Tonle Sap Lake Weaves Magic Spell
The lake is famous for its fishing villages with their houses on stilts along the shores. Photo by Nicolo Tissier
- By Nicolò Tissier
- January 4, 2023 2:25 PM
SIEM REAP – Tonle Sap lake, the biggest body of fresh water in South East Asia, is something you want to see when you come to Cambodia.
The lake is famous for its fishing villages with their houses on stilts along the shores.
We went to Kampong Phluk village, which has become a tourist attraction. It takes an hour on a motorbike from Siem Reap to arrive at the tourist office.
This stop is part police checkpoint and part shop where you can rest and buy drinks. You can’t pass without buying a ticket.
Photo by Nicolo Tissier
The $25 for a single entry for a foreign visitor, against $5 for a Cambodian, comes as a shock to most, with many people wandering around, figuring out if it’s worth the price.
Eventually, everyone yields. “We didn’t come this far just to go back without seeing anything”.
From the river you take a small boat, generally one just for you and your group. The route to the lake is filled with the deafening sound of the boat’s engine. We get used to the noise.
We arrive at the first stop, a tourist restaurant that serves as a transition point where you get to choose if you want to take another small boat (this quiet one is propelled by paddles) in the mangrove. That will be another cost.
There’s always a little crowd around the biggest attraction, a big aquatic cage where you can see crocodiles. Tourists are amused and afraid of these fascinating predators.
Of the $7,50 that we paid ($2,50 for a Khmer, $5 for a foreigner) for the boat crossing, only $2 goes to the woman who drives us, accompanied by her brother.
Photo by Nicolo Tissier
After a ride among the mangroves, we arrive at the edge of the lake. It’s the ultimate view we came to see. A lake so big you cannot see the opposite side and would mistake for a sea if you didn’t know better.
From there, you can enjoy the beautiful sunset you were promised.
