A Morning at Tonle Sap's Floating Gardens: Kampong Khleang's Waterborne Harvest

A Floating Harvest on Tonle Sap

We leave Siem Reap just after sunrise, the air still cool and the road to Kampong Khleang quiet. The drive takes about an hour and a half, passing through rice fields and stilted houses that rise like wooden herons from the floodplain. Our destination is not the famous floating village of Chong Kneas but Kampong Khleang, a community of nearly 5,000 people who live with the lake’s rhythm. Here, the floating gardens are a marvel of adaptation: beds of water hyacinth and bamboo frames anchored to the lakebed, where vegetables grow inches above the water.

The Gardens That Rise and Fall

As we approach by boat, the gardens come into view: neat rectangles of green against the silver water. Families tend these plots from small wooden boats, using long poles to push through the vegetation. The main crops are morning glory, water spinach, and sometimes tomatoes and chillies, all grown in soil hauled from the mainland and held in place by frames. The gardens rise and fall with the lake’s level, which can change by several metres between seasons. We watch a woman named Srey Mom harvest morning glory, her hands quick and sure. She tells us the gardens have been in her family for decades. The smell of wet earth and fresh greens mixes with the lake’s muddy scent. Birds call from the flooded forest nearby.

Life on the Water

Kampong Khleang is not just gardens. We glide past stilted houses, some towering ten metres above the water, their ladders long and steep. Children wave from porches; a dog sleeps on a sunny platform. We stop at a small workshop where fish are dried and smoked, the air thick with the savoury smell. This is a working community, not a tourist show. We are careful to be quiet, to ask before taking photos. The lake itself is a vast presence, its waters brown and lively. We learn that the floating gardens provide a crucial source of fresh vegetables when the land is flooded, a tradition passed down through generations.

Getting there from the villa

From our villa in Siem Reap, the easiest way to reach Kampong Khleang is by private car or tuk-tuk, arranged through your host. The journey takes around 1.5 to 2 hours depending on road conditions. Alternatively, you can join a small-group tour that includes a boat ride through the village and gardens. We recommend leaving early to catch the morning light and avoid the heat. Your host can help you book a trusted driver who knows the area. The road is paved most of the way, but the final stretch may be dusty in dry season. Bring water, a hat, and sun protection.

Good to know

• The best time to visit the floating gardens is during the wet season (June to October) when the water is high and the gardens are most active. However, they operate year-round.
• Respect the community: ask before photographing people, and consider buying snacks or drinks from local vendors to support the economy.
• Bring cash in small denominations for boat fees and any purchases, as there are no ATMs in the village.
• Check locally for current boat tour prices and availability, as these can change. Your host can provide up-to-date information.

Staying in Siem Reap? Our 6-bedroom villa with a private pool sleeps 12 and sits 15 minutes from Angkor Wat — see our rates and availability.