Guided Floating Village Boat Tour in Siem Reap

Guided Floating Village Boat Tour in Siem Reap

This is an excellent 3-hour tour for those wanting a simple introduction to see a floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake. Perfect for groups, lone travelers and families, you and your small group can be safe in the knowledge that you will be looked after from start to finish by a professional tour company with your local guide showing you the local area on a boat cruise. See how families live off the lake whilst ensuring you aren’t exposed to any scams. There are no hidden extras with pickup/return from your hotel all included in the price.

This boat cruise tour is for those that just want a quick and easy look at a floating village.

You will be collected by your guide from the reception area of your hotel or guesthouse by an air-conditioned minivan/car. At 9am, you will then set off to travel by road to the great Tonle Sap Lake, which is some 14km away from Siem Reap City. The drive can take 30 minutes. During this journey you will pass by many interesting points of interest and scenery including lotus farms, rice paddies and stilted houses. 

Upon arrival at the lake you get to the checkpoint area and your guide will take care of the entry fee before leading you onto your private boat for the tour party onto the great lake and around the floating village.

The Tonle Sap Lake is quite unique as it empties in the dry season into the South China Sea through Vietnam Delta, the depth at the end of the dry season is approx. only 1.5 meters; however in the wet season the delta swells and pushes the water north into the Tonle Sap Lake. This causes the Tonle Sap to vary in depth and area, during the height of the wet season raises to over 10 meters deep, the forests fill up quickly and the floating villages move in as the water raises. It’s a unique feature of the lake and life revolves around this; the actual area goes from 2700 squares km to over 12000 squares km as a result. The Tonle Sap Lake is the largest fresh water lake in S.E. Asia and the richest fishing lake as for fish per square km in the world. 

From travelling on the lake, head back to the checkpoint where your air conditioned minivan is waiting for you to transport you back to the hotel by 12pm. 

Your guide will ensure that you are not exposed to any of the numerous scams that can operate in the area and that sometimes put people off seeing the villages. The price you pay has no hidden costs within it and covers your pickup and return, English speaking guide, all boat fees, checkpoint entry and taxes.