Life on the water: A floating village on Lake Tonle Sap in Cambodia
Posted on 26. Jun, 2012 by Dany in Cambodia, Photo Essay
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The floating markets of Bangkok with their colorful produce on adorable wooden boats floating through the city’s canals, majorly impressed us. When I heard about entire floating villages in Cambodia, I knew we had to take a trip out to see it for ourselves. I mean, what can an entire floating village even look like, how does it even work? All I honestly expected was a gathering of scattered houses on stilts along the lake shore, close to water but on solid ground.
What we found instead was a thriving community on Lake Tonle Sap, a lake big enough to be mistaken for the ocean. It took a 20 minute boat ride sloshing through a small tributary to reach the village. During the rainy season, the trip can take twice the time for the villagers to reach the dry land at the dock.
The incredible Lake Tonle Sap
Most of Cambodia’s floating villages are based on Lake Tonle Sap. Though this is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia, this unique body of water changes drastically in size throughout the year. In the rainy season between June and October, the lake is massive, flooded with water from the Mekong River. In the dry season, from November to May, the lake shrinks to such a degree that its flow reverses to deposit water back into the Mekong.
Tonle Sap is 16,000 square kilometers and nine meters deep during rainy season. In the dry season, that shrinks to 2,700 sq km and between 1 – 2 meters deep.
Because the water levels differ so drastically in dry and rainy season, fishing families who make their living on the lake began living in floating villages which move with the changing water levels.
In the rainy season, this whole area is underwater. During dry season, these villagers live close to the shore.
Tonle Sap is one of the world’s biggest inland fisheries, producing over 400,000 tons of fish and feeding over 3 million people. There are over 220 different species of fish in the lake!
Life on the water
Providing over 3 million people with fresh fish means that fishermen are always in need. In total, 80,000 people live on the water permanently, spread out over 170 floating villages. Unlike much of the Cambodian job opportunities, the income is also reliable, but life on the water is difficult. Fishermen sometimes travel two days to reach the middle of the lake and spend up to a week at a time out fishing. Large waves, limited food and dangerous conditions take their toll. The life expectancy of a fisherman is 54 years.
Unfortunately it is fairly common for fishermen not to return from their week-long trips. Many of the floating villages have their own floating orphanages to handle the many children whose parents do not survive.
Life is hard on children, too. 12 per cent of the children die before the age of five due to the tough living conditions, the lack of medical care and ironically, malnourishment. Fish provides 65 per cent of protein in the Cambodian diet, but due to the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, it is difficult to maintain a healthy diet. The annual income of households on the lake is under $500.
The community we visited, Chong Khneas, was just about to open its first floating hospital (pictured below) at the time of our visit. With seven villages and a total of 5,800 residents, this is one of the largest floating communities, so it makes sense that Chong Khneas be home to the first hospital.
Life in a floating village means that every errand must be run by boat. Dropping the kids off at school or heading off to play basketball with their buddies must be done by paddling over by boat. And yes, there is a massive floating basketball court in the neighborhood!
Most of the residents are self-sufficient, and it is incredible how they maintain their homes, with floating vegetable gardens and floating barns where they keep goats, pigs and chickens.
And like everywhere in Cambodia, there are dogs out here on the water as well, though I am not sure how they feel about living on a floating house with no room to roam. At least it is much easier to find them if they run…or swim…away!
There are also gas stations in the floating villages. Chong Khneas has three in fact, plus five schools, seven fish wholesalers, and for everyone’s entertainment: four karaoke bars. You might remember that karaoke is very popular in Cambodia.
There are several floating supermarkets, but also floating markets like we had seen in Thailand: boats filled with fresh produce, and women paddling from house to house selling fruit and vegetables, wood and other things.
We are not sure how the villagers manage to dry their clothes in Cambodia’s already humid climate, but somehow it seems to work.
Little space for all your possessions…
Fishermen arrive at the closest fish market to sell their catch of the day.
Repair work is also done on the water…
Happy faces… The kids are still enjoying themselves, but we couldn’t help but wonder how long they will stay that way, before following in their fathers’ footsteps.
40 Responses to “Life on the water: A floating village on Lake Tonle Sap in Cambodia”
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July 26, 2012
[...] Because of so different and unique the life on the Tonle Sap Lake, it is very exciting for us to explore, as told by The Globetrotter Girls. [...]
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Doc Wends
26. Jun, 2012
I was supposed to come here and check this out last December however forgo it for lack of time. I love the photos and the narratives, awesome!
Cheers!
Jess
26. Jun, 2012
Hey, thanks so much. It was an interesting experience, but of course secondary to the reason most tourists are nearby – Angkor Wat!
Christy @ Technosyncratic
26. Jun, 2012
This is really fascinating to read. We visited a floating village in Vietnam (Halong Bay), but it was super touristy and we weren’t able to get any useful information from our tour guide. It looks like your experience was much more positive!
Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Tulips and Windmills in Holland: A Photo Essay
Jess
26. Jun, 2012
It was definitely touristy, too, Christy! We tried to get off the beaten path, but were just really excited to see and experience it!
Adam
27. Jun, 2012
Really interesting to read all the facts from the village. I took a boat through the lake on my way to Battambang but we didn’t stop at any of the villages except for one well past the lake and on the side of the river (just to pick up some lunch). It was fascinating to pass through and the Tonle Sap lake was incredible.
Thanks for putting together all the facts!
Adam recently posted..Pretty Potsdam: a day trip from Berlin
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
Thanks Adam! We so wanted to take the boat from Battambang to Siem Reap but it didn’t work out – I heard it’s a beautiful ride!
laura @ spicybuddha.com
27. Jun, 2012
Thanks for this powerful and informative post…I know most of the touristy floating villages seem somewhat idyllic to foreigners passing thru. Myself, I haven’t visited any yet, but it definitely seems like quite an experience.
I love the photo of the fisherman submerged in the water with a cigarette in his mouth. Pictures of locals have been some of my favourite pictures I’ve taken so far!
laura @ spicybuddha.com recently posted..Thai Fishcake Recipe
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
Thanks, Laura! Well that place didn’t seem idyllic at all – it seemed like a really rough place to live in and I wouldn’t want to switch with them. But I guess the ones that tourists can visit are better maintained than the villages further off the tourist path. It was one of the most interesting trips that we’ve taken.
Reg of The Spain Scoop
28. Jun, 2012
What a facinating place. I was also wondering how they manage to dry their clothes!
Reg of The Spain Scoop recently posted..Madrid Transportation Works – Why All The Cars?
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
I am so surprised that the clothes dry in that humid air, but I guess the wind helps. It was fascinating to learn about life on the water – so many little details that you never think about!
Russell
28. Jun, 2012
I find it very bizarre that a lot of people choose to live that kind of lifestyle. Although I admire them for being able to do so, I will never do that even for a million dollars.
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
Well I think they go where the jobs are – in this case they are on the water. I am not sure how long I would last in a floating village!
Arianwen
28. Jun, 2012
This is a really interesting read. It’s crazy that people live their whole lives in a more or less self-contained floating village. I would feel so claustrophobic. However, I love that they have four karaoke bars! It’s all about getting your priorities right!
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
Thanks Arianwen. Isn’t it crazy to know that people live like this? I would be claustrophobic too, but I guess if you grow up that way you don’t know anything but that way of life. For them it must be shocking to go to a big city like Phnom Penh for the first time!
Stephanie - The Travel Chica
28. Jun, 2012
#1 Fisherman in the water with cigarette photo… great photo.
#2 Good read taking a closer look at how the village functions.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Photo Essay: Eclectic Cemetery of Sucre
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
Thanks, Stephanie! I loved how that guy was just smoking right there in the water.
Lewis Ethan
29. Jun, 2012
I think, it’s not expected for human life. Really it’s very harmful in my realization. Something need to do for them very soon. It’s very sad to me for their floating life. Think it, how much difference between peoples of earth!
Arti
29. Jun, 2012
Wow! Floating villages. Never heard of any such concept before. Must have been an amazing experience to see all in person.
Arti recently posted..My Yatra Diary Goes International!
Dani
01. Jul, 2012
It was an eye-opening experience, Arti! We learned so much about a way of life that was completely unknown to us.
Arti
03. Jul, 2012
In Kashmir, there are these
house boats called Shikara’s but
a whole village is just unheard
off, really!!
Arti recently posted..…Back to Blogging
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
I can’t wait to go to Kashmir – we heard so many good things about it from people in India!!
Jeremy Branham
01. Jul, 2012
Wow, what a fascinating life! It’s definitely not an easy one but very different than anything most of us are used to. Orphanages, basketball courts, a lake that varies so much in size throughout the year – a very interesting story about life. I hope it’s one that the enjoy. As a kid, I am not sure I would like it as I would want room to run about and play.
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Dancing at an Italian club and the night I slept on the streets of Florence
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
The kids seemed pretty happy though, Jeremy – they can play in the water all day long, escaping the heat
TammyOnTheMove
01. Jul, 2012
I love the floating villages of Cambodia. When I visited them the water levels seemed much lower than on your photos, so most houses were really high above us on their stilts. They even had a floating temple and police station. Fascinating lifestyle.
TammyOnTheMove recently posted..9 crazy ways of transporting stuff in Cambodia
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
Thanks Tammy! I think most of the houses in Chong Khneas were actually floating on big round aluminum jars, and they were pulled by boats further into the middle of the lake when the water levels sank. We only saw a few on stilts closer to the shore, but that’s how I thought all of them were!
Jean Marcus
02. Jul, 2012
I am so amazed at the floating villages. How those people are able to do that, I don’t even have a clue because I don’t think I can ever do that. Me & water, we just happen not to be very good friends.
Laurence
02. Jul, 2012
Wow, that’s a great post. I had no idea that whole towns existed on lakes like this. Sounds like a tough life, particularly for the kids, but one that is certainly different to the norm! Great photos too
Laurence recently posted..A wee problem (or A guide to finding public toilets)
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
Thanks, Laurence! I think for the kids it’s a lot of fun being by / in the water all the time – Cambodia is just so hot and jumping in the lake must be so refreshing.
Karen @ Trans-Americas Journey
02. Jul, 2012
Glad to see life on the Tonle Sap is as fascinating as we remember it from many moons ago–wasn’t sure life on the water was for me then, still not sure if it’s for me now!
Karen @ Trans-Americas Journey recently posted..Scaling a Volcano & Hanging with a Soccer Star – Santa Ana, El Salvador
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
I do enjoy time on the water from time to time, but I sure couldn’t live in a floating village
Tonle Sap is an amazing place though.
Cole @ Four Jandals
02. Jul, 2012
Fantastic photos and reminds me of the huge floating village we visited in Brunei – http://www.fourjandals.com/asia/visiting-the-worlds-largest-water-village-kampong-ayer-in-photos/
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
Thanks for sharing that link, Cole – that is a HUGE floating village. wow!!
Bret @ Green Global Travel
02. Jul, 2012
Great photo essay, ladies– especially love that blue house! We visited a floating village very much like this on the Peruvian Amazon, but it didn’t look quite this nice. Like you said, it was amazing to see people with gardens, chickens, even livestock floating in the middle of the river, with people bathing, shopping, etc. on it and in it. Such an eye-opening view of a very different way of life.
Bret @ Green Global Travel recently posted..INTERVIEW: Rick Steves On Ecotourism, Blogging & Best Places To Score Weed
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
Bret – I didn’t know there were floating villages on the Amazon! Wow… I am looking forward to seeing the Amazon when we finally make it to South America
Arti
03. Jul, 2012
In Kashmir, there are these house boats called Shikara’s but a whole village is just unheard off, really!
Alex Jones
03. Jul, 2012
Nice picture story. I’d love to check out those karaoke bars!
Alex Jones recently posted..Rwanda Gorilla Naming Ceremony (Kwita Izina), June 2012
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
Yes, I think a visit to one of the karaoke bars would be fun!
Turtle
03. Jul, 2012
It’s so interesting to read some of the statistics about a place like this. When I saw the title, I expected a colourful and happy village in the water. It seems it can actually be quite a hard and sad life for a lot of them. Thanks for sharing!
Turtle recently posted..The most expensive shopping street
Dani
03. Jul, 2012
Yes, I think hearing about ‘floating village’ it sounds much more ‘romantic’ than what it actually is. I just know that I couldn’t live on the water!