TonLe Sap River Tour: Stilted Village in Siem Reap Cambodia

From Beng Mealea, it took us about an hour drive to reach TonLe Sap. We went to Kompong Phluk route (fewer visitors here) and saw how Cambodians' way of life is at the stilted village.

The houses were built quite high up, supported by bamboo stilts. There is no electricity nor clean water supply. They bathe and wash clothes at the river; and, that is also where they breed fishes as main source of livelihood. You can even see pigs floating on make-shift cages as you go deeper into the village.

The highlight of the TonLe Sap tour was reaching the end of Kompong Phluk. Just being there in the middle of the largest freshwater lake in SouthEast Asia was an amazing experience. There used to be Irrawaddy dolphins living in TonLe Sap lake; however, the population of the freshwater Irrawaddy Dolphin is disturbingly diminishing. Currently, you can no longer see any of these wonderful creatures in TonLe Sap. They have moved to Mekong River as they were threatened by accidental and deliberate killing and water pollution :(

FYI: The TonLe Sap tour costs USD 10 per person. It would be wise to rent a car or van to go here instead of riding a tuktuk. 

There were mosquitoes inside the boat so better slather some insect repellent lotion on your skin.

Swimming seems to be the favorite past-time of children in TonLe Sap

TonLe Sap - largest freshwater lake in SouthEast Asia

TIP: After the TonLe Sap tour, please don't forget to give USD 1 as a "token of appreciation" to the boatman.

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