Day trips to Kompong Phluk—which typically depart from nearby Siem Reap—save you the hassle of arranging multiple modes of transport and shed light on local fishing practices and cultural customs. Excursions generally include a tour of the stilt village, where you’re likely to encounter locals and learn about daily life in Kampong Phluk, and a row-boat ride through the mangrove forest, where partially submerged fauna emerges from the coffee-colored water.
Kampong Phluk provides a glimpse into life in the Cambodian countryside—with a slower pace than at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Tonle Sap Lake is home to more than 200 species of fish and around 70 different species of snake, making it a top destination for nature lovers.
Most trips to Kampong Phluk are not wheelchair accessible.
From Siem Reap, the drive to Kampong Phluk by car takes around one hour via the NR6 highway. If traveling independently, you need to arrange transportation by boat—required only in the rainy season—on arrival.
In the wet season (May through October), the area is completely submerged, and Kampong Phluk becomes a semi-floating village; in the dry season, the same stilted houses may rise up to 18 feet (about 6 meters) above the water.
Though most famous for Angkor Archeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Siem Reap is surrounded by several natural and cultural wonders. Highlights include Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, where you can view hundreds of different bird species from observation decks, and Phnom Kulen National Park, where you can swim beneath a waterfall.
