Chong Kneas is the floating village next to the Siem Reap boat port, 15 minutes south of town, and the one most tuk-tuk drivers will take you to if you say "floating village". It is the closest, the cheapest and the busiest, and for years it was the one with the worst reputation. Since 2022 the boats have been run under an official ticket, which has fixed the price and removed most of the old games. This guide says what it costs, what has changed, what hasn't, and when it is the right choice.
- Distance
- 12 km · 15–25 min
- Boat ticket
- USD 7 per person, 12 and over
- Minimum
- 4 tickets per small boat (USD 28)
- Children
- Under 12 free
- Time needed
- About 2.5 hours door to door
- Our trip
- Private, from $53 for up to 4
The official boat prices
Boat tickets at Chong Kneas are sold by Angkor Enterprise, the government body that also sells the Angkor temple pass, under a notice dated 14 February 2022. The prices are fixed and printed at the port:
| Item | Price | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket, per person aged 12 and over | USD 7 | |
| Small boat, 8 seats | 4 tickets (USD 28) for 1–4 people | 4 tickets |
| Large boat, 45 seats | 9 tickets (USD 63) minimum | 9 tickets |
| Children under 12 | Free |
So a boat leaves with four tickets. A couple either waits at the port for others to share the boat, or buys the remaining tickets; a group of six pays USD 42. The ticket covers the boat only; transport from town and a guide are separate. If anyone quotes you a different boat price at Chong Kneas, they are not selling the official ticket.
What has changed, and what hasn't
Before 2022, Chong Kneas was where the floating village stories came from: USD 20 or 30 boat prices invented on the spot, a compulsory stop at a "school" where you were asked to buy a USD 50 sack of rice, a crocodile farm with a gift shop, and drivers on commission from all of it. It is why our own scams guide exists.
The official ticket fixed the price, and the government's management has made the port more orderly. The school stop has officially closed, though guests still occasionally report being taken to one; say no. The crocodile farm is still there, and the boats still stop at it; it is a few minutes and you can stay on the boat. The loop is the same: down the channel past the houseboats and out onto the open lake, then back.
What hasn't changed is the character of the place. Chong Kneas is a port village with a tourist economy; the money from the official ticket goes to Angkor Enterprise rather than to a village cooperative, unlike at Kompong Phluk and Kompong Khleang. You will share the channel with dozens of other boats at sunset. It is a view of the lake, not a visit to a community.
When Chong Kneas is the right choice
When you have an hour or two rather than an afternoon. When you are leaving tomorrow and want to have seen the lake. When the cost matters and you would rather spend the difference on dinner. For all of those, it is a fair answer, and we run it as our cheapest private trip: a tuk-tuk from your hotel for $25 (up to four people, children included in the four), the official $7 tickets, the boat loop with the tuk-tuk waiting at the port, and back in town in about two and a half hours. Pickup any time up to 3:30 pm; late afternoon gets the sunset. Add a car for $10 more, or an English-speaking guide for $35. We will tell you honestly if we think you would be happier spending the afternoon at Kompong Phluk instead.
Visiting on your own
Take a tuk-tuk to the port at Phnom Krom, about 25 minutes. Buy the ticket at the Angkor Enterprise counter, not from anyone who approaches you first. The boat stops at the crocodile farm; decline any school stop. Bring sunscreen; the boats are covered but the lake is bright. Sunset is the best time and the busiest.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Chong Kneas boat ticket?
USD 7 per person aged 12 and over, sold by Angkor Enterprise at the port. A small boat (8 seats) leaves with a minimum of 4 tickets, so with fewer than four of you, you wait for others to share or buy the remaining tickets. A large boat (45 seats) needs 9 tickets. Children under 12 are free.
Is Chong Kneas worth visiting?
If you have an hour and want to see the lake, yes: it is 15 minutes from town and the official ticketing has cleaned up most of the old problems. If you have an afternoon, Kompong Phluk or Kompong Khleang are better villages and better value.
Is Chong Kneas a scam?
It used to have a bad reputation for inflated boat prices, forced stops at a school or crocodile farm, and pressure to buy rice. Since Angkor Enterprise took over ticketing in 2022 the boat price is fixed and printed. The school stop has officially closed, though guests still report being taken to one; the crocodile farm is still there. Go with a guide you trust and say no to any stop you did not ask for.
How do I get to Chong Kneas?
Take the road south from Siem Reap past the Angkor Enterprise ticket office, about 12 km, to the port at Phnom Krom. A tuk-tuk takes 20 to 25 minutes.
Chong Kneas or Kompong Phluk?
Kompong Phluk has the flooded forest, tall stilt houses and far fewer boats; it takes 45 to 60 minutes each way. Chong Kneas is closer and cheaper and busier. Our villages page compares all four.