of the hotels as well as the small souvenir/art/curios shops on Road #1 on the river in the center of town offer a selection of wood and marble products. The art shops have a better selection than the hotels and a couple have very interesting collections of curios, old trinkets, coins, antiques and oddities - well worth a look.

Cambodian sapphires and rubies mined in Pailin near the Thai border are brought to Battambang to be graded, cut and polished. There are some good deals on stones in Battambang but be very careful when buying. Fake and low quality jewel scams are common so you need to know gemology or know your gem dealer very well. Gem and gold dealers are located in the center of Psah Nath, in little shops surrounding the psah, and in a few shops on Road #1.

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There are Internet shops all over town but most seem to specialize in Internet phone. If you want to check email or surf the web the best shop is KCT Internet on Road #1 on the river. Teo Hotel also has a small Internet shop. Access is relatively fast and stable. $1-$1.50/hr. Most hotels and Internet shops offer international telephone. Most internet shops offer very inexpensive internet phone.

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Money: Like the rest of Cambodia, riel is the official currency and US dollars is the de facto tender, but unique to Battambang and western Cambodia, Thai baht is in common use as well.

Banks: All banks exchange encash travelers checks and change money. Canadia Bank takes MasterCard and CCB accepts Visa and MasterCard. Acleda Bank on the east side of the river has Western Union. Moneychanger/goldsellers are concentrated around the market with a few along Road #1.