Battambang

Battambang is a small province in the north of Cambodia, capital of the province of Battambang, around 300km north-west away from Phnom Penh.

The city of Battambang merges perfectly two different elements: you will find colonial architecture from the french era, together with typical khmer buildings. Colonnades houses and colonial balconies overlook the riverside, where tons of small local bars are serving meals all day long.

The city center is very small, in an half day you will probably be able to most of the interesting things. Even more if you are willing to rent a bike or a scooter (which is always practical).

A short history

Although many explanation have been given on the origin of its name, the most commune is the one that refers to the legend of Preah Bat Dambang Kranhouhg. Litteraly, it means "to lose the stick". The story tells about a giant that became king and, due to fight an enemy, he throws his stick at him, but miss the target. Impacting the ground, the stick creates a river, called « O Dambang », that gave the name to the city. 

Historically, it has been an agglomerated of houses more than a real town up to the french colonization in 1907. The traces of french passage in the area are clearly identifiable, with all the colonial buildings and road patterns that remind something of the old continent.

What to see

The Central Market (Psar Nat) is a typical example of khmer architecture, with a big cement structure. 

It is obviously way different from way different from the markets of Phnom Penh. Here you won't get harassed by sellers and you can really take your time to chose your items or to take a tour. Early morning hours are definitely the best to see the market, when it wakes up and its sellers bring their products in.

The Governor House, an example of the french influence in matter of architecture, with his columns and garden in perfect colonial style.

The Wat(s) (Damrey Sar, Phiphétaram, Kampheng), pagodas and small neighbors inside the town. I was pretty astonished by some decoration elements outside the Wat Damrey Sar, like a statue of a man with an open stomach with vultures on him, eating its interiors.

The Bamboo Train is one of the "classic" rail journey. Actually, to call it "train" you have to be brave: it consist of a 3 meters wood frame covered by bamboos, leaning on  two barbell bogies. The departure is in O Dambong, 3.5 km south of Battambang's Old Stone Bridge, and it runs southeast for around half an hour along warped, misaligned railways and vertiginous bridges left by the French.

The Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus, is a non-profit Cambodian association working with vulnerable children, young adults and their families through three interweaving fields of intervention: Arts schools, Social support and Educational programs. In Battambang, they perform twice a week and it really worth the show.