• Society

Birdwatching, Livelihood, Boat and Lake: What to Do at Prek Toal Wildlife Sanctuary

• By Sem Vanna
• January 22, 2024 6:10 PM

BATTAMBANG – Prek Toal Wildlife Sanctuary lies on the edge of the Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s biggest freshwater lake. For years, it has been attracting visitors who are keen to learn about the livelihoods of the people whose lives depend on the water while experiencing joyous activities including birdwatching.

Located in Prek Toal village, Koh Chiveang commune, Ek Phnom district, Battambang province, Prek Toal Community is a tourist attraction on the Tonle Sap Lake, which is renowned for its flooded forests, home of dozens of fish species and waterbirds.

Reaching the community can take time, especially for tourists who come from Siem Reap, and have to ride a boat for over an hour from Kampong Pluk floating village.

But it is worth the trip. International tourists who make the journey will discover the lake’s way of life, made of floating villages. Surrounded by water, every house, school, shop or even hospital lies directly on the water. People use boats to go from one place to another, or even to attend religious ceremonies or weddings, which are also celebrated on the lake’s water.

Prek Toal community could be reached by boat. Photo: Heng Sreylin

In Prek Toal community, one must not worry about food and drink! Tourists can enjoy the already-cooked food or can order at a floating restaurant. People also row boats to sell a lot of food.

Tourists can go to school to find out about how education is provided on the water: While the inside of the school is alike any other school in the country, the outside makes all the difference. From the window, students can only the waters that surround the village. Here everyone comes by boat: The students and their teachers.

After seeing the livelihood of the people on the water, tourists can take a boat to discover the many birds that live in the nearby flooded forest. Only an hour away by boat, visitors can discover a unique scenery, consisting of trees whose roots come directly from the water.

At the end of the day, when the sun sets, the endless water reflects the last rays of the sun, and creates an unforgettable view.

A tourist sits on a boat as the sun sets at Prek Toal Sanctuary. Photo: Heng Sreylin

In 1997, the Tonle Sap Lake was classified as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, partly due to its unique and fragile ecosystem. Acting as Cambodia’s aquatic heart, the water level of the lake fluctuates with the monsoon season.

From May to October, when the rains fall throughout the lower Mekong basin, the lake increases in size and depth fivefold, providing a safe haven for many species of fish to lay their eggs.

When the dry season arrives, from November to April, the water drains away, reducing the size of the lake... before it grows back the following rainy season.

Tourists can take a boat to discover the many birds that live in the nearby flooded forest. Photo: Heng Sreylin

People use boats to go from one place to another. Photo: Heng Sreylin



Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Torn Chanritheara for Cambodianess.