The Floating Villages of Tonle Sap Lake

The Floating Villages
of Tonle Sap Lake

Board a traditional wooden boat for a journey across the great Tonle Sap Lake. Drift silently
across the water to discover floating fish farms and age-old villages. Get a glimpse
into a unique way of life that revolves around this expansive lake.

WHY THIS TOUR?

The Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in South-East Asia. This huge body of water stretches for 250 km – making it seem like an inland sea. During the rainy season from May to October, water flows via the Tonle Sap River into the lake.

During this time the water level is four times higher than in the dry months. In November, the water flows back out in the opposite direction and the level decreases. Due to this unique natural flow reversal, the Tonle Sap Lake is very rich in freshwater fish. This exceptionally productive eco-system was a source of life for the ancient Angkor Empire. Today, its age-old fishing communities supply fish to the whole of Cambodia.

TRAIL ITINERARY

The Floating Villages of Tonle Sap Lake

08:00 - 11:00
-
14:00 - 17:00

The guide and driver will collect you from the hotel and take you to the Tonle Sap Lake. En route, there will be stops to photograph the rural landscape. On arrival, you will board a traditional wooden boat for your navigation over this vast water, the lifeblood of the Cambodian fishing industry.

As you cruise along the river towards the lake, you will pass houses suspended on long wooden stilts. This compensates for seasonal differences in water levels and ensures that homes remain flood-free.

The fishing villages are home to Cambodians, as well as refugees from regional countries. Unable to pay for land, they set up home on the water, thus the Tonle Sap Lake became a refuge for abundant nationalities. In addition to homes, you will also see floating restaurants, a police station, school, church and even floating vegetable gardens. At the floating fish farms, you can observe how fish are cultivated in an enclosed environment.

At the end of the tour, the boat will return to the small pier, where the driver will be waiting to take you back to the hotel.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

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INCLUSIONS

  • A half-day tour with a professional English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request and may be subject to supplementary charges
  • Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
  • Use of a traditional wooden vessel for sailing over Tonle Sap, complete with life vest
  • All entrance fees for visits as mentioned in the description.
  • All applicable taxes and service charge

EXCLUSIONS

  • Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours, unless otherwise stated
  • Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement.
  • Compulsory Christmas, country-specific festival and/or New Year dinner at included hotels
  • Single supplement charges for single travelers, where applicable
  • Any airline tickets, visa fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general meeting point
  • Supplements for transfers for customers arriving or departing from any airport or resorts located outside the general pick-up and drop-off locations
  • Hotel expenses of a personal nature, should an overnight be included: this includes mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the program
  • Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)

GOOD TO KNOW

  • This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request / subject to availability and supplementary charges may apply
  • Return transfers for this excursion apply only / are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Siem Reap. Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside this area such as Tonle Sap, Koh Ker, Banteay Srei and Siem Reap International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions
  • We regret to inform you that this excursion is not suitable for wheelchair users
  • To avoid any issues pertaining obtaining an arrival visa at the airport, please ensure that your passport contains at least two empty pages. Failure to do so may result in not gaining entrance into the Kingdom of Cambodia
  • We will always make the effort to confirm the exact pick-up time upon reservation. For any operational issues in which are not able to confirm the exact pick-up time in advance, we reserve the right to inform you the day before the departure of the tour
  • Please note pick-up and drop-off services may not be confirmed for customers staying at private residences, apartment complexes, or other non-registered tourism accommodations. Customers may be asked to meet at a nearby hotel for pick-up and drop off
  • Natural elements of any kind have a destructive effect on electronic equipment. It is the customer’s own responsibility to ensure that any camera, mobile telephone or other device is properly wrapped and protected against these elements. We cannot be held responsible in any way for negligence and/or not following suggestions for any damage related to this
  • Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us on this tour – even when it is cloudy, the sun’s rays are still very powerful;
  • We reserve the right to make necessary changes to the excursion in case of unfavourable weather conditions or situations where we are forced to make alterations to guarantee the safety of our guests
  • During Cambodia’s dry season (running from March until end July), the lower water levels of the Tonle Sap River do not permit visits to the fishing and floating villages.
  • The protection of the country’s flora and fauna is of immense importance for us. We will not pursue any activities for guests that are not in line with our animal, wildlife and environment protection principles
  • It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package. Any changes in accommodation outside 24 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 24 hours may be on request
  • In the event of no-show or change of accommodation without prior consent and confirmation from us within 24 hours may result in the applicable cancellation charges as outlined in the terms and conditions

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