A Glimpse into Battambang Life

The Central Market of Battambang, P'sa Nat

The Provincial House in Battambang

Battambang provides travelers with more than they would ever expect. It’s known for being rich in culture, history and art. If you are looking for a relaxing place and to get off the beaten path, Battambang is the place to go. Here are some tips to know about this province.

Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia and the province is the center of rice production in Cambodia. The city is beautiful and clean. The French architecture throughout the city is an extra draw for travelers passing through. The city center was built by the French administration in the beginning of 20 century.

During this time, P’sa Nat, the central market of Battambang, began and is still a critical part of life in Battambang to this day. P’sa Nat connected the main roads and offers travelers and locals alike everything they need for daily life – vegetables, meat, spices, kitchen supplies, etc. You can even get homemade food from the market stalls – we recommend the roast duck! Battambang has a lower cost of living than cities like Phnom Penh or Siem Reap – just another great reason to visit and stay awhile! In Battambang, unlike other areas in Southeast Asia, everything is not specially made for tourists, instead it is made for everyone. There are a lot of good coffee shops and street carts in the city frequented by locals and tourists alike. Be sure to try Khmer iced coffee while you’re here and see if you can figure out the ingredients to make it so sweet! There are not many western pubs or clubs running at night, instead there are many local Cambodian hangouts. Even though Battambang has a “pub street,” our city is completely different from Siem Reap and offers many more chances to experience and learn about the real life of local people here.

Battambang orange, selling at Nat market

Although Battambang is most famous for its rice, our fruit is also very good. The province has almost all tropical fruit. Battambang’s orange is the best in the country. People from Phnom Penh or other provinces will buy them immediately if the orange is brought from a Battambang plantation. Be sure to scout one out while you’re here. Our oranges might not even be the color you expect! There are mangos, bananas, jack fruit, rambutan, dragon fruit and so on. You can find everything easily in every market and be sure to take advantage – you’ll probably find some fruits you don’t recognize as well but they all taste great!

Riverside food stall in Battambang

Battambang is also a great place to try street food. It is very common for people here to eat out in the evening.  If you walk down along the riverside, there are many food stalls selling lots of different foods with customers eating along the river or stopping to take food to-go from their motorbikes. You can find fried rice, soup, fried noodle, grilled meatball, and papaya salad. Papaya salad is always a favorite to order from these stalls – you can try Khmer or Thai style.  If you head to the street stalls before the sun sets, you’ll have a great view during dinner as you watch the sun set through the branches of a tree or over the buildings of town.

Battambang is a very peaceful and beautiful place . People are friendly and helpful. If you are here, you can try a lot different things and tours that we haven’t mentioned in the paragraph above. You will have a very good time and feel really safe here. It is a great place to relax and get off the beaten path. 

Battambang city in the evening