Tonle Sap Floating Villages

Just a short drive south from Siem Reap is the northern tip of the great Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater body in South East Asia.

The lake is the life-source of Cambodia, providing food, transport, communication and homes to millions of people. The water levels vary greatly depending on time of year, but the lake can be visited all year round.

With a wooden motorised boat as transport, you can jet out into the lake and experience its vastness. The lake is also home to countless floating villages. The inhabitants of these villages are nomadic tribes of fishing families, living on boats and stilted houses. Plants and vegetables are grown in floating plots of earth and pots balanced on rafts, whilst dogs and pigs live in environments most people will rarely have witnessed before! The trip is an interesting insight into the fascinating way of life of these people.

Visiting the floating villages is a half day trip from Siem Reap. This can be done in either the morning or afternoon, although it is generally better to avoid the afternoon heat. You will be collected by vehicle from your hotel and driven to the quay where the boats are docking at that time of year.