Villaggio Galleggiante Kompong Khleang da Siem Reap

This is a fascinating experience. Just a short drive from Siem Reap, with a stop at a small village to walk through the daily market, then onto a flat-bottomed punt just the two of us plus our guide, the captain and his 10-year-old crew member for a fascinating journey along the river, past houses perched on poles ten or twelve metres above us. The water level in the river was low but that did not impede our progress, then we were out on the wide lake for a stop at a floating cafe and crocodile farm. On the way back we alighted at the river-side village for a walk along the main street, stopping to hand out books and pencils to the swarm of children that gathered around us - as it was a Sunday and there was no school books and pencils provided to us as part of the tour, then a stop at an enchanting roadside restaurant on the way back to town, with a choice of normal tables and chairs or large suspended swings where you could sit on cushions - and the food was excellent and included in the tour price. Our guide Billy Barang was a source of great knowledge about the river, the lake, the villages and the people, including the history of the region and the source and impacts of the great amounts of water that flow from the Himalayas to create the vast flood-plains that necessitate the building of the homes high above potential flood levels. Our driver Da was courteous, friendly and provided us with a smooth ride over the, at times bumpy, roads. This tour is extremely good value-for-money and we thoroughly recommend it/