Floating Villages At Tonle Sap Lake In Cambodia.

Nisa — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:18:17 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about magical Angkor Wat and why I find it so fascinating. The temple region itself is totally amazing but what I really find fascinating is the great diversity of the area around Siem Reap.

Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and of great importance to Cambodia. It’s a bit more unusual than “normal” lakes: Its flow changes direction twice a year and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. This is why entire villages are dismantled due to the season and the waterline of the lake. Therefore most villages around the Great Lake have adjusted by living in so called “floating villages” on boats. They are home to a large Vietnamese & Cham community and they managed to adapt very well to the lake’s seasonal changes.

So, whether it’s the school or rubbish dump, living room or local store – the boat it not only the main transport system but also the grounding for every resident.

Chong Khneas is the name of famous floating village at the edge of the lake. It takes a 30-minute-car-ride from Siem Reap to the boat dock where boats wait for visitors any given time of the day. The boat trip through the floating village takes approximately two hours. Be aware though, it’s total rip off! I’d never ever do it again, since this really is the worse I have ever experienced! Back when we visited the first time (over 10 years ago), the area wasn’t owned by a private company like today, therefore the floating village was still unique…sad to see what happened to this place!

Family life on Tonle Sap Lake. Five provinces circled the area of Tonle Sap Lake, more than three million of population inhabited around the bank of the Lake and 90% of them earn a living by catching fish and making agricultures.

Tonle Sap Lake is also an important commercial resource, providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia.

Chong Khneas is the name of famous floating village at the edge of the lake. It locates at Southern part of Siem Reap town about 15 Km, and takes only 30 minutes by vehicles to the boat dock where there are always boats waiting for visitors. The boat trip through the floating village takes approximately two hours. Be aware, it’s TOTAL RIP OFF!

During rainy season from June to October, Tonle Sap Lake is filled by water flowing from the Mekong with 14 m in depth and expands the surface of 10.000 km2.

In dry season from November to May the size of Tonle Sap lake is 3.000 km2 with two meters in depth and water flows out from the Lake to the Mekong, in and out flowing is the natural phenomenon occurrences.

Chong Khneas was very interesting before, but now region is owned by private firm they increased the prices and the area looks very commercial.

The boat trip usually includes two stops: one at a touristy floating ‘fish and bird exhibition’ with a souvenir and snack shop, and the other at the Gecko Environment Centre, which offers displays and information introducing the ecology and biodiversity of the lake area.

During our first visit to Tonle Sap lake (over ten years ago), the floating village was still a really impressive sight. Today, it’s just a another tourist trap.

Unlike much of the Cambodian job opportunities, the income is also reliable, but life on the water is difficult. Fishermen sometimes travel two days to reach the middle of the lake and spend up to a week at a time out fishing. Large waves, limited food and dangerous conditions take their toll. The life expectancy of a fisherman is 54 years.

Because the water levels of Tonle Sap Lake differ so drastically in dry and rainy season, fishing families who make their living on the lake began living in floating villages which move with the changing water levels.

Tonle Sap Lake is so big, it can easily be mistaken for the ocean.

Travel Photography Blog by Nisa Maier and Ulli Maier. » Floating Village

Floating Villages At Tonle Sap Lake In Cambodia.