BATTAMBANG

Battambang is Cambodia's second-largest city and home to some of the best-preserved colonial architecture in the country. Battambang is also the main rice producing region of Cambodia. This elegant riverside town was off the map for travelers since it was heavily mined by the Khmer Rouge. Recently the infrastructure has been improved a lot and the demining operations have help to free up land to be safely cultivated on and traveled in. Battambang is gradually turning to be one of the highlights for the travellers in Cambodia.

The network of charming old French shop houses lined along the riverbank is the highlight of Battambang City, and there are a number of wats littered around the town. The small museum has a collection of Angkorian-era artifacts, and just outside the town there are some hilltop temples worth a day tour. The town is small and can be explored easily on foot for half a day.

Battambang is 293km from the Phnom Penh, 117 km from Poipet and 171 km from Siem Reap. You can travel by road or by rail to Battambang from Phnom Penh. From Siem Reap you can take a road journey or a boat trip to Battambang.