Take a boat ride to visit floating villages

Tonle Sap occupies large area of Cambodia. The tropical monsoon lashes out rains flooding the basins around Mekong River when the water flow reverses, expanding the Tonle Sap from 3000 sq km to 10,000 sq km. The poor farmers and fishermen build houses on boats to avoid getting washed away. The villages keep floating along with the rising water in Tonle Sap. The best time to visit these villages is during the evening. The sun setting behind the colonies on water is a visually tragic, and yet strangely beautiful; an evidence of nature’s play. The floating village of Chong Kneas is situated closest to Siem Reap, and is the most popular amongst tourists. Kompong Khleang and Kompong Phluk are other relatively less crowded villages around Siem Reap. Take a break from the temple trail and spend two hours on the boat. You will come across floating shops, floating schools, floating churches, and floating hospitals; every amenity which allows people to live in total comfort above water. Visiting the floating villages is a unique experience. It reveals how humans devise ways to tackle the forces of nature.