Sustainable Travel in Cambodia: Kompong Khleang Floating Village

Being mindful of sustainable travel while exploring the world is important. The Tonle Sap Lake is home to several floating villages that thrive on its ecosystem. Since we were planning a 10 day adventure in Cambodia, I knew I wanted to visit one of these communities. But I felt discouraged as I started researching tours. While browsing options, I kept seeing “tourist trap” or “scam” and wondered if we should skip it, however I did not give up searching. Finally, I came across the perfectly responsible choice. If you’re looking for a floating village tour in Cambodia, Community First Kompong Khleang is the one you must book.

Inside the village nearby the Bridge of Life School

Sustainable Travel: Community First Kompong Khleang Floating Village Tour

So what makes this tour the best choice of them all? Most importantly, it doesn’t negatively affect the local communities on the Tonle Sap. All the employed staff is from the village in which you will visit, which means the money goes back into the community. They are also completely transparent about tour costs and expenses. And best of all, the tour proceeds go toward the Bridge of Life School and other projects like clean water.

Which Tours Should Be Avoided?

Although we don’t have firsthand experience with these, we did not read many good things about Chong Kneas. There was often money requested throughout the tour for various things, as stated in several reviews, . Kompong Phluk was another one that got mixed reviews. Neither of these had any tours that benefited the local community. I’m sure these places are fascinating to see, but I did not want to see them at the expense of disturbing the culture and social ecosystem. If you cannot book a tour with Community First, they’ve also recommended alternatives on their blog.

Community First Tour Itinerary

Our tour began with Sreyneang greeting and picking us up from our hotel in the afternoon. She was our guide for the day, and used to be a student at the Bridge of Life School. It was awesome to be able to hear more insight about her life. During the drive, she educated us more on the floating village, the school, and what they are doing to help. We also introduced ourselves to the group. There were only 10 of us including our family of five, so it felt very intimate. The ride there was comfortable and safe, with plenty of bottled water.

Read more: 3 Day Guide to Siem Reap

A portrait of the sticky rice vendor, loved her smile!

Sticky Rice Vendor

Along the way, you’ll make a few stops to try some local snacks. The first one was a sticky rice vendor. Before this trip, I had never tried it, so I was quite excited. There was a section along the road with several vendors, so we made a stop at a stand with a woman by herself. She had such a heartwarming smile, and was so happy when we arrived.

Sreyneang showing us how to open the bamboo and eat the sticky rice inside

Sreyneang gave a brief explanation of how sticky rice is made. It’s essentially cooked in coconut milk with black eyed peas or beans that are stuffed inside bamboo. Next, they are roasted over the fire for about an hour. She then demonstrated how to peel open the bamboo and eat the sticky rice. It was more difficult than I thought! The delicious rewards inside were so worth the effort!

The front counter of the bakery

Cambodian Bakery

Our next stop on the tour was a Cambodian bakery, selling several dessert snacks. The highlight of this stop was sampling some Cambodian donuts, made with rice flour, coconut milk, and palm sugar. They were not overly sweet and had a fragrant aftertaste. We also tried a few of the other dessert snacks including some healthy sweet potato chips, and ones that resembled mini ice cream cones.

Walking towards the kitchen where everything is made

A closer look at the kitchen area where the prep takes place

Coconut milk simmering over a fire

After having some samples, we went to the back to checkout where the sweets are made. There was a small half outdoor kitchen with some coconut milk cooking over a fire. It was interesting to be able to get a glimpse into a truly local way of baking. This would be an opportunity we would otherwise not have. On the way out, we also sampled some small clams that were sitting under the sun and covered with salt. At first, people were hesitant to try one. But after approval from the guide we all dug in and were glad we had a taste!

Inside the classroom at the Bridge of Life School

The Bridge of Life School

The total drive to the village takes 1.5 hours after both stops. As we got closer, the road became very rough and bumpy. We started to get a glimpse of some of the floating communities as we drove into Kompong Khleang. Many of the homes had no doors, and open windows. Some of them looked more fancy and put together than others. Many of the kids were running around barefoot, some without clothes. People were resting in hammocks on the porch, or underneath the stilts.

A view from inside the village during our walk to the school

After arriving to the village, our first stop was the Bridge of Life School. In addition to this village, they also have other locations in Cambodia. The school is located in one of the stilted homes, and we were given a brief tour of the inside. It was quite small, with just one main classroom for primary school, and another section for sewing classes. During wet season, many of the kids commute to school by boat, or swim if they are closeby.

A portrait of the sewing teacher busy at work

The primary school teaches reading, writing, math, and art to children ages 4-8. The seating is on a simple platform with just benches, no desks or chairs. This school gives an opportunity for younger kids to have access to an education and be better prepared for the government schools. Inside the school are also water filters to provide clean water to the surrounding village. After Sreyneang spoke about the school, we met the sewing teacher, who was busy creating while we enjoyed the view from the back.

Golden hour view of the main center of Kompong Khleang

Life on the Tonle Sap

The day ended with a boat tour of the villages along the Tonle Sap. We drove back to the main town center of Kompong Khleang, then walked over to the dock. During our stroll, we passed by a temple and some stunning sunset views. We also got a magnificent birds-eye view of the village life by the water.

Bird’s-eye view over the village by the water

Throughout the tour, we gained more insight into life on the Tonle Sap. The communities that live here thrive and depend on fishing in order to make a living and survive. They also adapt well to the changing water levels throughout the year. During wet season, the smaller, more mobile homes are able to escape the higher water. The homes on stilts however remain where they are, and some may be partially submerged. This particular village we visited is home to around 10,000 residents.

As stated on the Community First site, unfortunately the Tonle Sap is endangered due to overfishing and pollution. This wreaks havoc on these communities that depend on the local ecosystem to survive. Since it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site, there have been improvements in recent years to help preserve it. Sustainable travel and tours like these can also help the communities that exist here.

View of some of the stilted homes from the boat

Sustainable Travel: The Floating Village Tour

We saw so many eye-opening scenes while on the boat. I almost felt like a voyeur, peeking into their daily life from the water. I noticed many small houseboats in front of the stilted homes. Some of them had makeshift roofs and used gas tanks for buoyancy. There were also several kids swimming and bathing in the water. A few kids were holding nets to catch fish. Some were also sitting inside large water jugs, and gradually floating by. Many locals sped by on boats, watching us with curiosity, as if they’ve never seen a foreigner before. I truly can’t believe how amazing it is that they are able to survive and adapt to the power of nature. It’s quite fascinating learning about a culture so different, and witnessing it firsthand.

Locals swimming in the water near their homes

Daily life along the waters edge

I took a lot of moments to really pause and take it all in. During the tour, you’ll notice pungent smells of fish and waste. They symbolized a community with a small footprint, mostly thriving off what’s around them. It was quite the contrast to the smells of pollution or smog in larger cities. Seeing how resourceful these people are was inspiring.

Making our way down the Tonle Sap as the sun set

Vietnamese Floating Village

The boat tour was perfectly timed for sunset. Our final stop was an ethnic Vietnamese Floating village. This particular village did not have stilted homes, instead they were all literally floating on the water. It was incredibly beautiful watching the sun slowly go down behind the silhouette of the village. It created a magical pinkish tone over the water blending with shades of blue. For a moment, I thought we were in a real-life painting.

A view of the Vietnamese floating village

More of the Vietnamese floating village

A closer look at some of the homes

A family shot on the boat

Our boat stopped for awhile to admire the stunning views. We were able to relax and just enjoy the moment there. I must say, the village has quite a beautiful end to each day. It goes to show that sometimes the simplicity in life is most important. We headed back before the sun completely set. The sights were quite different now, with smells of food cooking over fires. The homes were lit up casting beautiful reflections on the water.

Supporting Sustainable Travel

The entire tour was wonderfully organized. It gave us the perfect introduction to the village without being invasive. We learned so much about the community, the issues they face and how they are helping. It felt good to know our money spent was going to a great cause, and even better that we saw it firsthand. If you’re interested in seeing an authentic floating village in Cambodia, Community First is a wonderfully responsible organization.

Sreyneang and Terra, such a memorable day!

Have you ever seen a floating village? If so, share more in the comments.

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