How to Enjoy an Amazing Tour of the Kompong Phluk Floating Village from Siem Reap

For those who have visited Siem Reap before, or who are looking to explore a unique part of Cambodia while they’re in the area, a visit to the Kompong Phluk Floating Village is a must. This floating village is one of the most beautiful, unique, and environmentally sustainable villages in the entire world, and exploring it will leave a lasting impression on you. In this guide we’ll cover the basics of how to best explore and enjoy the Kompong Phluk Floating Village during your visit to Siem Reap.

What is the Kompong Phluk Floating Village?

The Kompong Phluk Floating Village is an incredibly unique settlement located about 19 km away from Siem Reap in the Tonle Sap lake of Cambodia. The village is built entirely on the lake, with homes constructed on stilts and boats moored between the homes and pathways. The villagers use their boats as their main mode of transportation, going anywhere they need around their community in them.

Since the lake’s water level fluctuates throughout the year, this floating village must also be prepared to float during times of flooding. As a result, much of the close by village remains afloat all year round. During the dry season, when the water levels drop, the villagers erect thatch roofs and rotals over their stilted homes to protect them from further flooding. Over time, this practice has made this community becoming one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable villages in Cambodia, meaning that visiting them makes for an amazing experience.

What Can I Experience at the Kompong Phluk Village?

There is plenty to do and explore within this captivating floating village. Dozens of village stilt-homes make up the community, with most being built from wood and thatch. The homes were constructed on stilts to allow them to raise or lower with the changing water level of Tonle Sap Lake, which largely controls how this community lives and functions.

The most beautiful sights to be seen here are the giant mangrove trees that line both sides of the narrow waterways of this community. You can take in these views while visiting a local fish farm or by visiting many of the stilted-homes that line the edges of the village, many of which are running as family run businesses or as local restaurants or stores. Here you will get to experience traditional Cambodian hospitality in an unforgettable way!

Another amazing part of this tour is exploring the way that Kompong Phluk floats on top of Tonle Sap Lake. During the dry season, when water levels drop drastically, this community creates its own levees by building walls from soil that surrounds the stilted homes. This incredible feat protects them from any dangerous flooding and ensures their safety.

What is the Best Way to Tour Kompong Phluk?

The best way to truly appreciate everything this village has to offer is to book a guided tour with a reliable tour operator. It’s important to research operators in advance, as some may offer an inferior experience or simply not be trustworthy.

If you’re looking for an amazing Kompoong Phluk floating village tour from Siem Reap, we highly recommend booking a tour from Get Your Guide. Their fantastic selection of tours will allow you to explore this village and its surrounding areas with ease and confidence in knowing that your guide will provide you with a knowledgeable and entertaining introduction to this unique corner of Cambodia.

The tour includes a visit to many attractions in this village as well as a boat trip around its unique waterways to take in breathtaking views and landscapes while exploring some of its most popular attractions including old churches, fish farms, and hidden stilt-houses where you can gain insight into local life. This tour also includes pickup and drop off at your hotel in Siem Reap, which makes it extremely convenient if you’re coming in from out of town and don’t have access to your own mode of transport.

Why Should I Visit Kompong Phluk?

The Kompong Phluk village offers a unique insight into life in Cambodia that is not often seen by tourists due to its location within the lake far away from regular tourist circuits. Not only does this village demonstrate an amazing feat of human engineering and innovation with its stilted homes and levees, it also serves as a stark reminder of just how quickly weather, drought, and rising sea levels can affect our lives today in ways we may have never expected before.

Visiting Kompong Phluk also allows you to immerse yourself in villager’s culture and take part in some amazing activities such as fishing, kayaking, and visiting local restaurants where you can sample traditional Khmer cuisine. Whether you’re looking for an escape from Siem Reap’s bustling tourist scene or simply want to appreciate the wonders of nature, this tour should definitely be on your list of activities!

So what are you waiting for? Book a tour with Get Your Guide today and explore one of the most incredible floating villages in the world! From its never-ending beauty through its sheer uniqueness, you won’t regret making this stop on your Cambodian adventure.