Tonle Sap and Kompong Phluk

While Cambodia's star attraction is the fascinating temples of Angkor, visitors should consider looking at another wonderful attraction - Tonle Sap.

Tonle Sap is a lake and river system that's unique and special to Cambodia. The river flow changes direction twice a year! During the dry season, it flows out into the Mekong River, while during the wet season, the Mekong overflows, and the river backs up to form the huge Tonle Sap lake. There are a couple of villages on and along Tonle Sap that is certainly worth visiting. Most tours and guides would bring tourists to Chong Khneas, a floating village. However, I visited Kompong Phluk instead, a village that will appear different depending on which season you go!




In the dry season (when I went), Kompong Phluk appears as a village of wooden houses on stilts. Life is more grounded, and they even have ball games below their houses. However, when the water level rises, the stilts disappear from view, and you would just see wooden houses "floating" on water! In fact, during this wet season, Kompong Phluk can only be visited by boat.
There are also other smaller villages along the causeways of the river. These villages usually consists of small thatched huts which are easily dismantled and moved. The families in these villages move home several times a year!!




A visit to Kompong Phluk really provides a good way to look at the the lifestyle of these people who are so dependent on the lake and river. If you visit during the dry season like me, getting there is also challenging. Taxis and tuk-tuks can only bring you to the village of Roluos, where you will then transfer to a motorbike. This motorbike will bestow upon you your most bumpy ride ever, on a ground that will not be visible during the wet season. Subsequently, you will still need to transfer to a boat to take you to Kompong Phluk itself!



Do check out the villages of Tonle Sap if you have enough time in Cambodia. For more info, you can check out Tales of Asia website, or your favourite guidebooks and online travel resources.

Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is a region in south Vietnam where the mighty Mekong River empties into the sea. Millions of Vietnamese call this area home. They build their houses along the river edge and their "backyard" is their livelihood. For some, their boats are their home...


A trip through the delta will open up your eyes, and is a highly recommended side trip from Ho Chi Minh. In fact, my suggestion is to go for at least a 2-day trip. This is because one of the highlights of the trip is to see and experience the early morning floating markets. For the single day-trip, you will miss this highlight.


The Mekong Delta marketeers do their transactions on "floating markets". Their merchandise are brought along in their boats, and they scour around a large area, or hang around an area. Residents on the banks of the Mekong who need to buy something will just take their small boats to these areas - essentially "going to market". Those living in the boats just bring their "home" to market!!

Among the things you'll see along the delta and its tributeries, are "factories" which produces various kinds of snacks that are rice-based. One of them, known as poprice, is certainly interesting to see them made. They take rice grains, after being de-husked, and throw them into hot sand where they will be "popped" (like pop corn). Then they are mixed with a concoction of maple syrup, coconut milk etc. Then they are put into a mold, and cut into blocks of sweet nice snacks! Yummy!

The people of the Mekong Delta are among the friendliest in Vietnam, especially if compared to city folks in Ho Chi Minh. I really enjoyed the Mekong Delta.