Life on a floating village (Kompong Phluk in Cambodia)

The Floating Village

Kompong Phluk is a floating village on Tonle Sap (the  biggest freshwater lake in Cambodia) not far from Siem Reap (about one hour by car – we had a private driver for 3 days to take us around the temples at Angkor).

The houses in this village are built on high, thin, wooden pillars and are surrounded by water during the wet season.

The main activity and source of living is fishing and people (as well as children) go around by boat.

Kompong phluk floating village cambodiaColorful houses in Kompong Phluk, the Floating village on Tonle Sap Lake
Casele din satul plutitor Kompong Phluk sunt construite pe picioare lungi de lemn, pentru ca in sezonul ud nivelul apei creste. Oamenii traiesc din pescuit si fiecare familie are in fata casei cel putin o barca

children and father on boat floating village Boy kompong Phluk

Children in uniform paddling their way from school / Copii in uniforme se intorc de la scoala, singuri vaslesc spre casaChildren in uniform paddling their way from school
Copii in uniforme se intorc de la scoala, singuri vaslesc spre casa

Everyone is smiling: childredn and DOG! /toti zambesc, inclusiv catelul!Everyone is smiling: childredn and DOG!
Toti zambesc, inclusiv catelul!

Kompong Phluk house men on boat kompong phlukboy in uniform going to school colorful houses kompong phluk store kompong phluk kompong phluk houses woman in kompong phluk children on boat floating village boat Kompong Phluk Cambodia Kompong Phluk child in the house people on boat Floating village cambodia

This house doesn't have any walls and the family can be seen from the boat / Aceasta casa nu are pereti. Familia se odihneste pe podea in vazul tuturorA house without walls and the family can be seen from the boat
Aceasta casa nu are pereti. Familia se odihneste pe podea in vazul tuturor

There is a School, a Health Center and a Police Station in this floating village.

The police station in Kompong Phluk / Sediul politiei in satul plutitorThe police station in Kompong Phluk
Sediul politiei in satul plutitor

Secondary school in the floating village / Scoala in satul plutitorSecondary school in the floating village
Scoala in satul plutitor

The Flooded Forest

The forest at Kompong Phluk is surreal, the trees are drowning in water and small boats, driven by locals, take tourists in the labyrinth of trees. The atmosphere is calm and quiet and all you can hear is the splashing sound of the paddle.

flooded forest cambodia girls boat flooded forestflooded forest tourists girl in water floating village tree flooded forest cambodiachildren in boat kompong phluk

flooded forest girl in boat flooded forest the flooded forest cambodiaboat Kompong Phluk life in Kompong Phluk girl sleeping on boat cambodia family kompong phluk shop on tonle sap lake house on boat Kompong phlukwoman on boat floating village