The floating Odyssey of Kompong Phluk

Photo Report - A visit to Tonlé Sap is an essential tourist activity when exploring the Siem Reap region in detail. The vastness of the lake creates the impression of being out at sea, lost among the coasts. The air is fresh, and the temperature is cool. Three docks provide access to the natural reservoir. Chong Khneas is the closest to Siem Reap, but also the most popular. Kompong Khleang is the most distant. Kompong Phluk, the third one, is located in between. From here, you can board a boat to the floating village of the same name. It's a surprising journey. Kompong Phluk is astonishing in its originality. The houses, supported by ten-meter stilts, give the impression of floating on Tonlé Sap Lake. Whether in the dry season or during the monsoons, you can discover life in this village. After leaving the paved roads of Siem Reap, a long dirt road crossing the edge of Tonlé Sap leads to the dock. This is followed by a twenty-minute boat ride to reach the floating village.

(You can easily reach the dock by tuk-tuk.)

(Dozens of boats await you to embark towards Kompong Phluk. The crossing costs $20 per person.)

(View from the boat pier during the crossing of Tonlé Sap)

Living on the water

The water for the people of Kompong Phluk is as important as the land is to the farmer, the air to the aeronaut, or the fire to the pizza maker. It is essential. Daily life, work, school, habits—everything depends on it. This element is central to the development of this village of 800 inhabitants and is linked to every daily activity. For six months, the dry land does not exist. Fishing is fundamental, cooking is done between the floorboards and the boat, children go to school by boat, the gendarmerie navigates through the city, and worshippers row to reach the pagoda or the church.

(Everyone gets involved in preparing the fish caught in the morning.)

(In a car… Oops, I meant, boarding the boat!)

(Wearing traditional white shirts, the children head to school by boat)

(Learning to navigate starts at a young age)

(Some houses are entirely made of wood, except for the roof, which is covered in tin.)

(Water in all its forms)

(Cooking on a boat like on a countertop)

(Two little girls from Kompong Phluk on a boat.)

The maritime jungle

After your crossing through the village of Kompong Phluk, you have the opportunity to board a boat to explore a mangrove jungle. A relaxing, calm experience, perfect for ending the morning.

(Dozens of boats are waiting for volunteers. The crossing through the jungle costs $5.)

(A piercing gaze.)

(Inside the mangroves, where a peaceful calm reigns.)

Thibault Bourru