There is no bad month, but Kompong Phluk looks staggeringly different depending on the time of year, almost like two different villages. From about August to early December Kompong Phluk floats: the water is at the floors of the houses, the forest is flooded and you paddle through it. From February to May it stands on its legs: ten-metre stilts over dry ground, streets you can walk, and a longer boat ride to find the lake. Which one you get depends on the month.
- Best water
- October – November
- Best weather
- November – February
- Canoe season
- About July – January
- Fewest visitors
- March – June, September – October
- Hottest
- April
- Water today
- See the lake line above
Why the village changes
Tonle Sap Lake is fed by the Mekong, and the Mekong floods. From June the swollen river pushes water back up the Tonle Sap River into the lake, which grows from about 2,500 square kilometres to between 11,000 and 13,000 and rises up to nine metres. From November the flow reverses and the lake drains for six months. Kompong Phluk sits at the edge of this, which is why the houses stand on stilts as tall as a three-storey building: the water comes up to the floor in October and is almost gone in parts of the village by March.
Month by month
| Month | Water | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| January | High, falling | Canoes usually still running; cool, dry, clear skies. Peak tourist season. |
| February | Falling | The canoe often still runs; ask us. The stilts start to show. Dry and pleasant. |
| March | Low | The village on its legs; walk under the houses. The canoe may still run, depending on the year. Hot. The boat goes further to reach the lake. |
| April | Lowest | Khmer New Year mid-month. Very hot. Canoes closed; the forest is dry. |
| May | Low | First rains. Still hot. Village walks, long boat ride out. |
| June | Rising | The Mekong starts pushing the lake back. Afternoon showers, green countryside. |
| July | Rising | Canoes usually start. Rain most afternoons, rarely all day. |
| August | High | Forest flooded, village afloat. Wet, lush, few tourists. |
| September | High | Wettest month and the best water. Dramatic skies at sunset. |
| October | Highest | The lake at full size. Rains easing. Our favourite month. |
| November | Highest | Water Festival. Canopy just above the water. Dry season begins; cooler. |
| December | High, falling | Cool, dry, clear. Everything running. Busiest weeks of the year. |
The water varies by a few weeks from year to year with the rains upstream; the lake page shows the reading each morning, and the canoe runs whenever the forest is deep enough.
The wet season village, July to early December
This is the Kompong Phluk of the photographs. The boat leaves from a landing much closer to the main road, so the drive is shorter and the boat ride longer. The houses sit on the water, children paddle to school, and after the last house the boat ties up at a platform where you change into a canoe for the flooded forest. Then the open lake and the sunset. It rains in the afternoons from June to October, usually for an hour; by November the sky clears and the tourists arrive.
The dry season village, February to May
The same houses on ten-metre legs, with the village street underneath them. You walk between the stilts, see how the houses are built, pass the pagoda and the school on foot, and then take the boat down a channel that gets longer every week to reach the lake, which has retreated kilometres from the village. By April there is usually no canoe, because there is no water in the forest; the boat passes the trees on the way out. In February and March it depends on the year: the canoes often still run, so message us on WhatsApp to check before you book. April is very hot and Khmer New Year closes much of the country for three days, which empties the village of its own people as well. It is a quieter, dustier, more intimate visit, and some guests prefer it.
So when should you go?
It is always a good time to visit Kompong Phluk. Whenever you come, you take a boat through the village and out onto Tonle Sap Lake. The water starts rising in June, and the higher it is, the better: the best months of all are October, November and early December, when the houses stand in water and the flooded forest is at its fullest. Our sunset tour runs every day, so tell us when you're coming and we'll say what the lake is doing that week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Kompong Phluk?
October and November, when the lake is at full size, the forest is flooded to the canopy and the rains are easing. December and January are the comfortable compromise: dry, cool, canoes still running, more visitors.
Is Kompong Phluk worth visiting in the dry season?
Yes, as a different place. From February to May the houses stand on ten-metre legs, you can walk the village streets, and the boat ride to the lake is longer. The flooded forest canoe does not run.
Does it rain all day in the wet season?
Rarely. From June to October it usually rains for an hour or two in the afternoon or evening. A 2 pm tour sometimes gets a shower on the drive out and a dramatic sky at sunset.
When does the flooded forest canoe run?
Usually July to January, depending on the water. Check the lake line at the top of this page for today.