Battambang: See
1 Battambang Circus, Phare Ponleu Selpak (10 min journey by tuk-tuk from the centre of Battambang), ☏ +855 77554413, +855 93554413, reservations@phareps.org. Probably the most interesting thing happening in Battambang. You can check their website for the schedule or find the calendar printed on flyers around town. The shows are fun, energetic and exciting and include a range of circus disciplines. The ticket price helps support the NGO school which works with disadvantaged children and teenagers. US$16. (updated Jan 2024)
2 Phnom Sampeu. A hill with the killing caves of the Khmer Rouge, a few others caves adorned with Buddhist statues, and a monastery with two Buddhist stupas on the hilltop. The admission charge also includes Wat Banan. It takes about 1 hr to climb the circuit to the monastery on top, with a short-cut leading back down to the shops and restaurants which line the approach road. US$3.
3 Wat Banan. The so-called mini-Angkor Wat, an impressive flight of stairs lead up to a dilapidated Angkor-style temple which is still in use as a Buddhist shrine.
Statues. Battambang is known for its statues, which seemingly decorate every public place. Most are of animals (both mythical and real) and deities.
4 Lok Ta Dambong Kra Nhoung. The most famous of these statues (Lok Ta Dambong Kra Nhoung) is on the main road from Phnom Penh and is of an ancient Khmer King holding a stick which he used to quell rebellions in the Battambang area. The name of the town and province derives from this legend. (updated Jan 2026)
5 Peace Bird Statue. (updated Jan 2026)
Wat Baydamram. A temple where hundreds of fruit bats live in trees under the protection of the Buddhist monks.
6 Wat Ek Phnom (about 10 km northwest of Battambang). Angkor-type temple ruin. The road runs along lovely small rivers flanked by trees and small villages making it a generally nice area. Approaching Wat Ek Phnom, you suddenly encounter a giant Buddha statue in the wat, which is certainly picture-worthy. The grounds of the wat also have an Angkorian-era temple which is in relatively good shape and with some interesting carvings.
7 Wat Samrong Knong. Roughly translates as "wat in the forest". An extremely old pagoda on the east side of the Sangker River. The eerie old wat was used as a Khmer Rouge prison, and there were many executions on the premises. A new pagoda is now being built, and there is a memorial to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime, with graphic illustrations, just to the north.
8 Battambang Provincial Museum, Corner of Rd. 1 and Street 125. Tue-Sun 08:00-17:30; closed Mon. Established in 1963, the Battambang Provincial Museum houses a small but impressive collection of Khmer artifacts. The core of the collection is statutes and temple pieces dating from the advent of Hindu and Buddhist religion in Cambodia all the way through the Angkor period. There is also a notable collection of neolithic artifacts from the Laang Spean site. …