Battambang mean" Lost of Stick" province  is a great rice-growing area. The second largest city in Cambodia, it is a market center with numerous rice mills. Textiles are also made. The city is on both the highway and railroad linking Phnom Penh with Thailand.

This town is located on the Sangker River just south west of the Tonle Sap Lake. Much of the architecture is French colonial and traditional Cambodian. Until recently Battambang was off the map for road travelers, but facilities have recently been improved and it makes a great base for visiting the nearby temples such as Phnom Banon and Wat Ek Phnom as well as villages.

The network of charming old French shop houses clustered along the riverbank is the real highlight here, and there are a number of wats scattered around the town. The small museum has a collection of Angkorian-era artifacts, and beyond the town there's a number of hilltop temples, yet more wats and a large lake. One of the more famous hills is Phnom Sampeau (Ship Hill).