Holiday in Tonle-Sap-See

About Tonle-Sap-See

Tonle Sap is Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake and a hydrological wonder: it grows and shrinks by five times its size in rhythm with the seasons — from 2,500 square kilometers in the dry season to up to 16,000 square kilometers during the monsoon, when the Mekong carries so much water that the Tonle Sap River reverses its direction and floods the lake. This phenomenon, unique in the world, is celebrated every year with the Bon Om Touk Festival. Over a million people live on and around this vibrant body of water in floating villages — entire communities on the water, with stilt houses, floating schools, churches, basketball courts, and even a floating police station. Kompong Luong is one of the largest of these villages: hundreds of houses on pontoons float on the lake, connected by a network of boats that serve as buses, taxis, and delivery vehicles. Chong Kneas, the closest to Siem Reap, is the most touristy floating village — here the contrasts are most apparent: children paddle to school in washbasins, women cook in floating kitchens, and fishermen sort their catch in crocodile farms that also float on the water. Kompong Khleang, further away and less visited, showcases the dramatic adaptation to fluctuating water levels with its stilt houses reaching up to 10 meters high. Tonle Sap is also one of the most productive freshwater ecosystems in the world: the flooded forest forms a wetland that serves as a nursery for hundreds of fish species and is home to over 200 bird species — including rare ibises, pelicans, and the endangered Bengal vulture. A boat ride through the flooded forest at sunset is a natural experience of quiet beauty.