Kampong Khleang Floating Village

Kampong Khleang is the largest and most authentic of the Tonle Sap floating villages, home to an estimated 10,000 predominantly ethnic Khmer residents who have lived on the lake for generations. Located about 55 kilometers from Siem Reap, its greater distance keeps tourist numbers lower than at closer villages, preserving a more genuine atmosphere of daily lake life. The village transitions dramatically between seasons: in the dry season houses rest on mud flats meters above the water level, while in the wet season the lake rises to engulf the entire lower town and residents travel entirely by boat. An imposing pagoda on the hilltop above the village provides sweeping views over the rooftops and the vast shimmering lake stretching to the horizon.