Battambang

Battambang is Cambodia's second-largest city and one of the country's best-preserved colonial towns, sitting on the banks of the Sangker River in the northwest of the country. Less visited than Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, it rewards those who make the journey with an authentic slice of Cambodian provincial life — French colonial shophouses, a thriving arts scene, and a quiet confidence that comes from centuries of history as the country's rice bowl.

The city's colonial core is compact and eminently walkable, with a grid of avenues lined by crumbling French-era buildings, Chinese shophouses, and local market stalls. The Sangker River waterfront is a pleasant place to spend an evening, with riverside restaurants and bars filling up as the sun sets. Battambang is also notable for its contemporary arts and culture scene — the city is home to Phare Ponleu Selpak, a performing arts school that has become one of the most respected arts organisations in Cambodia, producing world-class circus performers, musicians, and visual artists.

The surrounding countryside is where Battambang truly distinguishes itself. The 'bamboo train' — locally known as the norry — is a legendary Cambodian experience: a makeshift bamboo platform on iron wheels powered by a small engine, careening along disused French colonial railway tracks through rice paddies and villages. Though the original tracks have been largely replaced and the route is now partly tourist-oriented, it remains one of the most memorable journeys in Southeast Asia.

The region around Battambang is dotted with significant ancient temples, including the imposing Wat Banan on a hilltop accessible by a steep staircase, and the cave temples of Phnom Sampeau — where the haunting Killing Caves bear witness to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge era. Each evening at Phnom Sampeau, millions of bats spiral out from the cave mouth at dusk in one of Cambodia's most spectacular natural displays.

Battambang is a comfortable one-to-three night stop on the route between Siem Reap and Bangkok, or a worthwhile destination in its own right for travellers who want to look beyond the main tourist circuit.