Tour Code  : KFB Price  : From US$259/Adult
Trip Style : Naga Duration  : 2 Days
Country Visit  : Cambodia
Region Visit: : Siem reap
Start Location  : Siem Reap   
End Location : Siem Reap   
     
FLOATING VILLAGES & BENG MEALEA

DAY 1:  FLOATING AND FISHING VILLAGES

We will pick you up at your hotel at 8:00 am and drive 15 km from Siem Reap to the boat docks of Chong Khneas. Here we will board a local boat for a lovely ride on the Tonle Sap Lake through the floating village of Chong Khneas.

The Tonle Sap is the biggest lake of Southeast Asia, supporting proabably the world’s largest and richest inland fisheries. It swells to an increible ten times its normal size during the wet season.

Chong Khneas is largely a floating settlement with a few permanent buildings. The majority of the population are mainly Vietnamese people, and live in houseboats. You will recognize the Vietnamese habitation by their bright colours. We will pass through the floating houses, school, sport hall, and even a pig farm and visit the Gecko Environment Centre which offers information about the ecology and the rich biodiversity of the lake area.

Then we will continue our boat trip to the fishermen’s village of Kompong Phluk. Kompong Phluk is not a floating village but a village on stilts and although fishing is often the privilege of the Vietnamese minority, the inhabitants of Kompong Phluk are almost exclusively of Khmer origin. The villagers frequently move houses.  During the rainy season, they live in the house on stilts and when the lake recedes and the dry season begins they move to small huts near the waterfront.

Here the local women will prepare a delicious lunch from fresh local fish, shrimps and vegetables for us. Then, we will visit the village, the pagoda on the only butte (the only building which is not on stilts) and see the activities of the villagers before doing a traditional boat cruise.

Small canoes, paddled by villagers, will take you deep into the dense flooded forest. The trees of this forest are perfectly adapted to their unusual existence as they are completely submerged a part of the year. It is extraordinarily peaceful in this submerged forest area.

In the middle of the afternoon, we will board our boat again for the 2 hour trip to the village of Kompong Khleang, about 35 km east of Siem Reap. Kompong Khleang, more remote than the two other villages, is much less touristy. With over 20,000 inhabitants, it is one of the largest communities in the Tonle Sap. During the dry season, the thatch dwellings rise to 10 meters into the air, held up by impressively high bamboo stilts. In the wet season, the waters rise to within one or two meters of the buildings. Like in Kompong Phluk, the economy of the village is largely based in fishing and you will be able to observe the fishermen at work on the lake, drying their catch or preparing smoked fish. We will also visit the small island at the centre of the village with its colourful market, pagoda and school.
We will stay in a homestay here overnight and in the evening, we will help our host family to prepare the dinner and we will share a friendly meal and spend a hearty evening all together.

Meals: Lunch and Family dinner

DAY 2:  JUNGLE'S TEMPLE

After breakfast with our host family, we will spend some more time in the village to learn more about the daily life in rural Cambodia and to take advantage of the morning light for pictures. Then, we will leave our hosts and take a car or van to the north. A 2 hour drive will take us to the jungle’s temple of Beng Melea where we will enjoy our picnic lunch.
Beng Melea was built during the 12th century during the reign of Suryavarman II, at about the same time as Angkor Wat and its layout and style is very similar. However, Beng Melea is completely ruined and largely overrun by vegetation and competes with Ta Prohm for the “lost in the jungle” ambience. It is a tangle of trees, lichen-covered stones, broken towers and galleries. Many impressive sculptures are hidden among the rubble and the vegetation. This temple is very lightly visited and offers plenty of beautiful photo opportunities.
After the visit, we will come back to Siem Reap and leave you at your hotel at the end of the afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast and Picnic Lunch

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Experience Indochina, the local way…

Our adventures are designed to be flexible with comfortable accommodation arranged depending on the itineraries and the areas visited.  We use a combination of Guesthouse, Motel, Homestay, Camping, Boutique Hotel and 3, 4, 5 star hotels with swimming pool depending on your choice of journey.  Each will be suitable to your choice and stay during your holiday.  All accommodation is carefully chosen - hotels are clean, with unsuited bathroom, air-conditioning and television.   The Guesthouse, homestay and camping will have shared bathroom facilities.  All are clean and comfortable.  We really care about your accommodation during your holiday and as we are local Khmer people ourselves, we understand the accommodation that we will choose for you and your family. 

Choosing locally owned facilities helps the Indochina people in their lives - and will support our local families during your journey.  These people are friendly welcoming and exceptionally hospitable.  We are sure you will sleep soundly and eat very well.

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