4 Tourist Scams in Battambang

You hire a tuk-tuk to the famous Bamboo Train and a 'tourist police' officer at the station gives ...

You hire a tuk-tuk to the famous Bamboo Train and a 'tourist police' officer at the station gives you a history lesson before directing you to the platform — $5 per person for the ride. The 15-minute ride on a motorized bamboo platform is deafeningly loud with zero scenery. At the village endpoint, vendors surround you aggressively selling overpriced scarves and T-shirts while children demand tips. Redditors on r/cambodia describe it as a scam wrapped in a tourist attraction — the whole operation is designed to extract maximum cash through tuk-tuk fees, ride tickets, vendor pressure, and guilt-tripping tips.

You arrive at the Battambang bus station and a tuk-tuk driver offers to take you to your guesthouse for 2,000 riel.

Perfect deal. Except he drives you to a completely different guesthouse — one that pays him a $3-6 per-night commission for every tourist he delivers. He claims your booked hotel 'closed last month' or is 'completely full.' Redditors on r/solotravel explain that some bus companies share passenger names and hotel bookings with drivers, who compete to redirect you. If you insist on your original hotel, the driver may drop you blocks away and refuse to continue.

You buy fruit at Psar Nat market and hand over a $5 bill for a $2 purchase.

The vendor gives you change in a confusing mix of US dollars and Cambodian riel — but the riel amount is short by 4,000-8,000 (about $1-2). In the chaos of two currencies, different denominations, and a language barrier, most tourists pocket the change without counting. Redditors on r/cambodia warn that the dual-currency system is deliberately exploited in Battambang's provincial markets, where tourists are less savvy than in Phnom Penh. Some vendors also pass worn or torn US bills that other shops refuse to accept.

You're walking along Battambang's riverside in the early evening, phone in hand, when a motorbike ...

You're walking along Battambang's riverside in the early evening, phone in hand, when a motorbike with two riders zips past and the passenger snatches your phone or bag in one swift motion. You're left stunned as they disappear into traffic. Redditors on r/cambodia describe this as the most common crime affecting tourists in Cambodian cities — the rider-and-passenger team targets anyone holding a phone or wearing a crossbody bag on the road side. In Battambang, it happens most along the quiet riverside stretch where there are fewer witnesses.