Tonle Sap Lake Travel Guide
Cambodia’s Greatest Waterway
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Largest lake in Southeast Asia and a hugely important ecological area Tonle Sap – the Great lake – is designated a UNESCO biosphere and provides much interest to travellers. Dotted with stilt villages and with a bird sanctuary boat trips on the lake provide the visitor with opportunities to see village life close up, as well as a method of getting from A to B.
Amazingly for most of the year the lake is unbelievably shallow – just a metre or so deep yet covering some 2,700 sq km. However the heavy monsoon rains feed the surrounding rivers, causing the Tonle River to – amazingly – reverse its flow. Water is pushed up from the Mekong River into the lake vastly increasing its area to 16,000 sq km and its depth to around 8 or even 9 meters. Surrounding fields and forests are flooded and the lake’s fish have a huge breeding ground.This amazing event and the resultant biodiversity makes the Tonle Sap its rivers and surrounding land one of the world’s most productive inland fisheries and farmland.
Attractions in Tonle Sap Lake
Boat rides from Phnom Penh along the Mekong, across Tonle Sap to Siem Reap were once popular but are less so now, especially in the dry season when travel becomes more dangerous on the low rivers. Day trips however are popular to places such as Chong Kneas, a floating village, Kompong Phhluk and the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary.
Activities in Tonle Sap Lake
Allow a day out of your itinerary for boat rides and sightseeing around Tonle Sap.
Relaxing
Meet the local people as you explore Tonle Sap by boat.
Getting Around
Whilst some areas are accessible by road in the dry season most travel is obviously by boat.
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