Things to Do in Battambang

Cambodia's second-largest city has some of the country's best restaurants. Battambang sits in the northwest, feeling more like a sophisticated town than a metropolis despite its size and impressive cultural scene. French colonial buildings line dusty streets where innovative eateries sit next to traditional Khmer houses, while the countryside holds important archaeological sites and working rice paddies. What makes this place special is the balance—you can get around easily by tuk-tuk or the famous bamboo train, but you're experiencing a real Cambodian city, not a tourist trap.

Battambang punches well above its weight for food. Several restaurants here wouldn't be out of place in Phnom Penh or Bangkok, and the local scene keeps growing each year. The Lonely Tree Cafe does excellent Western food and coffee. Jaan Bai restaurant (run by a hospitality training school) serves sophisticated Khmer cuisine in a beautiful colonial building. The night market has good street food stalls for local flavors. Don't miss the region's famous oranges—they're genuinely some of the best you'll taste in Southeast Asia. Rice wine is also a local specialty, though it's definitely an acquired taste.

November to February offers the most comfortable weather. This is peak tourist season, with temperatures that won't leave you drenched in sweat after five minutes outside. March to May gets seriously hot—we're talking 35-40°C (95-104°F)—but you'll have places mostly to yourself. The rainy season brings afternoon downpours that cool things down and the countryside is at its most lush. Late rainy season works well. September-October gives you green landscapes and fewer crowds, but roads stay generally passable.