Battambang

Bus from Siem Reap or Phnom Penh(3-6 hours)

From Siem Reap: 3 hours, $6-10. From Phnom Penh: 5-6 hours, $8-12. Capitol or Mekong Express are reliable

Check-in at a colonial guesthouse(1 hour)

Budget $5-10/night. Mid-range $15-30. Stay near the river for atmosphere. Here On The Map or Bambu Hotel are good options

Colonial architecture walk along the Sangker River(1.5 hours)

Street 1, Street 2, and the riverfront have Cambodia's best-preserved French colonial buildings. Self-guided — the old Governor's Residence and shophouse rows on Street 2.5 are highlights. Free

Dinner at Jaan Bai(1.5 hours)

Social enterprise restaurant training disadvantaged youth. Excellent Khmer fusion cuisine. $5-12 per dish. Book for dinner

Bamboo Train (Norry)(1 hour)

$5/person. 7km round trip on bamboo platforms rolling along old French tracks through rice paddies. When two norries meet, the lighter one is disassembled. Open 7AM-5PM

Lunch at Coconut Lyly(1 hour)

Khmer cooking class venue that also serves great food. Try fish amok and green mango salad. $3-6

Phnom Sampov Bat Caves(3 hours)

12km southwest. Arrive by 5PM. The Killing Cave memorial from the Khmer Rouge era is at the top (approach with respect). Then wait for sunset when millions of bats stream out in a dramatic spiral column lasting 30-45 minutes. Free to watch from the base

Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus(1.5 hours)

$14-18. Show starts 7PM (usually Mon, Thu, Sat — check schedule). World-class acrobatics, theater, and music founded by Khmer Rouge survivors. This is the original — the Siem Reap version is the sister show. Book same day at the venue or online

Hire a tuk-tuk for the day(full day)

Full day $18-25. Fix itinerary and price before departing. Mr. Sarun and Mr. Van are well-reviewed

Wat Ek Phnom(1 hour)

$1 entry. 11th-century Angkorian temple 12km north. You'll likely have it to yourself. Carved lintels depicting Hindu mythology. A modern pagoda next door has a massive reclining Buddha

Rice paddy and village stops(1.5 hours)

Your tuk-tuk driver will stop at rice paper making workshops, fish paste factories, and fruit orchards. These are not tourist traps — they're real family businesses. Small purchases support directly

Lunch at a countryside restaurant(45 minutes)

Simple Khmer food. $2-4

Wat Banan Temple(1.5 hours)

Often called the 'mini Angkor Wat.' 358 steps up a hill to a ruined temple with valley views. $1 entry. Less restored but atmospheric. Don't walk off the main path — unexploded ordnance exists in rural areas

Phsar Nath market tour(1 hour)

The central Art Deco market building is a landmark. Browse produce, dried fish, spices, and household goods. Free to explore. Your cooking class guide explains ingredients

Khmer cooking class(3 hours)

Nary Kitchen or Coconut Lyly. $15-25/person. Learn fish amok, lok lak, and green mango salad. You eat everything you cook. Half-day format

Free afternoon(2 hours)

Rest or explore the old French colonial quarter at leisure

Dinner at Lonely Tree Cafe(1.5 hours)

Riverside restaurant with good Khmer and Western food. $3-8

Rent a bicycle(30 minutes)

$2-3/day from hotels or rental shops

Cycle to Prasat Banan (Wat Banan approach)(2 hours)

15km south of town. The ride through rice paddies is peaceful. Stop at village workshops

Battambang Wine vineyard(1 hour)

Yes, Cambodia has wine. Small vineyards outside Battambang produce surprisingly drinkable reds. Some offer tastings. $3-5

Lunch at a countryside stall(45 minutes)

$2-3. Rice and grilled fish

Sunset from the riverbank(1 hour)

The Sangker River at sunset is beautiful. Grab a beer ($1 for draft Angkor) and watch the sky change

Sleep in and brunch at Kinyei(1.5 hours)

Social enterprise cafe and roastery. Excellent Cambodian coffee ($1.50-3) and brunch. They also run photography workshops

Sangker Gallery(45 minutes)

Contemporary Cambodian art. Free. Small but thoughtful exhibitions. On the riverfront

Romchek 5 Art Space(45 minutes)

Artist collective in a colonial house. Free. Rotating exhibitions and workshops. The Battambang art scene is genuine and growing

Cambodian massage(1 hour)

$5-8 for a full body massage. Several good shops near the river

Farewell dinner at Jaan Bai(1.5 hours)

Return for a last meal at the best restaurant in town

Last riverside walk(45 minutes)

Morning light on the colonial buildings. Final coffee at Kinyei

Bus to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh(3-6 hours)

To Siem Reap: 3 hours, $6-10. To Phnom Penh: 5-6 hours, $8-12. Or scenic boat to Siem Reap via Tonle Sap (wet season only, 6-8h, $20)

Onward journey(varies)

Connect to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh for international flights, or Poipet border for Thailand

Dinner at Jaan Bai(1.5 hours)

$5-12

Bamboo Train(1 hour)

$5

Phare Circus(1.5 hours)

$14-18

Full day tuk-tuk(full day)

$18-25

Wat Ek Phnom(1 hour)

$1

Wat Banan(1.5 hours)

$1

Cooking class(3 hours)

$15-25

Bicycle rental(30 minutes)

$2-3/day

Massage(1 hour)

$5-8

Tonle Sap boat tour(3 hours)

$15-25/person. Visit floating villages and stilted fishing communities. The lake's water level changes dramatically between seasons (1-12m depth). The stilt houses and floating schools are remarkable

Lunch at a lakeside restaurant(1 hour)

Fresh fish from the lake. $3-6

Phare campus visit(2 hours)

Free or by donation. See where students train in circus, visual arts, and music. Learn about the organization's founding by Khmer Rouge survivors. Art gallery and shop on site

Second Phare show (different program)(1.5 hours)

If a different show runs tonight, go again. Each production tells a different Cambodian story

Drive to Pailin(2 hours)

80km west. Shared taxi $5-8

Pailin market(1 hour)

Former gem trading center. The ruby and sapphire trade is much diminished but gem dealers still operate. Interesting to browse but buy cautiously

Phnom Yat viewpoint(45 minutes)

Hilltop pagoda with views over the border area. Free

Drive to Kamping Puoy(30 minutes)

27km west. Tuk-tuk $10-15 round trip

Kamping Puoy reservoir(2 hours)

Free. A massive irrigation reservoir built between 1975-1977 by thousands of forced laborers. Many died during construction. Today it's a peaceful lake used by local fishermen. The dual nature — horror and beauty — is deeply Cambodian

Lunch at the reservoir(1 hour)

Small restaurants serve fresh fish from the lake. $2-4

Street art walk(1.5 hours)

Battambang has a growing collection of murals and public art, much of it created by Phare artists. Walk the riverside and side streets

Morning market(1 hour)

Phsar Nath at dawn. Produce, fish, spices, and local snacks. Arrive before 7AM for peak activity

Lunch at About the World cafe(1 hour)

Traveler cafe with good food and travel advice. $3-7

Final souvenir shopping(1 hour)

Phare art, kampot pepper, palm sugar, and silk items

Bamboo Train(1 hour)

$5

Phare Circus(1.5 hours)

$14-18

Full day tuk-tuk(full day)

$18-25

Cooking class(4 hours)

$15-25

Boat tour(3 hours)

$15-25

Scenic boat to Siem Reap(6-8 hours)

$20. Departs 7AM from Battambang river port. Follows the Sangker River to Tonle Sap lake and up to Siem Reap. Floating villages, bird life, and vast wetlands. Long and cramped but beautiful. Bring snacks and sun protection

Check-in at Siem Reap(1 hour)

$5-20/night

Tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat(15 minutes)

1-day pass $37. 3-day $62. 7-day $72. Arrive 5AM for sunrise

Angkor Wat exploration(3 hours)

The world's largest religious monument. Walk the full circuit. The bas-reliefs in the outer gallery tell the Ramayana and historical battles. The central tower climb is steep but rewarding

Angkor Thom and Bayon(2 hours)

216 serene stone faces. The most atmospheric temple in the complex. Enter through the South Gate — the causeways with gods and demons pulling a naga are iconic

Ta Prohm (Tomb Raider temple)(1 hour)

Giant silk-cotton trees growing through the ruins. The interplay of nature and architecture is stunning

Banteay Srei(1.5 hours)

30km from main complex. 10th-century pink sandstone with the finest carvings in the Angkor world. Small but extraordinary

Banteay Samre(45 minutes)

Near Banteay Srei. Almost nobody visits. Excellent condition. Quiet and atmospheric

Preah Khan(1 hour)

Massive monastery-university complex. The two-story building with round columns is unique in Angkor

Neak Pean and Ta Som(1 hour)

Island temple and a tree-strangled eastern gate

Pre Rup sunset(1 hour)

Brick temple with excellent sunset views. Less crowded than Phnom Bakheng

Kampong Phluk floating village(3 hours)

$20-30 tour. Stilted village that floods 6+ meters in wet season. Remarkable adaptation to the lake's rhythm

Beng Mealea(2 hours)

65km from Siem Reap. $5 entry. A vast, mostly unrestored jungle temple. Climbing over collapsed galleries through vine-covered corridors. The Indiana Jones experience. 12th century

Koh Ker(2 hours)

Further afield (120km). $10 entry. A 7-tiered pyramid (Prasat Thom) that served as a brief capital. Remote and rarely visited

Bus to Battambang(3 hours)

$6-10