Breathtaking steps at the ruins - Part 4

After the historical exploration in Angkor Temples, we were recommended by our tour guide to visit a local floating village - Tonle Sap lake (also known as Great Lake). It is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia.

For most of the year the lake is fairly small, around one meter deep and with an area of 2,700 square km. However, during the monsoon season(in May or early June), the Tonle Sap river which connects the lake with the Mekong river reverses its flow. Water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, increasing its area to 16,000 square km and its depth to up to 9 meters, flooding nearby fields and forests!! Thus, during the monsoon period, the entire lake area appears as a large sea right in the middle of Cambodia. It is impossible to see the end of the lake!!

When the river water rises during monsoon period, the people who live in simple shacks along the Causeway, dismantle their homes and move inland to take shelter from the monsoon Storms along the river banks. They re-build their small temporary community near Phnom Krom Hill.

As we were there in August, it was just the middle of the monsoon season. Hence, we managed to see the unique scene where villagers moved their shacks from a place to another in just motorcycles!! Besides, we were sitted in a boat and travelled along the river where all the drowned rice field and forest were underneath our boat(foot). Amazing!!

Apart from exploring the historical heritage, Tonle Sap Lake might be another highly recommended spot in the itinerary to understand the different living of Cambodian.


An amazing scene - moving the entire house(and people) in a motorcycle!!


Let's take a photo with our boat before the departure of the journey!


The floating community is well developed with different infrastructure. This is the basketball court on the water!!


The only church for the local people. Sweet and nice!!



The pictures above show the two different standard of houses that we found along the river bank - the reflection of social disparity in the community.


Traders on little boat move from house to house doing business.


The most luxurious hotel and restaurant in the village can be found on this giant ship!


A lot of little beggars can be found floating along the river. Most of them are the refuguees from the vietnam war.


The lake is as large as sea during the monsoon period!!

And with this, I shall make a full stop for my trip to Cambodia.

The next chapter will be my hiking journey to the highest mountain in SE Asia - Mt.Kinabalu in Sabah! A trip with lot of sweat, pain, surprises and excitements!!

Do stay tune with me!! See you!! *_~