Full day tour: Car $165 – Van $190
Banteay Chmar Temple
This temple complex is 20km from the Thai border and was constructed in the late 12th or early 13th Century. The complex resembles Angkor Thom and is the fourth largest dating from the Angkorian period. The gallery walls have bas reliefs that depict battles and scenes from everyday life similar to the ones found at Bayon. There are nine satellite temples in addition to the main one, making this well worth a visit as part of any trip to Battambang Province.
Battambang Province
The beautiful riverside town of Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia and home to some of the finest examples of French colonial architecture to be found in the country. A number of wats litter the town and, in the surrounding countryside, there are several hilltop temples which afford panoramic views of what is Cambodia’s most productive rice producing region. Perhaps the most famous of these is Phnom Sampeau which is where visitors can see the killing caves, the scene of executions during the time of the Khmer Rouge. The hillside is cut through with cave systems which are home to millions of bats and at dusk visitors gather on the road at the foot of the hill to witness them streaming out to feed.
The town has a thriving arts scene which is centred around the arts school of Phare Ponleu Selpak. Tourists are welcome at the school and the renowned circus troupe perform shows twice weekly in the brightly coloured big top. Cafes and restaurants can be found everywhere on the riverfront, which provides the perfect place to sit and soak up the atmosphere of this charming town.
Tours of Angkor 