Floating villages of Combodia

Once you have seen largest religious monument in the world “ Angkor Wat ” in Siem Reap, Cambodia, next amazing place is Siem Reap Floating Villages.

The rural communities in Cambodia which are settled on the shores of Tonle Sap Lake have lately become a huge rave among the tourists. Anyone who visits Cambodia should include in list the fascinating floating village in Siem Reap Tour.

While visiting the bunch of these villages you get an eye-opening story of this Southeast Asian country. Each village have a different story giving you a sense of humanity and gratitude for life.

The eco-tours of floating villages in Siem Reap are the most authentic tours you will ever take because nothing you see here is staged or fake. What you see is all real!

If dining on a floating restaurant and shopping from the floating markets gives you a amazing experience in your bucket list, then hop onto one of the memorable experiences Cambodia has to offer to you.

 

 

Amazing Facts about Siem Reap :-

The Tonle sap lake is recognised as the largest freshwater lake in the entire Asian region by UNESCO heritage sites list.

Floating villages covers area of 1,042 sq mile in lake.

 It’s one of the richest inland fishing grounds in the world,

It’s a home of not only over 200 different species of fish but also to over one million people.

Where approx 1000 families lives and makes their living fishing on the Tonle Sap

When it comes to food I being foodie never forget to test local Vegan dishes, I had  tested Rice and Black beans cooked in bamboo- I definitely recommend this local snack.

 

Built style of Houses :

The floating houses mainly take one of two forms. They are either stilted houses, built intentionally high enough to outlast the rising waters of the lake, or villages consist of floating platform houses anchored in place. Both styles of floating villages can be found on the lake.

Siem Reap Floating Villages :

There are mainly four floating villages around Siem Reap. You can book through travel operators in advance.

1. Chong Khneas :

Chong Khneas is the nearest village to Siem Reap, located at a distance of 16 km. The village dwells with stilted and floating houses which keep moving according to the level of water.

You will also surprise to find a floating school and community hall even a church in such a most difficult areas. Do not get scared if you also find crocodiles in the muddy water of this Tonle Sap Floating Village.

If you want to stay longer, you can dine at the local Korean restaurants and shop local artefacts from floating markets.

Chong Khneas is a gateway to Battambang city and Phnom Penhcity (the capital of Cambodia). So, if you are also planning to visit these cities, it is best you set your Itinerary by boat to have a unique experience.

Duration: 30 minutes

2. Kampong Phluk

Another floating village near Siem Reap is Kampong Phluk means ‘harbor of tusks’. It is 30 km from Siem Reap and can be managed in a half-day trip. The community in this village thrives on catching fish and shrimp rearing hens and common livestock. You can even enjoy a rare delicacy of ‘crocodile meat’ at one of the floating restaurants here only if you think you can stomach something as absurd as this, being vegan I used to avoid this.

you can explore in the thick mangrove forests which are a true gem of these villages. It is a great place to invest some time in and do nature photography.

Duration:  half-day trip.

3. Kampong Khleang

Kampong Khleang is a picturesque village Kampong Khleang means ‘harbor warehouse’ feels like another world It’s a pretty incredible sight! It can influance your heart with mixed emotions. It is actually the largest village on the lake, this colorfully painted stilt village is 50 km from Siem Reap. Village is a mix of stilted houses and floating raft houses as well as floating schools, pagodas and medical centres. It is the only floating village in Cambodia where the villages are benefited from the ecotourism. village is not just some big inauthentic ‘set-up’ designed to extract money from tourists, rather a genuine local village where real people go about their daily lives.

Duration: 2 hour

4. Mechrey :

Mechrey IS the least visited villages on the Tonlé Sap floating villages  and has been emerging as an eco-friendly and community based tourism destination in recent years.. It is 25 km away from Siem Reap and is a gateway to a wildlife sanctuary. The ride from Siem Reap to Mechrey is a picturesque one.

As the village and the boat service are community-owned and due to that villages directly get benefits from tourists visiting Mey Chrey.

Discover the unique lifestyle here of people at this floating village. The front of the floating houses is accommodated with beautiful plants and verandas stocked with wooden structure. You will even find animals living under the floating houses.

The unique attractions of this village are the floating garden and floating cemetery which really look surreal. You can also donate rice to the orphans here and do a good deed.

There is an immense forest area which is a habitat of hundreds of species of birds where you can do some nature photography. On your way back, you can stop at Artisans Angkor and buy some handicraft souvenirs from your trip.

IN ONE LINE I WILL SAY THAT, If you have been living in your own bubble of urban and luxurious lifestyle, go check these floating villages near Siem Reap and get a new perspective on life.

The trip runs on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings

 

Points to remember before you visit...

 

• you don’t really have access to a bathroom on the tour, so make sure that you go in advance.
• Don’t forget to bring Water Bottles.
• Bring Umbrellas; there is always a chance of rain.
• A camera/mobile phone. The village is beautiful, and you will definitely want to get some pictures.
• Travel sickness tablets if you get car or boat sick. The roads to get there were pretty rough. The trip takes less on the rainy season, but then you will be on the boat longer.