It seems like every travel resource I consulted about Battambang took care to point out that it was Cambodia’s second largest city. You might be excused for thinking this is all the town has going for it, and truth be told this is a bit of a challenging destination. Like Kampot, there really isn’t a lot to see in Battambang, but it’s a rather nice place to be.

Beautiful Downtown Battambang

Not that the city and its surrounding area doesn’t have things to see. Like Kampot, Battambang has a rather rich supply of colonial era buildings, such as the fantastic La Villa, a 1930s villa converted into a hotel. In the countryside around the city are a few Angkor era ruins, although they don’t really compare to what you’ll find around Siem Reap. I did find Prasat Banan interesting. The temple ruins themselves are not spectacular, but they sit on top of a hill that you later find is almost hollowed out, with large caverns formed by the flow of water over the years.

Battambang is close to the area that was the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge against the invading Vietnamese, so there are a number of ‘killing fields’ in the area where the bloody regime carried on their mass exterminations. Among these, Phnom Sampeau is probably the most interesting. The cliff top temple would be spectacular in its own right, but then you learn that thousands of people were thrown from the cliffs or down into the deep crevasses that pierce the top of the hill, and it all becomes a bit gruesome.

For me, though, the best part of Battambang were the people. The locals I met seemed to be some of the nicest Cambodians I’ve met; genuinely nice as opposed to nice because it’s their job. That, coupled with some rather nice cafés to hang out in makes Battambang a very good place to catch a few days of relaxation.

The main downside to Battambang is getting there. While it does have an airport, there currently aren’t any flights. So, the only way to get there is by road, or leaky boat. From Phnom Penh, a car will take you four hours, a bus five or six. Siem Reap is a little closer. Given the distances, I would probably chose Kampot or Kep over Battambang as a place to relax, but Battambang certainly has its charms.