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tant commercial resource. Providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia in hominy with the specialized ecosystems. The human occupations at the edges of the lake is similarly distinctive -floating village towering stilted house huge fish traps and an economy and way of life deeply intertwined with the lake the fish the wildlife and the cycles of rising and falling water the lake site only about 15 km south of Siem reap town if you take the ferry between Phnom penh and Siem reap you will cross the lake and dock at the village of Chong Khneas there are several ways to see the culture and wildlife of the lake area depending on the amount of time you have and your interest for tours operators specializing in lake tours and see page 92
Chong khneas
Chong khneas is the floating village at the edge of the lake closest and most accessible to Siem reaps if you want a relatively quick and easy look at tours of Chong khneas are availed departing from the chong khneas boat docks all day long .take a motodup or taxi the 11-15 km from Siem reap to the boat dock where there are always boats trip through the flouting village runs $6 and the boat may carry as many as 15 other people. the boatman will probably point out the differing Khmer and Vietnames flouting house –holds and the flouting markets clinics ,schools and other boatloads of tourist Chong Khneas ,while interesting is over touristed and not as picture esque and unspoiled as flouting village further from Siem Reap the boat trips usually include two stops one at a touristy floating fish and bird exhibition with a souvenir and snack shop and the other at the very highly recommended Gecko Environments centre which offers displays and information introducing the ecology and biodiversity of the lake area
the H 2 o boat offers cruses around Chong Khneas and the floated forest on a unique, comfortable,
fully stocked lounge boat See ad below for contract details .
Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary
The bird sanctuary at the Prek ‘toal core area of the
Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve has been called the single most important breading ground in Southeast Asia for globally
Kampong Phluk
Kampong Phluk is a cluster of three villages of stited houses built within the floodplain of the Thole Sap about 16 km southeast of Siem Reap. The villages are primarily Khmer and have about 3000 inhabitants between them. Flooded mangrove forest surrounds the area and is home to a variety of wildlife including crab-eating macaques. During the dry season when the lake is low, the building in the villages seem to soar atop their 6-meter stilts exposed by the lack of water. At this time of year many of the villages move out onto the lake and build temporary stilted houses. In the wet season when water level again, the villages move back to their permanent houses on the floodplain, the stilts now hidden under the water, Kampong Phluk’s economy is, as one might expect, based in fishing, primary in shrimp harvesting.
Kampong Phluk sees comparatively few foreign visitors and offers a close look at the submerged forest and lake side village life as yet unperturbed by tourism. The area can be reached by boat from the Chong Khneas or by a combination of road and boat. Make arrangements through your guesthouse of tour operator, or charter a boat at the Chong Khneas docks (stating at $35 return for a half-day at the village). By road/boat, take a car or moto to Roluos village just off Route #6 east of Siem Reap and the take a boat through the flooded forest the rest of the way to the village. During the dry season the road is clear and you can drive all of the way to the village.
Kampong Khleang
Kampong Khleang is located on the northern lake-edge about 35 km east of Siem Reap town, more remote and less touristed than Kampong Phluk. Visitors to Kampong Khleang during the dry season are universally awestruck by the forest of stilted houses rising up to 10 meters in the air. In the wet season the waters rise to within one or two meters of the building. Like Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang is a permanent community within the floodplain of the Lake, with floofplain of the Lake, with an economy based in fishing and surrounded by flooded forest. But Kampong Khleang is significantly larger with near 10 times the population of Kampong Phluk, making it the largest community on the Lake.
The area can be reached by boat from the Chong Khneas docks or by a combination of road to Domdek on Route #6 and then boat to the village, the best method depending on the time of year. During the dry season, Consult your guesthouse or tour operators about current conditions. Many tour operators have very little experience in this area so it is best to consult with adventure tour operators and guesthouses that specialize in this area. Small group tours begin at about $35 for and a haft day and range up through $70 depending on the size of the group and the type of tour. To get there your self, either charter a boat from Chong Khneas or take car or moto to Domdek village on Route #6 east of Siem Reap, thrn south and continue to the water’s edge where boats wait to ferry passengers into the village take a car or moto all of the way to the village.