THE DETAILS:
Battambang

Getting There
Battambang lies 291 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, a four- to five-hour drive along National Highway No. 5. From Siem Reap, the trip takes three to four hours by road and at least twice that much time via the Tonle Sap and Sangker River in a longtail boat.

Where to Stay
Battambang has an overstock of accommodation. The pick of the lot is La Villa (185 Phum Romchek 5; 855-53/730-151; lavilla-battambang.net; doubles from US$60), a seven-room
boutique hotel in a circa-1930s house along the east bank of the Sangker River, decorated with period furniture and historic photographs. Opened last year in a quiet neighborhood within walking distance of the old quarter, the 16-room Bambu (Ko St., Phum Romchek 5; 855-53/953-900; bambuhotel.com; doubles from US$60) offers free Wi-Fi, iPod docks, and a saltwater swimming pool.

Where to Eat
Set in an old, Khmer-style raised wooden house on the left bank of the Sangker, the Riverside Balcony Bar (St. No. 1 at Hwy. 57; 855-53/730-313) serves tasty baguette sandwiches and pizzas in a relaxed tropical setting. After touring the Sala Khaet mansion, head across the water to the Bamboo Train Café and Bar (Phum Romchek 4; 855-12/517-125 ) for Khmer standards like amok (fish steamed in banana leaves) and loc lac beef salad.

Resources
Municipal website battambang-heritage.org is a handy guide to the city’s preservation
initiatives; look for the downloadable walking maps.

Originally appeared in the February/March 2012 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Catching Up with the Past”)