Cambodia Vacation Day 5: Stilt Village of Kompong Pluk

Cambodia Vacation Day 5: Stilt Village of Kompong Pluk

In the morning we had arranged a boat tour of the flooded forests of Kompong Pluk, a village with houses built on stilts and Tonle Sap, Cambodia's largest lake.

Our tuk tuk driver took us out of Siem Reap and through the beautiful Cambodian countryside before we arrived at our boat. 

On our boat there was our driver and a woman carrying produce.

On the way to the village we got to observe the unique ecosystem of the brown river and its surrounding trees.

We then approached beautiful Tonle Sap. The contrast of blue sky and expansive brown water stretched over the horizon and at a first glance it almost could be confused as a desert.

We then stopped at a restaurant that was built literally in lake. The woman with produce got out of the boat with her bags and headed behind the counter of the restaurant. I guess that's how you do grocery shopping when your restaurant is in the lake.

We then went to the stilt village.

After taking cruising around the town we were able to get out and walk around a bit. There were people drying small shrimp. I tried one and it was a good snack although quite salty. The town had a radio tower, an NGO and a school.

I found girls playing the people recess game in which they have to jump higher than an extended string, similar to limbo, but opposite.

After walking a bit more we got back on the boat, headed back to Siem Reap, spent some more time by the pool and then prepared ourselves for the  18 hour night-bus ride from Siem Reap to the southwestern coastal city of Koh Kong.

The night bus had 2 decks of fully reclined seats where you lie down and sleep. It had air conditioning but no bathroom.

With the help of a few podcasts, a mini bottle of whiskey and Tylenol PM I managed to get some sleep.