When it comes to places to visit in Cambodia, Battambang is not only one of the most underrated, but also perhaps the biggest hidden gem. And there are a number of reasons for this, such as the amazing bamboo railway, as well as the Battambang street food scene, to name but two.
And it turns out that getting here is also fairly easy with the city connected by train to Phnom Penh, as well as by bus and boat to Siem Reap. It also makes the perfect stop for those heading further north on the bamboo train to Poipet, Bangkok and beyond.
Why visit Battambang?
Battambang City is the capital of the province of the same name and is located in the north-east of Cambodia up towards the Thai border. Officially it is the third largest city within the Kingdom being beaten out by Phnom Penh, as well as Siem Reap.
Yet while it is the third biggest it is generally not seen as the third most touristically important within the country, with Sihanoukville, Koh Rong, Kep and now even Koh Kong getting higher billing.
Despite this though there is a whole heap to do in Battambang, with the city and province not only offering a number of sites related to Cambodian history, but also more contemporary sites. These include those related to the colonial history of the country, as well as to the Khmer Rouge and indeed the whole dark tourism genre.
One of the best things perhaps that one can do here though is the iconic bamboo railway that simply has to be seen to be believed.
The hotels here are also extremely plentiful, but because it is not so on the tourist radar tend to be very cheap with $30 being enough to get a good standard 3 star hotel with a pool.
Battambang Street Food
And if these were not already good enough reasons to visit then you also have the added caveat that Battambang offers some of the best street food available within the Kingdom.
Battambang much like other street food cities such as Kampot seems to be one that is firmly asleep during the day, but once the sun starts to set you are greeted by the sights, sounds and smell of the street food vendors starting their day. As expected and again much like other locales this is mainly centered around the river, in this case Battambang River.
As expected all the main Khmer street food groups are represented, such as lort cha (លតឆា), bbq, fried rice and pong tia kun (ពងទាកូន), but there are also some dishes completely unique to the city and region.
Top among these perhaps is Songvak (សង្វាក់). This is a sour Cambodian style fish cake which is wrapped firmly in a banana leaf. The dish can now be gotten throughout the country, but is generally considered at its best in Battambang.
Alongside this is pong muan ang (ពងមាន់អាំង), which is grilled egg on a stick, that has been minority cured. This is then served with Cambodian pepper, salt and garlic. Simple, yet tasty and indeed very Battambang.
And of course should you require something a little more upmarket than mere street food then there are enough Khmer, Chinese and western restaurants to ensure you will not go hungry.
Thankfully the same can indeed be said for if you get thirsty, with the nightlife of Battambang being small, but still quite eclectic. This includes locals knocking back Ganzberg, riverside bars and for those looking for a little more class a fast emerging sky bar scene.
Yes, it is hardly a metropolis, but it is still well worth a visit. With Battambang street food merely being some added icing to the cake.
Author: Gareth Johnson
Gareth Johnson is the founder of Young Pioneer Tours and has visited over 180+ countries. His passion is opening obscure destinations to tourism and sharing his experience of street food.
