Lake Tonle Sap

Lake Tonle Sap is only a short drive from Siem Riep. A small ten-seater long boat took us from the edge of a canal all the way into the lake and onto a bigger boat (the Tara) for sunset dinner and drinks. It sounds all very contrived but the execution of this adventure was quite good.

I’m the first to sit on the front of the boat but am soon joined by most of my traveling companions. There’s a cool wind blowing in my face and the sights of floating villages all around.

These villages are home to stateless Vietnamese people. There’s a history on Wikipedia that explains the circumstances of how this group of people ended up on the lake. So I’m not going to focus on that. There are also Khmer villages on the lake but we don’t go to those on this trip.

What I can tell you is that everything we do on land, they do on the water. From growing vegetables and chickens to going to school. From playing pool or snooker in a bar to selling goods in shops. You name it, the residents of the floating village do it.

The children even paddle their boats home from school. Some day dreaming. Some taking responsibility for younger siblings. And others bouncing their boats in the waves.

With the setting of the sun light bulbs start to turn on at the houses around us. Bare yellow bulbs both attract bugs and shimmer prettily on the black water. Read more