Life by the largest lake in Southeast Asia

Kompong Khleang is a floating village situated on Tonle Sap Lake - the largest lake in Southeast Asia - approximately an hour's drive from the center of Siem Reap province.

Life by the largest lake in Southeast Asia

Brook Sabin and Radha Engling, two renowned travel bloggers from New Zealand, had the opportunity to visit Kompong Khleang and discovered that behind the quintessential Southeast Asian beauty of the village, often dubbed the 'Venice of Cambodia,' lies the harsh reality of the locals' difficult living conditions and the stark truth about tourism business not only in this country.

Sharing on Stuff, the couple noted that upon arriving at Kompong Khleang village, what struck them immediately was the sight of three very young children, around 6 years old, commuting to school on a simple wooden boat.

The journey to school for the children here is quite an arduous one, devoid of engines, with only rudimentary bamboo paddles. During the rainy months, their journey becomes even more challenging as, apart from the dangers posed by the rising water levels, they often arrive at school drenched due to heavy rains.

Life on the undulating lake surface is far from easy and is always at the mercy of harsh weather. Every year during the rainy season, the lake area typically expands sixfold, and its depth increases ninefold. This is why most of the houses here either have elevated floors or float on the lake surface.

While it may sound like a 'Venice of Cambodia', everything here is far from the romanticism of Italy.

When Brook Sabin and Radha Engling visited the home of a local family here, they witnessed a mother bathing her son in front of the house. The mother simply released the boy into the water without the need for a fancy bathtub or intricate water tap.

Close by, a pigsty was also floating on the river. During the dry season, pigs and other livestock roam freely for food, but during the rainy season, to ensure safety, the locals confine them in temporary floating pens on the lake surface.

The village is quite lively, with everyone wearing a smile. Children paddle small boats back and forth, while adults are bustling about.

Kompong Khleang is one of approximately 150 villages scattered around Tonle Sap Lake. Visiting and experiencing life in these floating villages is a rapidly growing form of tourism in Cambodia.

Sadly, most tour companies organize types of sightseeing tours to Cambodia's floating villages in a 'ride and watch' style, or 'visit the zoo' style. This means wealthy foreign tourists sit on boats, joyfully 'touring' the harsh lives of poor laborers who rely on the water all year round.

They are an important part of creating a lucrative tourism industry, reaping profits but not benefiting in any way.

Currently, Community First, a charity organization, has stepped up to organize boat tours to Kompong Khleang floating village. All proceeds will be used to sponsor a classroom within the village and purchase water filtration systems.

Over the decades, the local people here have learned to cope with sudden changes brought about by weather fluctuations. But now, they are facing a new challenge, that is, the depletion of fishery resources due to overfishing and water pollution.

Household wastewater and untreated waste from factories are discharged directly into the lake, causing serious pollution. Most people directly use water from the lake for drinking and daily activities.

Community First has used profits from the tour to purchase 35 water filtration systems to provide clean drinking water to many families.

When Brook Sabin and Radha Engling visited the classroom, the lesson had just ended. The couple made a request for about 2-3 students to sit at the desk for a photo. Very quickly, my request was misunderstood by the students as an extra class, and about 20 of them eagerly grabbed their books and pencils to study. I wanted a photo, and the students wanted to learn.

The locals believe that education is the best opportunity to make life better. If they can graduate from high school, the chances of finding a decent job in the city will increase significantly.

But the challenge to attend school is immense. Most of the children here have not completed high school. To get to school, they have to travel a long distance by boat, then ride a bike for about 20 km. These children also start working from a young age.

Brook Sabin and Radha Engling understand why the small children they saw when they first arrived in the village dare to embark on the long journey to school every day. Because if they receive a full education, one day they can step out of the village and have a better life.

By Minh Quan/Tuoi Tre

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour