Tonle Sap Lake
Five provinces circled the area of Tonle Sap Lake, more than three million of population inhabited around the bank of the Lake and 90% of them earn a living by catching fish and making agriculture. As you can see on the map of Cambodia It stretches across the northwest section of the country.
Here the Khmer empire found it the capital on the bank of extraordinary source of food. Just like the river Nile which created Egypt; the remarkable Tonle Sap Lake created the glorious ancientAngkor.
The trip to Tonle Sap Lake is interesting and worth as you could see lifestyle of Cambodian people living on water, and even the fish farm, crocodile farm, market, school and church are all floating.
Tonle Sap is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Its location, which is almost in the middle of Cambodia, is 15km to the south of Siem Reap city, and it takes us 30-40mn to drive there.
There are five provinces bordering Tonle Sap Lake (show the map). They are Siem Reap, Battambang, Pusat, Kampong Cham, and Kampong Thom. One million Cambodian people totally depend on this lake in living. 90% of those people have houses constructed in the lake and 10% live in 170 floating villages.
The Lake is the largest fresh water in South East Asia. Its dimension changes depending on the monsoon and dry season. During raining season from June to October, the lake is filled by water flowing from the Mekong with 14 meters in depth and expands the surface of 10,000 square Kilometers. In dry season from November to May its size 3,000 square kilometers with two meters in depth and water flows out from the Lake to the Mekong, in and out flowing is the natural phenomenon occurrences. The flooded forest surrounding the edge of the lake is the best shelter and also very important for all kinds of fishes spawned and breeding babies. This lake providing many of biodiversities, over 300 species of fresh water fishes, as well as snakes, crocodiles, tortoises, turtles and otters. More than 100 varieties water birds including storks, pelicans, etc
The Lake is also an important commercial resource, providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia. In harmony with the specialized ecosystems, the human occupations at the edges of the lake is similarly distinctive - floating villages, towering stilted houses, huge fish traps, and an economy and way of life deeply intertwined with the lake, the fish, the wildlife and the cycles of rising and falling waters
Why rich of fish:
The fact that causes this lake rich of fish is because it comprises unusual natural system of water level between the rainy and the dry season. during the rainy season from May to October, the winter snow in Himalaya Mountain melts and vast quality of water flows south toward the South China Sea by the Mekong which is one of the world largest river, but when its deluge hits the shallow delta at the mouth of the Mekong, they cannot all escape to the sea. And so the river backs up into Tole Sap Lake, which brings its 30% of water to fill up this giant lake while other 70% moves toward to the sea. Then makes this lake flooded and enlarges its size four months each year, drowning the whole forest of trees in process. Drowning great forest as it expands, the leaves of tree provide vast quality of food and spawning ground for the fish population. When the water rises up, fish move themselves to spawn in the sunken forest at the lake shore, and when the river recedes, one fish brings thousand of baby fish. From November to April of the dry season, the lake recedes and reverses to the Mekong River and all the fish go back to the lake, and then fishermen are happy to catch them. as the lake gradually grows and shrinks the people can use the new wet lake bottom to plant new rice as well.
Floating village at Tonle Sap Lake
The lake located about 15 km south of Siem Reap town; you can make your journey from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh by express boat crossing the lake and dock at the village of Chong Khneas. Its takes only six hours, but this trip we may recommend you during Monsoon season. In dry season the boat sometimes stuck in mud because the water is low. There are several ways to see the culture and wildlife of the lake area depending on the amount of time you have and your interest.
Chong Khneas is the name of famous floating village at the edge of the lake. It locates at Southern part of Siem Reap town about 15 Km, and takes only 30 minutes by vehicles to the boat dock where there are always boats waiting for visitors. The boat trip through the floating village takes approximately two hours. You will explore the different of Khmer, Muslim and Vietnamese floating households and the floating markets, fisheries, clinics, schools, basketball course, pigsty and other boatloads of tourists.
Chong Khneas, was before very interesting, but now region is owned by private firm they did increasing prices and the area looks more commercial. The boat trip usually includes two stops: one at a touristy floating 'fish and bird exhibition' with a souvenir and snack shop, and the other at the very highly recommended Gecko Environment Center, which offers displays and information introducing the ecology and biodiversity of the lake area.
Five provinces circled the area of Tonle Sap Lake, more than three million of population inhabited around the bank of the Lake and 90% of them earn a living by catching fish and making agriculture. As you can see on the map of Cambodia It stretches across the northwest section of the country.
Here the Khmer empire found it the capital on the bank of extraordinary source of food. Just like the river Nile which created Egypt; the remarkable Tonle Sap Lake created the glorious ancientAngkor.
The trip to Tonle Sap Lake is interesting and worth as you could see lifestyle of Cambodian people living on water, and even the fish farm, crocodile farm, market, school and church are all floating.
Tonle Sap is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Its location, which is almost in the middle of Cambodia, is 15km to the south of Siem Reap city, and it takes us 30-40mn to drive there.
There are five provinces bordering Tonle Sap Lake (show the map). They are Siem Reap, Battambang, Pusat, Kampong Cham, and Kampong Thom. One million Cambodian people totally depend on this lake in living. 90% of those people have houses constructed in the lake and 10% live in 170 floating villages.
The Lake is also an important commercial resource, providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia. In harmony with the specialized ecosystems, the human occupations at the edges of the lake is similarly distinctive - floating villages, towering stilted houses, huge fish traps, and an economy and way of life deeply intertwined with the lake, the fish, the wildlife and the cycles of rising and falling waters
Why rich of fish:
The fact that causes this lake rich of fish is because it comprises unusual natural system of water level between the rainy and the dry season. during the rainy season from May to October, the winter snow in Himalaya Mountain melts and vast quality of water flows south toward the South China Sea by the Mekong which is one of the world largest river, but when its deluge hits the shallow delta at the mouth of the Mekong, they cannot all escape to the sea. And so the river backs up into Tole Sap Lake, which brings its 30% of water to fill up this giant lake while other 70% moves toward to the sea. Then makes this lake flooded and enlarges its size four months each year, drowning the whole forest of trees in process. Drowning great forest as it expands, the leaves of tree provide vast quality of food and spawning ground for the fish population. When the water rises up, fish move themselves to spawn in the sunken forest at the lake shore, and when the river recedes, one fish brings thousand of baby fish. From November to April of the dry season, the lake recedes and reverses to the Mekong River and all the fish go back to the lake, and then fishermen are happy to catch them. as the lake gradually grows and shrinks the people can use the new wet lake bottom to plant new rice as well.
Floating village at Tonle Sap Lake
The lake located about 15 km south of Siem Reap town; you can make your journey from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh by express boat crossing the lake and dock at the village of Chong Khneas. Its takes only six hours, but this trip we may recommend you during Monsoon season. In dry season the boat sometimes stuck in mud because the water is low. There are several ways to see the culture and wildlife of the lake area depending on the amount of time you have and your interest.
Chong Khneas is the name of famous floating village at the edge of the lake. It locates at Southern part of Siem Reap town about 15 Km, and takes only 30 minutes by vehicles to the boat dock where there are always boats waiting for visitors. The boat trip through the floating village takes approximately two hours. You will explore the different of Khmer, Muslim and Vietnamese floating households and the floating markets, fisheries, clinics, schools, basketball course, pigsty and other boatloads of tourists.
Chong Khneas, was before very interesting, but now region is owned by private firm they did increasing prices and the area looks more commercial. The boat trip usually includes two stops: one at a touristy floating 'fish and bird exhibition' with a souvenir and snack shop, and the other at the very highly recommended Gecko Environment Center, which offers displays and information introducing the ecology and biodiversity of the lake area.
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