After two weeks in Siem Reap, I was ready to move on and travel solo in Battambang. Not because I’d had enough, but because my hotel was booked out for Chinese New Year and I had to leave. I’d been ill, I’d seen a lot, and although I probably could’ve wandered Angkor Wat for another month, it was time. Phnom Penh was my end goal, but Battambang felt like a stop I shouldn’t skip, mainly for the Killing Caves.
Getting there wasn’t awful, just not straightforward. I wasn’t well enough to navigate coaches, especially with most options running through Phnom Penh first. That seemed pointless, so I booked a taxi. It cost £60 and took about three and a half hours. The driver stopped so I could go to the loo halfway, which is common in Cambodia. There’s always somewhere to stop, usually near someone’s cousin’s café.
The Hostel I Ended Up In (And Shouldn’t Have)
Accommodation was tricky because of Chinese New Year. The only place I could find with a pool, which is important to me especially in cities, was a hostel. I’d never stayed in one before. The moment we started driving there, I knew I’d made a mistake. It wasn’t in the main part of Battambang but tucked away down rough streets full of stray dogs and kids setting off firecrackers.
The hostel itself had a good atmosphere and I used the pool every day, which was probably the best thing about it. But I was absolutely convinced they had bedbugs. They didn’t offer any vegan food, and no one really knew what vegan meant. There was a fully vegan place in town, but the food was honestly dreadful. I did later discover that the gym café next door to the hostel could make something vegan-ish, but I had no idea it was there at first. It was very random.
Phare Ponleu Selpak : The Circus With a Story
The circus was a real highlight. It’s not the main one you see in Siem Reap. This is the original school where the performers are trained. It was founded by a French woman and Cambodian refugees after the Khmer Rouge, to give kids access to education, creativity, and a different kind of future.
The show I saw was called Red, and it was about the Khmer Rouge. It was powerful and emotional. There was no narration, just raw physical storytelling. I had a vague idea of what was happening, but even without full context, you could feel the weight of it.
Just a heads-up: The next photo shows human remains from Cambodia’s Killing Caves.
The Killing Caves: Confusing, Sad, but Worth It
This was the main reason I went to Battambang. My tuk-tuk driver dropped me at the bottom of a mountain, pointed vaguely to the top, and said, “Come back down those steps for 5 o’clock to see the bats.” That was the extent of the plan.
So up I went, completely unguided. I had no idea which caves were which. There were multiple temples, shrines, and detours. At one point, I found a cave that I was definitely sure was a killing cave. There was a glass cabinet filled with skulls, which made it very clear.
This cave was one of the Killing Caves, used by the Khmer Rouge during their regime (1975 to 1979). Prisoners were taken to the top of the mountain and thrown through a hole in the roof to die below. Some were killed beforehand, others were beaten and left to fall. Their remains were later collected and placed in the cabinet I’d just seen. The cave felt quiet, confusing, eerie, and overwhelmingly sad. I wasn’t prepared for how it would feel to stand in a place where something so horrific had happened: it was hard to process.
I left, walked up further and came across a disused temple at the top of the mountain, which offered a lovely view and had monkeys everywhere. There were stalls selling drinks, insects, and snacks, but nothing vegan. I was thirsty and tired, so I bought a drink and wandered for a bit.
Eventually I found what I think was the actual cave temple. It was beautiful, peaceful, and one I’d really wanted to see. But I rushed through it, thinking I had to get down the steps for 5pm sharp.
The Bats (Eventually)
I flew down the stairs thinking I was about to miss something amazing. The tuk-tuk driver had stationed himself far from the action, at what I suspect was his friend’s beer stall. I sat with him because I didn’t know any better, until around 7pm when someone finally shouted, “The bats are coming out!”
I ran over and managed to catch them, just. It wasn’t quite the spectacular moment I’d expected. It was pitch dark, you couldn’t really see much, and the smell coming out of the cave was absolutely vile. Still, it was an experience.
Wandering Battambang
I spent the next day or two walking around. The river didn’t have the charm of Siem Reap’s. Battambang felt hectic and heavily polluted. I was still sick, which made it harder to enjoy, and Chinese New Year meant karaoke, fireworks, and pigs laid out as offerings on tables everywhere. There were some interesting statues on roundabouts, and I wandered around to look at a few. I’m sure there were other things to do, but I didn’t find them.
I skipped the bamboo train. It just sounded like a tourist trap and not in a fun way.
Getting to Phnom Penh
When it was time to leave, I booked a cheap ticket, about five or six pounds. A tuk-tuk picked me up and took me somewhere vague where a tiny minivan turned up, already packed. They squeezed in all of us and our bags, and off we went.
The trip took hours and stopped constantly. By the time we arrived in Phnom Penh, I was exhausted and the air was thick. I tried to use Grab but realised I should’ve just taken a local tuk-tuk after a 40 minute wait. The pollution was overwhelming. At the time, Phnom Penh had a higher air pollution rating than Delhi. You could feel it in your lungs the second you stepped outside.
Final Thoughts
Solo travel in Battambang wasn’t the easiest part of my Cambodia trip. I’m glad I went, but I wouldn’t rush back. If you go, take a guide for the Killing Caves, don’t expect much in the way of food if you are vegan, and be ready for vague instructions and unexpected smells. But sometimes, that’s just part of the story.
Before You Go…
If you’re planning your own solo trip my Solo Travel Lifeline might come in handy. It’s like having a travel buddy in your pocket – without the awkward small talk.
Need a ready-made plan? Check out my 3-day travel itineraries for popular destinations – they’re packed with tips and can save you a lot of guesswork. If you want something more personalised, I also offer custom itinerary planning to make sure your trip goes smoothly.
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If you’re interested in Southeast Asia, you might also enjoy my posts about Koh Lanta and Phu Quoc.
If you’re planning a big trip, don’t miss my guide on how to survive long-haul flights in economy—it’s painfully honest and full of hard-earned wisdom.
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