Discovering Siem Reap’s Chong Khneas Floating Village – A Travel Guide

Chong Khneas Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Like most travelers, I was drawn to Siem Reap province by the awe-inspiring ancient temples, but after two days on the temple trail, I decided to adventure into the water world communities and booked a boat tour of Chong Khneas.

Chong Khneas is a floating community built on the sidelines of Tonle Sap River, a unique neighborhood where people thrive mostly on fishing and tourism.

The Tonle Sap River Port

My tour began at 10am, I was picked up at the hotel by the tour company’s driver. We traveled to the port in a sedan that looked as ancient as the temples. Fortunately, it got us to Chong Khneas wharf without any problems. During the 45 minute trip I got the chance to survey the bucolic landscapes of Siem Reap province.

We passed vast rice fields and clusters of wooden huts on high stilts, some still standing on flood water brought in by a recent typhoon.  My musings were interrupted as we approached the port of Tonle Sap which was overflowing with people.

Chong Khneas, floating village, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Tonle Sap River is an important resource for the Cambodian fishing industry. Many residents here rely solely on fishing for their livelihood. Their homes are made of wood and galvanized iron sheets and stand on wide wooden platforms anchored to the river floor.

I was surprised to learn the community was almost complete with establishments like schools, a police station, vegetable markets, restaurants, and a community center. It was amazing.

According to my guide, tourism has steadily increased in recent years and has become a significant source of income for the villagers. Throughout the tour, I encountered many child vendors offering all sorts of items like scarves, postcards, and figurines. Some would even offer to pose with you like the child snake tamer we met at the river market, I was quite startled by the snake.

For $1 I posed with the child, my guide took our picture. Although he said it wasn’t mandatory to pay, it is expected. Cambodia is a poor country and sadly poverty pushes children out of their homes and schools in order to make their way in the world too early in life.

Chong Khneas Village

From the souvenir shop, my guide and I had lunch at a barge which had been converted to a restaurant, they called it the “Tara Boat .” It was located on an undisturbed corner of the river and set up like any other restaurant you’d see in town. Clean, green and relaxing with a handful of staff waiting on no other customer but me. It turned out, I was the only tourist that had booked the mid-day tour so I was quite spoiled by the staff that day. From the resto boat, my guide and I cruised back to the port and headed back to the city.

Check out these Siem Reap, Cambodia travel guides for more info on the coolest attractions in the ancient city

The tour included the roundtrip from the hotel to the port, the boat and guide fee, and a delectable meal on the Tara Boat. Overall, it was a unique experience. I felt fortunate to have met some of the river dwellers, learn more about their extraordinary lifestyle, and immerse in a true-to-life water world.

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