Travel in Cambodia is amazing. There aren’t many things in this beautiful country that I wouldn’t jump at a chance to experience again. The Siem Reap to Battambang slow boat is one of the things I would not like to endure again. Not to say the 9-hour journey isn’t a great travel story, but the bug and spider bites, the noise and heat and being whipped by tree branches all while sitting on a hard wooden seat doesn’t leave much to truly enjoy about the time along the Sangker River.

I know, that all seems kind of negative, and it wasn’t the easiest of boat trips. However, I am glad I have done it once. I met some locals and had a conversation that flourished until the language barrier became too much to overcome. You have plenty of time to get to know people. It’s also a great way to take in some local ways of life in rural Cambodia. So, if you’re wanted to travel from Siem Reap to Battambang by boat (and can endure a little), let me guide you through everything you need to know – how to get there but most importantly, what to expect and how to survive with your positive outlook and limbs intact!

 

How to catch the slow boat from Siem Reap to Battambang

Let me start with a recommendation of where to stay. The Siem Reap Hostel. One of my favourite places to stay in all of Cambodia and probably Asia! (Read more about why I love them below).

Ok, so why am I suggesting accommodation while talking about how to catch a boat? Well, they handle everything.

The taxis, the boat tickets, any questions about the journey – although they never mentioned bugs or flinging branches…

So here’s the breakdown. You first catch a taxi out to the ferry pier, the taxi cost my group of three $25 USD, which we paid to the hostel. I’m sure there are cheaper options for the roughly 20 minute trip to the ferry pier, but I had developed a soft spot for my Angkor Wat taxi driver, Thung. Plus, we were assured he is paid well through being a hostel affiliate.

The bright blue boat leaves from a pier just north of Chong Kneas Floating Village. Through Siem Reap Hostel, my group purchased a one-way ticket to Battambang. While the boat was almost completely full when I took it, I highly suggest booking a day or two in advance, especially in high season.

 

How long does the Angkor Express Boat from Siem Reap to Battambang take?

Around 9 hours. Yeah, it’s a full day of travel. This includes stopping along the Sangker River multiple times and a short 15-20 minute stop for lunch.

Two tips for lunch time!

• Use the bathroom. The toilet wasn’t in operation the day I took the boat ride.
• Pineapple fried rice for lunch. It was amazing. Granted, I was slightly hungover, so let me know if you tried it and it was terrible!

Apart from talking to locals on the boat, it’s a good time to sit and watch the local communities who live on, or along this long winding river go about their day to day lives. If you can get away from the noise of the motor it’s easy to take in a beautiful part of Cambodia.

 

What to expect from the boat journey to Battambang (or Siem Reap if you’re going the other way)

Let me start by saying it’s not for everyone. If you’re going just for the sake of the story and you know you’re gonna absolutely hate it, then maybe the bus is more for you, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

If, however, you want to be bitten by ants, spiders and grasshoppers flung at you from spring-loaded trees whipping into the side of the boat (and your limbs if you’re not careful), then let me delve deeper into why I think the Siem Reap to Battambang boat is a one-off experience worthy of discomfort through.

The boat to Battambang consists of two levels. The lower one is covered by the top floor, which is an open seated area totally exposed to the blazing sun. Although the top floor of the Angkor Express Boat protects from a lot of the sun’s rays, it doesn’t cut it all out and with very little wind (at least in my experience) the high 30 degree Celsius temperatures definitely took their toll. This was amplified if you were anywhere near the motor up the back of the boat bottom floor. This beast of an engine was incredibly noisy and radiated a lot of heat. While you can get up and move around a bit, the occupants of the “good seats” rarely move – pick your spot early!

Parts of the journey were very beautiful. Northeastern tip of Tonle Sap Lake – great big open waters – then headed right out of the lake following the Sangker River.  Calm sections of the river with bushes and water-loving shrubs were always visible. On multiple sections of this expedition, the trees became so tall and the reeds in the river became so thick.

An Angkor Express employee even had to walk the thin metal plank and fish out a bunch of tangled reeds around the propeller. This only took about 10 minutes but seemed a VERY painful and frustrating job.

This can be dangerous for the obvious reason of being struck. Most branches would be considered twigs and only a short sting would be caused by the impact. Some were not small though. It was hard to tell the exact size but some were definitely a lot larger. Bigger than a regular garden hose diameter no doubt. And at the speed they were being let go, you don’t want to be caught in that swinging path.

Bugs and insects seem to love thick vegetation. I doubt these little critters wanted to be flung from their homes onto our boat, but they had little choice. During the course of this 1.5-2hour section, I got bit by multiple ants, ended the life of quite a few ominous looking spiders and even one grasshopper who startled me by flying right into my sleeve.

To try and mitigate the danger of the branches, flying leaves and creepy-crawlies, most of us gathered tight together in the middle of the boat to avoid both sides of the open-air “windows”.

On top of that, it’s a hard wooden seat or stand. That’s all you have to choose from. 9 hours of sitting can cause some serious numb bum.

It’s not an easy journey compared to a padded, air-conditioned bus. But I bet you don’t laugh along with locals as often on comfortable buses (most likely, they were are laughing at me, rather than with me). On top of that, I’ve caught many buses that were, well, slightly boring. One thing about the Siem Reap to Battambang slow boat is that you won’t be bored, trust me on that one!

 

How to survive on the Siem Reap to Battambang boat (and keep your positive outlook on travel)

 

So I’ve covered the bad and the bugs. But if you’re still thinking you want to go between the Cambodian cities by boat, let’s talk about some tips to make the journey a little easier.

• I wore an extremely thin long sleeved shirt. It was great from protecting against the sun but also super breathable. I wore it a lot through Asia even at 40+ days as it didn’t restrict air flow at all. Many bugs that were flung onto me never made it to my skin as my shirt covered my arms and neck so well. Don’t waste your time and money on bug spray here, they aren’t attracted to you, they are chucked on to you.
• Noise cancelling headphones, or earplugs. Trust me, you don’t want to listen to that loud motor drone on for 9 hours straight. Plus the music is a great way to escape and take in your surroundings and also reflect on your journey.
• There are no other stops than lunch for a bathroom and food break. Bring snacks and water – remember the lack of toilet on the Angkor Express Boat and adjust your water intake accordingly. It sucks being dehydrated, but peeing yourself might be worse.
• Sunscreen and a hat! Also if you don’t have a long sleeve, I used a thin scarf as sun protection

For more amazing Cambodian travel experiences, check out Travel Through Photography – Cambodia!

Angkor Express – Siem Reap to Battambang Slow Boat Highlights

• The scenery, I thought was amazing. Not only the vegetation but the local communities floating on stilts.
• Interacting with locals and having them laugh at me as I scattered bug after bug from me
• That pineapple stir fry really was very tasty

 

Now it’s over to you! Have you made the slow, painful, yet somehow fun journey from Siem Reap to Battambang via boat? I want to hear your stories! Let me know below in the comments!

 

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