For half the year the mangrove forests on the shore of Tonle Sap Lake stand in water deep enough to paddle a canoe between the trunks. People here call it the flooded forest, sometimes the floating forest, and it is the most memorable twenty minutes of any floating village trip from Siem Reap. There are three places near Siem Reap where you can do it, and they are not equal. This guide says which to choose, when the water is high enough, and what the canoe really costs.
- What it is
- Freshwater mangrove forest that floods every rainy season
- Where
- Kompong Phluk (largest), Kompong Khleang, Mechrey
- When it floods
- About July to January; highest in November
- Canoe ride
- 20–30 minutes, two guests per canoe
- Canoe price
- USD 5 at Phluk · USD 10 at Khleang
- Our tour
- $28 per person, canoe included
What a flooded forest is
Tonle Sap is the only lake in the world whose river reverses direction. In the dry season the lake drains into the Mekong; in the rainy season the swollen Mekong pushes water back up the Tonle Sap River and the lake grows to five or six times its size. The forests on its shore have adapted to this. They are freshwater mangroves and other flood-tolerant trees whose trunks spend months under water and whose canopies close over the channels between them. Fish spawn among the roots, which is why the villages beside these forests have always been fishing villages, and why the communities now protect them from logging.
When the water is high you move through the forest by canoe, the paddler at the stern and the light coming down green through the leaves. When it is low you can walk the same ground on foot, which is interesting but not what people come for.
Where the flooded forests are
| Village | The forest | Best for | Our tours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kompong Phluk | The largest, around 6,000 hectares, with a canoe cooperative run by village women | The classic ride: a long paddle through dense forest, then sunset on the lake | Daily group tour $28 · private days |
| Kompong Khleang | Smaller, reached by canoe from the community boat | Fewer tourists; combine with the largest village on the lake | Private days (canoe +$10 pp) |
| Mechrey | Small village with a canoe through the floating houses | People who want the lake to themselves | Private days |
Chong Kneas, the village closest to Siem Reap and the one most tuk-tuk drivers suggest, has no flooded forest. If a driver offers you a "floating forest" at Chong Kneas, you will be paddled through water hyacinth beside a floating restaurant. Our village comparison explains the differences.
When the forest floods
The water starts rising in June and the canoes usually begin running in July. The forest is at its best from September to December, with the peak around the Water Festival in November, when the trunks are fully submerged and the canopy sits just above the surface. By late January the water is falling and by March the forest is dry; the canoes stop, and the main boat still passes the edge of the forest on its way to the lake. Rainfall varies from year to year, so a month either side is possible. The lake line at the top of this page shows the water today; for planning a whole trip around the lake see when to visit Kompong Phluk.
What the flooded forest costs
| Place | Canoe | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kompong Phluk | USD 5 per person | Paid at the floating platform where you change boats; two people per canoe |
| Kompong Khleang | USD 10 per person | On private days; the canoe meets the community boat |
| Mechrey | Price being confirmed | Village canoe through the floating houses |
The canoe is on top of the village boat ticket (USD 20 per person plus a USD 2 tourism tax at Kompong Phluk and Kompong Khleang). Our tours include both, so there is nothing to pay at the platform. Every fee is on our prices page.
What the ride is like
After the big boat passes the last houses of Kompong Phluk, it ties up at a floating platform and you step down into a wooden canoe with one other person. Your paddler is usually a woman from the rowing cooperative. The engine noise stops. For the next twenty to thirty minutes you drift between trunks close enough to touch, under a roof of leaves, past fish traps and the occasional kingfisher. Then the trees thin out, the boat comes to collect you, and a few minutes later you are on open water with the sun going down. Bring a hat and sunscreen for the lake; you won't need them in the forest.
See the flooded forest with us
| Item | Group sunset tour | Private day |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $28 per person | $145 for up to 4, built your way |
| Departs | Daily 2:00 pm, back about 7:00 pm | Any time you like |
| Includes | Hotel pickup, guide from the village, village boat, flooded forest canoe, water, snacks, market and pagoda stops | Air-con van and driver, guide, boat tickets; add the canoe and anything else |
| Group size | Any size | Just your party |
Booking here costs no more than booking through an agency. Free cancellation up to 4 hours before pickup, and a WhatsApp line straight to your guide.
A lovely group tour of Kompong Khleang at high water
We had a lovely group tour of Kompong Khleang yesterday. The water on Tonle Sap Lake is very high right now and has reached close to the floors of many of the stilted homes, so the whole floating village seems to sit right on the lake.
With the water this high there was no walking tour through the village, but the boat ride was lovely. We were able to take the boat between the houses and see village life up close from the water, then head out onto the open lake for sunset.
The weather was great: not humid at all, and we didn’t get any rain. A great time to visit Kompong Khleang and Tonle Sap Lake. If you are planning a floating village tour from Siem Reap, our Kompong Khleang guide explains what to expect in each season.
Frequently asked questions
Is the flooded forest worth it?
If you are here between July and January, yes; for most guests it is the highlight of the trip. In the dry months the forest is walkable but the canoes do not run, and the lake and the village are the reason to go.
Can you visit the flooded forest in the dry season?
You can see it and walk through it, but not paddle it. The canoes usually stop around February and start again in July.
Which flooded forest is best?
Kompong Phluk, for size and for the organised canoe cooperative. Kompong Khleang is quieter and smaller. Mechrey is the quietest, with a village canoe.
How long is the canoe ride?
Twenty to thirty minutes. The whole village-and-forest visit is about an hour and a half, plus 45 to 60 minutes each way from Siem Reap.
Is it safe? Do you need to swim?
The canoes are stable, the water in the forest is calm and shallow, and there are life jackets in both the main boat and the canoes. You stay seated the whole time.
Is it the same as the "floating forest" at Chong Kneas?
No. Chong Kneas has no flooded forest. The canoe rides offered there go through water hyacinth beside the main channel.
How much does the flooded forest cost?
The canoe is USD 5 per person at Kompong Phluk and USD 10 at Kompong Khleang, on top of the village boat ticket of USD 20. Our tours include both.