Battambang or Angkor?

3 days at the temples was a bit much for me, but i got to see alot. if you dont want to miss out on any of the Angkor Complex, ask your driver to take you out to some villages/rural areas on the way out to some other temples.

the area around battambang was really nice, though the town is nothing to write home about. i did a half day on a moto out to some villages, Wat Banon, the killing Caves and the Bamboo train.

if i was doing it again, it would be the 2 days at the temples and the one day in Battambang.

either way enjoy your trip.

A few hours in Battambang could well be a pleasure but if you are going it would be better to have the time to spend a day and do the bamboo train trip. It is fun

I agree Battambang is nothing to write home about. To be honest, I am no temple fanatic, but I spent 4 days in Angkor and was not bored at all. Can't imagine spending only 2 days there. Angkor is a world wonder. Battambang isn't.

I don't mean to visit Battambang for the whole day, but rather to take a moped and spend the day hanging around Cambodian villages in the nearbies. This mainly because we have only very few days to spend in Cambodia, and in this way we could see something else than just the temples...

Well, I liked Battambang and the surroundings a lot, just spent two nights there though. But I doubt it'd worth going there for just a few hours. That sounds pretty rushed to me. You could just spend more time around Phnom Penh, if you don't want to take out a whole day from Angkor.

If you're original plan calls for only spending a few hours in Battambang, then I'd either adjust my plan to allow more time in Battambang, or I'd just skip it altogether and go directly from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh.

If you do spend a day in Battambang (pronounced Battambong) do go to Phnom Sampeau and spend a few hours on top of the plateau exploring. It's easy to miss the caves, look for the gateway on your right as you enter the temple. Go down the long long staircase into the caves and keep going. You can make a circle route back up to the top along the cliff face path. It's easy to find the howitzer field artillery gun but try and find the golden buddhas, especially the one in the grotto. The guides won't be much help, they are anxious to get another customer. It would take three hours walking really quickly to see everything.

Two days in Angkor? Depends on the individual, I've been there dozens of times and am still enthralled. I have one suggestion, walk around Angkor Wat's moat after crossing the bridge. It's a beautiful parklike setting and gives you an idea of the scale of the place. You'll be alone except on the weekends. You can jump up on the wall at a few spots and see the difference in elevation between the ground level inside and the outside of the wall.

Also, do Angkor Wat on the second day after visiting the other temples (starting at the smallest). That way the small ones will be more impressive because you won't be comparing them to the really stunning complexes.

i say spend more time at the temples. now's the time, who knows when things are going to start getting roped off, i was really amazed that everyone could just climb all over them while i was there, but i suspect with increased tourism that may change. anyways...take a few more days in siem reap, you MUST visit beng melea. can be done on a day trip (tuk tuk), cimbine with banteay srei and kbal spean and don't pay more than $40. have a blast!

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That's one way to spoil it, put it on the web ;)
The only person I see there is a lone European jogger. Is that you k1d?