Half-Day Kompong Phluk, Tonle Sap Cruise from Siem Reap

ugh the outskirts of Siem Reap to the Tonle Sap Lake. Board your boat and cruise through Tonle Sap, observing life on the lake as you travel past floating fishing villages that have their own schools, shops, hospitals and even crocodile farms! The lake is home to rare and endangered water birds and is unique for its flow of water, which changes direction twice a year. With the change in seasons, the lake has the ability to expand and shrink dramatically. At the height of the wet season, the lake can be more than 7,400 square miles (12,000 square kilometers) and provides half of the fish supply for Cambodia. On the return journey to Siem Reap, take the back roads into town and get a glimpse of daily rural activities, such as rice planting and harvesting, duck farming, and making the popular but smelly fish paste. Stop at a local Buddhist temple, chat with the villagers and try the local snacks.