Battambang province
Battambang is the rice bowl of western Cambodia, home to some spectacular rural scenery and within easy distance of both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
This sprawling province has a range of tourist sights including Angkor-period temples, mountain viewpoints, wetlands and typical day-to-day rural scenery. Despite the wealth of attractions, Battambang province makes it onto the itinerary of relatively few travellers, making it a fabulous off-the-beaten-track destination.
You could easily spend three or four days in the same-named provincial capital exploring the surrounding area at a slow but sure pace. The local people are particularly friendly and you certainly won't come across the more money-minded commercialism you'll often find in Siem Reap.
One oddity of Battambang province is the rain gambling. Although it does happen all over Cambodia, this is the epicentre of the phenonemon. Fortunes are won and lost betting how much rain will fall at a given place at a given time. When in the capital, keep an eye out for people clustered on the roofs of the buildings overlooking the central bus station. Clutching walkie-talkies, they're communicating with both their rain-spotters who are scattered across the surrounds monitoring the clouds and their bookies at Phsar Boeung Chhoeuk. The bookies can be a bit shy about having their photo taken, but they're not too worried if you're just there to check it out.
The province borders Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey to the north, Pailin and Thailand to the west, Pursat to the south and east and the Tonle Sap to the east. The provincial capital of Battambang has excellent road connections to Phnom Penh and fair to average roads to Sisophon and Pailin. It also lies on the train line to Phnom Penh.
