Village on the Tonle Sap near Angkor Wat

One early morning we traveled to Kampong Kleang, a small fishing village on the Tonle Sap.  From Kampong Kleang, we took a small boat to a floating village about 30 minutes away in the Tonle Sap.

The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and is the life blood of the Cambodian (Khmer) people.  It is known for reverse flow of its water from wet to dry season and the rich biodiversity surrounding the lake.

When we visited, it was still the dry season, however, in another month, the rains will fall and the water may rise up nine meters.

The land surrounding Kampong Kleang will be underwater with the only high ground being the temple grounds.  As the houses are built on stilts, there is little risk from rising high water.  And the people have been living here for thousands of years.  They are well aware of how to survive in this environment.

They go about their daily lives no different than people around the world.

To visit this village travel south by motor vehicle about 1 hour south of Siem Reap.  There are other villages closed to Siem Reap, however, they have become heavily visited by tourists.

Photos were taken with a Leica M8 and Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.