Kompong Phluk is a stilt-house village on the edge of Tonle Sap Lake, roughly 30-35 km from Siem Reap, famous for houses perched on 20-foot wooden pilings and a flooded mangrove forest at the water's edge. Around 3,000 residents actually live here by fishing and rice farming, making it a genuine working village rather than a tourist-staged one like nearby Chong Kneas. In the wet season the village appears to float on the water, while in the dry season the towering stilts stand fully exposed β so the scene changes dramatically by season.
Clusters of tall stilt houses lining the channel toward Tonle Sap Lake β a village that seems to float
A short paddle-boat ride through the flooded mangrove forest (about 30 minutes, 2 passengers per boat) β a 'green tunnel' among submerged trees
Everyday life of a real fishing community β floating shops, a school, and pagodas
Sunset over the lake, popular in the late afternoon
Reputedly the largest flooded mangrove forest in the Siem Reap area
Good to know
CautionBeware of pushy 'donation for school supplies/rice' requests. Children or guides may steer you to buy overpriced rice or make ~$30 'donations' for a school or orphanage. The nearby Chong Kneas is notorious for a fake-orphanage and crocodile-farm scam, so it's fine to decline on-the-spot donations.
CautionWatch for price changes at the ticket counter. Some tours advertised cheaply online are quoted much higher (around $20-25 per person) at the dock, with foreigners charged a flat high rate. Rough benchmarks are ~$20/person boat ticket + ~$2 community fee + ~$5/person for the mangrove paddle boat, but confirm current prices on site.
CautionBeware of commission-driven restaurant and souvenir stops. Drivers or guides may take you to overpriced commission restaurants β choose where you eat and shop yourself.
SeasonAround April in the dry season the water drops and the mangrove paddle-boat tour may be suspended for several weeks. If the flooded-forest ride is your goal, aim for high-water months (roughly September-January).
MannersThis is a living community, not a theme park. Boats pass right by people's homes, so don't take intrusive close-up photos of residents or children without consent and respect their privacy.
SafetyCheck that a life jacket is provided on small boats, and in the wet season don't perch on the railing-less gunwale as currents run stronger. The final stretch to the village includes unpaved dirt road that can be slippery and slow in the rainy season.
Practical info
About 40 minutes to 1.5 hours each way from Siem Reap by tuk-tuk or car (partly unpaved). Morning (around 7:30) and afternoon (around 14:00) departures are typical; take the afternoon one for sunset. Fees and hours change often, so confirm the latest. Bring small US-dollar cash, a hat, sunscreen, and water.
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