Discover Battambang

Known as the norry, the bamboo train consists of simple motorized bamboo platforms that rattle along leftover colonial-era rails at speeds of up to 40 km/h and are simply taken apart when they meet oncoming traffic.

The hill of Phnom Sampov is home to both haunting “Killing Caves” from the era of the Khmer Rouge and a cave from which millions of bats fly out daily at sunset in a spectacular swarm lasting several minutes.

Battambang's old town is considered one of the best-preserved French colonial towns in Cambodia, with numerous Art Deco facades and shutters along the Sangkae River that still define the charming cityscape today.

Dating from the 11th century, the temple of Wat Ek Phnom sits amid quiet rice fields on the outskirts of town and, despite its weathered state, displays elaborate stone reliefs from the golden age of the Khmer Empire.

Buses run several times a day from Siem Reap to Battambang, with a journey time of about four hours. Alternatively, a scenic boat transfer along the Sangkae River connects both cities in about seven to eight hours.

Known as the norry, the bamboo train consists of simple motorized bamboo platforms that rattle along leftover colonial-era rails at speeds of up to 40 km/h and are simply taken apart when they meet oncoming traffic.

The hill of Phnom Sampov is home to both haunting “Killing Caves” from the era of the Khmer Rouge and a cave from which millions of bats fly out daily at sunset in a spectacular swarm lasting several minutes.

Battambang's old town is considered one of the best-preserved French colonial towns in Cambodia, with numerous Art Deco facades and shutters along the Sangkae River that still define the charming cityscape today.