Chong Khneas

Chong Khneas is a floating village and lakeside settlement on the southern edge of Tonle Sap Lake near Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia. It is known for stilted and floating houses, schools and markets that adapt to the lake’s seasonal rise and fall.

The settlement is commonly visited as part of boat trips on Tonle Sap and is noted for its floating houses, market stalls and local fishing activity. Many structures float during the wet season when the lake expands and rest on stilts or mudflats in the dry season; boat routes link the village to Siem Reap.

The community developed around Tonle Sap’s productive fisheries and a way of life adapted to annual flooding and recession of the lake. Over recent decades tourism has become a significant part of local income, alongside fishing and aquaculture.

The village sits on the southern shore of Tonle Sap, roughly 10 to 15 kilometres by road or short boat trip from central Siem Reap depending on the departure point, positioned where the lake broadens into seasonal wetlands.

• Seasonal flooding: Water levels change dramatically between the dry and wet seasons, so houses are on stilts in the dry season and float or sit in deeper water in the wet season.
• Visiting tips: Boat trips depart from the edge of Siem Reap and take about 20 to 40 minutes depending on water level and departure point; early mornings are best for birdwatching and quieter visits.