Kampong Chhnang Riverfront Park

Address: Kampong Chhnang riverfront, Kampong Chhnang town, Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia

The most accessible sights in Kampong Chhnang line the banks of the Tonle Sap. Driving from the centre of town towards the river, the first landmark is the Buddhist temple of Wat Yeah Tep, superbly placed for taking in both the water and the busy commercial life that spills onto the riverbank, where makeshift shops run down towards the port.

Beyond the shops, a riverside parking area has an information desk that can arrange boat trips to the nearby floating villages (around US$10 an hour). Just past it, a ferry pier serves commuter boats to the villages and ruins on the opposite bank, as well as the Kroum Market, a lively morning fish market. If time is short, small paddle boats can also be hired beside the market for brief trips to the floating village on the near side of the river (around US$5 an hour).

The riverside is at its most vibrant early in the morning, particularly towards the end of the rainy season in October and November, when the river runs high but the skies are more likely to be clear.

Kampong Chhnang Riverfront sits in Kampong Chhnang town on the Tonle Sap/riverfront and is reached from Phnom Penh along National Road 5. Regular buses and minibuses run from Phnom Penh to Kampong Chhnang (the drive is generally about 1.5-2 hours, roughly 90-100 km). Once you arrive in town the riverfront promenade is an easy 5-10 minute walk from the main bus stops and the town center.

• Plan to arrive early morning when river activity and the floating-market trade are at their peak; boat tours to nearby floating villages and pottery islands typically depart from the main riverfront pier by the central market, so you can book on-site that morning.
• Use the cluster of ticket/boat stalls along the riverfront rather than flagging random boats - official stalls run set circuits (floating villages, pottery workshops) and make pricing clearer and safer.
• Walk the riverfront at late afternoon light if you're after photos of the town and pottery workshops - many visitors go straight to boat trips and miss the riverside market stalls and pottery yards tucked down the lanes.