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Tonle Sap Lake-Floating Villages-Mangrove Forest from Siem Reap: A Cultural Experience

5.0

29 Ratings

Siem Reap

Experience the cultural wonders of Tonle Sap Lake, floating villages, and mangrove forests on a day tour from Siem Reap. Discover the unique way of life in these uncommon settings and learn about the ecological importance of the lake. Includes snacks, lunch, and beverages.

Duration: 6 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Siem Reap - Enjoy a 5 to 6 hours tour as we pick up from your hotel at 8:00 AM. We will drive 15 km south of Siem Reap to the boat docks of Chong Kneas.
Tonle Sap Lake - We’ll then board a local boat for a pleasant ride onto the Tonle Sap, passing through the floating village of Chong Khneas. Tonle Sap is the largest lake of Southeast Asia and stretches across the northwest portion of Cambodia. The lake is economically important as it serves as major source of many kinds of fishes. It swells to ten times its normal size during the wet season, bringing diverse aquatic resources. It also serves as habitat for several species of water birds. Chong Khneas is a floating village at the edge of Tonle Sap. Explore the floating households, composed predominantly of Vietnamese people, and recognizable because of the brightly colored houses. Take a glimpse of the floating village life as we pass along floating houses, schools, clinics, sports hall and even pig farms. We will stop at Gecko Environment Center where you can learn more about the ecology and rich biodiversity of Tonle Sap and its surrounding floodplains.
Kampong Phluk Floating Village - We will continue our boat trip to the fishermen village of Kompong Phluk. Houses here are built on stilts. This village is almost exclusively composed of Khmer origin. The villagers move houses depending on the season. They dwell on stilts during rainy season and move to small huts near at the banks during dry season. You will visit the pagoda, the only building in the village that is not built on stilts, and observe villagers going about their daily activities. You will then transfer to a small canoe (Aug-Jan as optional) to be paddled by villagers, to take you deep into the dense mangrove forest. The mangroves are uniquely adapted to the flooded environment and can impressively survive being completely submerged during a part of the year. We will transfer you back to your hotel in Siem Reap after visit Kampong Phluk Village.

What's Included

Complimentary lunch with beverages
Local professional English-speaking guide
Convenient hotel pickup and drop-off
Small group experience with entry ticket included
Private boat tour to Kampong Phluk Village
Safety ensured with life jackets

What's Not Included

Gratuities
Travel insurances
Canoe ride in Kampong Phluk Mangrove forest (August to January)

Additional Information

Enjoy a day tour as we will pick up from your hotel in Siem Reap and drive 15 km from Siem Reap to the boat docks of Chong Khneas. We will go aboard a local boat for a lovely ride onto the Tonle Sap through the floating villages of Chong Khneas and villages on high stilts. This tour will take you to two different villages along the Tonle Sap floodplains. Discover the distinctive flow cycle of the Tonle Sap Lake and how this fact makes it Cambodia’s most important economic and ecological resource.
By visiting Chong Kneas floating villages and market, Kopong Phluk with mangrove forest and Kompong Phluk is the village on high stilts, gain insights to how villagers uniquely live in harmony in this uncommon setting over/on water.
Spend about 5 to 6 hours by the lake and its floodplains for this enriching cultural experience. This tour includes snacks, lunch, coke and cold bottled waters .

Children must be accompanied by an adult
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Subject to favorable weather conditions. If due to poor weather (In very little chance may happen in rainy season between Jul to mid of Nov), so we will visit only Kampong Khleang and Kampong Phluk Villages by car instead and taking boat ride in Kampong Phluk as well as in Kampong Khleang Village.

Location

Siem Reap

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(29 Ratings)

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Elizabeth_h

Mar 4, 2024

My favorite thing we did in Cambodia - This was one of my favorite things we did in Cambodia. It felt like a sneak peak into rural life here and especially life in the fishing villages. You will stop at the floating villages and then also walk through the town (or canoe though depending on the water levels when you visit). We got to visit some of the locals home and see how they live, prepare food, and work. We also stopped in the school where the children were anxious to show off the English they are learning. Lunch at the restaurant was lovely! Thank you Nak and Sokhen for a great experience.

Review provided by Viator

546nataliiaz

Oct 1, 2023

Fishing Village - The trip was amazing! The views are so beautiful, fishing village is something I’ve never seen before. It’s even difficult to find words to express fillings! Special thanks to our guid Choub! He made our tour even more interesting with telling a stories about history and local traditions.