Kompong Phluk is a village of about 3,000 people built on stilts up to 10 metres tall on the edge of Tonle Sap Lake, 31 km from Siem Reap. For half the year it sits above dry ground; for the other half the water rises to the doorsteps and the surrounding mangrove forest floods. It is the closest thing Siem Reap has to a real floating village that still lives by fishing rather than by tourism, and it has the largest flooded forest in the province.
- Distance
- 31 km · 45–60 min
- Village boat
- USD 20 per person
- Forest rowboat
- USD 5, July–January
- Population
- About 3,000
- Best months
- August – early January
- Our tour
- $28 · daily 2:00 pm
This guide covers what the village is, how to get there, what the boats cost, when to go, and how to visit without adding to the problems that tourism has brought to other villages on the lake. We run tours here daily; our guides grew up in Kompong Phluk and Kompong Khleang.
What is Kompong Phluk?
Kompong Phluk (also spelled Kampong Phluk) is three neighbouring villages on a channel that runs into Tonle Sap Lake, about 16 km southeast of Siem Reap as the crow flies. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people live here, almost all of them fishing families. The houses stand on wooden stilts six to ten metres high. In the dry season you walk beneath them along a dusty road; in the wet season the road disappears and the village is reached by boat.
What makes Kompong Phluk different from the other villages near Siem Reap is its forest. Roughly 6,000 hectares of mangrove surround the village and flood every year, and the community has protected it from logging for two decades. The whole area is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO for its fish, birds and plant life, much of it endangered.
A short history
Before 1975 there was no organised village here, just fishing families living near the water. The Khmer Rouge burned the homes and moved the families to labour camps; those who survived came back in the 1980s to start again, with no school, no clinic and little help. Conditions improved in the 1990s when aid organisations built roads and schools and taught conservation alongside fishing. From the 2000s the villagers, with the help of GIZ and other aid organisations, set up their own ecotourism cooperative, which now runs the boats you will ride.
How to get to Kompong Phluk
Take National Road 6 east towards Phnom Penh, turn right at Bakong (there is a signpost), and follow the road south to the boat landing. By car or minivan it takes 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and the water level; a tuk-tuk takes longer and is hot and dusty in the dry season. In high water the last stretch of road is under the lake and the boat leaves from further north, so the landing moves with the season.
Most visitors come with a tour because the boat ticket, the forest rowboat and transport add up to roughly the same as a guided trip, and a guide from the village can tell you what you are looking at. That also means no haggling and no communication problems. If you do come on your own, see our entrance fee guide for what to expect at the ticket office.
The flooded forest
The flooded forest is the reason to choose Kompong Phluk over Kompong Khleang or Chong Kneas. After the village boat passes the last houses, you transfer to a wooden rowboat paddled by a village resident, usually a woman from the rowing cooperative, and spend 20 to 30 minutes gliding between submerged tree trunks. It is quiet, shaded and unlike anything else near Siem Reap. The rowboats run from roughly July to January, when the water is deep enough; outside those months you can still see the forest from the walkway and the main boat.
Kompong Phluk boat prices
There are two boats, and two tickets, sold by the community cooperative:
| Boat | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Village boat: landing, through the village, out to the lake and back | USD 20 per person | About 1 hour |
| Flooded forest rowboat (optional) | USD 5 per person | 20–30 minutes |
Our tours include both tickets in the price. If you are quoted more than this at the landing, you are paying a middleman; see our guide to floating village scams.
Best time to visit
The lake rises from roughly 1 metre deep in April to over 9 metres in October. Kompong Phluk is at its best from August to January: houses stand in water, the forest is flooded and the rowboats run. From February to April the water is low, the forest is dry and the village is reached by road, which is interesting in its own way but not what most people picture. Sunset is spectacular all year.
Visiting responsibly
Kompong Phluk is a working village, not a theme park. A few things our guides ask of guests: don't give money or sweets to children (it keeps them out of school), don't photograph people in their homes without asking, buy snacks from the village stalls rather than from the boat, and skip the "orphanage" and "buy rice for the school" stops that other operators add.
Visit Kompong Phluk with us
We have run tours to Kompong Phluk since 2017. Our guides come from the lake villages, speak fluent English, and know the families you will pass. Two ways to go:
| Item | Group sunset tour | Private tour |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $28 per person | $145 for up to 4 people, then $25 per extra person |
| Departs | Daily 2:00 pm, back about 7:00 pm | Any time; mornings see the village at work, afternoons get the sunset |
| Includes | Hotel pickup in an air-con van, guide, village boat, forest rowboat, water, snacks, a local market and a countryside pagoda | Everything in the group tour, your own vehicle, boat and guide, and the route is yours |
| Group size | 4 to 10 people | Just your party |
Book direct and save. Booking here costs no more than booking through an agency, and on private days we'll match a licensed tour company's price for the same day; send us a link or screenshot. You also get free cancellation up to 4 hours before departure and a direct WhatsApp line to your guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kompong Phluk worth visiting?
Yes. It is the most photogenic of the Siem Reap villages because of the stilt houses and the flooded forest, and it is far less crowded than Chong Kneas. The ideal months are August to January, but there is water year-round and the boat trip is good in any season.
Kompong Phluk or Kompong Khleang?
Kompong Phluk has the flooded forest and is closer to Siem Reap. Kompong Khleang is larger, more remote and has more true floating (not stilted) homes. If you only have one afternoon, Phluk; if you want fewer tourists, Khleang.
How much does it cost to visit Kompong Phluk?
The village boat is USD 20 per person and the forest rowboat USD 5. Add transport from Siem Reap (about $15–25 for a tuk-tuk, more for a car) and the total is around $40–50 on your own, which is why our $28 group tour with transport, guide and both boats included is the usual choice.
How long does a visit take?
About 1.5 hours in the village and forest, plus 45–60 minutes each way. Our half-day tour runs 4.5 hours door to door.
Can you visit Kompong Phluk in the dry season?
Yes. The village is reached by road, the stilts are fully exposed, and you can walk through it. The forest rowboats do not run when the water is low, usually February to June.
Is the tour suitable for children and older travellers?
Yes. The boats are stable and there are life jackets in both the main boat and the canoes. Children under 12 get USD 10 off and under-2s travel free. Boarding involves a few wooden steps; walking sticks and bad knees are fine, wheelchairs are not recommended.
What should I bring?
Sunscreen, a hat, water (we provide it on our tours), cash in small USD or riel for snacks, and modest clothing for the pagoda stop.