The Floating Villages of Kompong Phluk
If you are heading to Siem Reap another place to stop off for a visit would be the Floating Villages of Kompong Phluk. You can hire a boat for half a day to explore the remoter corners of these villages. Depending on the time of year the water levels will vary. I was there in late November just at the end of the rainy season so the water was as high as it gets.
It is a fascinating chance to see how people live life under these circumstances. I found it quite moving and would quite like to live like this for a while. Everything is both dependant on the water and made difficult by the water. Once again human ingenuity shines through and really helps one to see that our own small problems at home are really nothing.
I particularly loved the children in this place they were so full of beans and fun! The first little chap was part of the crew for the boat we were using and he was very full of importance about his job and also offered massages!
It was fascinating to see the tops of trees peering above the water and hard to imagine the area without all the water. After the hustle and bustle and smells of the market it was a really pleasant experience to sit on top of a boat and meander through tree tops and houses and glimpses this life that is so different to mine.
At what I’m guessing was the furthest point away we moored up and got out for a wander around the main temple. It was peaceful and calm and once again the people very welcoming. I do sometimes wonder if they get at all sick of tourists coming to gaze at their lives I think I would! But they don’t show it if they do feel that way.
We sailed back from here as the sun began to set which made everything beautiful and tinged with that golden hour glow. A great way to end a day another highly recommended experience if you are travelling to Cambodia.
