Gnarfgnarf activities in Siem Reap Angkor, Cambodia

Baray Occidental

Big net for big fish

Floating livelihood

Lost in the forest?

FUN ACTIVITIES

Swimming at the Baray Occidental Western Reservoir

The barays are large water reservoirs built under the Angkor period. The barays are not built by excavation of the ground but rather by constructing dikes above the ground level to control the natural flow of rivers. Barays provided the Khmer with the mastery of the hydrology of the Siem Reap area and ensured a sufficient rice production even in years when climatic conditions were unfavorable. The Baray Occidental or Western Baray has the shape of a rectangle of 8 kilometers by 2.3 kilometers, and was constructed in the IX^th century. The southern shore of the Baray Occidental is located some 20 minutes from the center of Siem Reap, on the way to the international airport. Small huts sell food and drinks. The main attraction of the baray consists of two beaches, one located in close proximity to the food stalls, and another accessible via a dirt road some fives minutes away. At the center of the baray lies an island on which was built a small temple, the Mebon Occidental or Western Mebon. The temple is accessible by boat from the southern shore. On the beaches, inner tubes and buoys, as well as hammocks and mats are rented by local people to visitors.

Boeng Tonle Sap Tonle Sap Lake

Some 11 kilometers south of Siem Reap lies Boeng Tonle Sap, the Great Lake of the Kingdom, and its main source of fish. During the rainy season, Tonle Sap Lake becomes the largest freshwater body in Asia, extending to 250 kilometers long and 100 kilometers wide. The lake has unique ecological features and biodiversity, including a surrounding floodplain of inundated forest. Tonle Sap Lake and its inundated forest are considered the single most important breeding area in Southeast Asia for globally threatened large waterbirds, and the most important source of freshwater fish for Cambodians. With some 215 recorded species of fish, you can imagine the endless list of recipes! There are plenty of nature based activities on Tonle Sap Lake, including a tour of the floating villages and a boat trip to the bird sanctuary.

Chong Kneas Floating Village

Chong Kneas Village floats on Boeng Tonle Sap, and is accessible by boat from the Phnom Krom Docks. You can purchase a half-day excursion with one of the tour operators, if you think you are an adventurer, you may alternatively rent a motorbike or moto-taxi to the docks and then rent a boat to tour the floating village. The moto-taxi ride costs US $1 from Siem Reap to the Phnom Krom Docks for one way. Motorboats with a skipper may be rented in Phnom Krom for around US $10 to tour Chong Kneas Village. Boats can carry up to 15 passengers, so pack up as many people as is safe. A typical tour of Chong Kneas Village lasts about two hours and may include two stopovers, one at the Gecko Environmental Center (a good stopover to learn about the ecology of Tonle Sap Lake, entrance is free), another stop at a fish and bird exhibition farm. These exhibition farms usually offer, on the same floating barge, a combination of souvenir shop, restaurant, fishponds and captive bird displays. The farms are smaller replicas of actual fish farms that cater essentially to visitors touring Chong Kneas Floating Village, in plain English they're a bit of a tourist trap. The tour of Chong Kneas also takes visitors around the more typical buildings of the village, including a floating school, a floating gas station, and a floating grocery store. The boat may also approach the inundated forest located in proximity to the village, this is a must see if you are the least bit interested in natural history. A tip: negotiate with the skipper what you want to see beforehand.

Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary

The 31,282 hetare Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary is one of three core conservation areas in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. Prek Toal is about an hour by boat at an average speed of 8 knots from Phnom Krom Docks / Chong Kneas Village. The rental of a boat to the sanctuary for a day costs up to US $80 for foreign visitors, an additional fee of US $15 to US $20 is charged for a guided tour of the sanctuary. The Environmental Research Station of the sanctuary, managed by the Ministry of Environment (MOE), has basic rooms for US $7 per night, for visitors wishing to stay overnight, as sunrise and sunset are best for bird watching. It is usually more difficult for tourists to rent boats directly with local boat operators because of the distance and time involved. Thus, most people just purchase a package tour with one of the tour operators. The Environment Research Station serves as a ranger post and a visitors center with information on the sanctuary’s conservation activities, flora, fauna and local communities. Prek Toal Sanctuary offers a unique opportunity for watching migratory birds as they congregate in large flocks from November to January. Species of conservation significance, including the lesser and greater adjutant storks, may then be observed along large populations of spot-billed pelicans, Indian shags and cormorants However, with the exception of this three-month period, bird watching is much more difficult as access to viewing areas require hiking through wetlands and inundated forests, and the use of paddleboats. We recommend a visit to the sanctuary only during the months of November, December and January.

Shopping for souvenirs

The old market (Psah Chas) and the souvenir vendors around the temples are a good choice if you have any idea of what to get and a keen sense of bargaining. T-shirts for US $3, that's a standard price. Don't pay more than 2000 riels for a traditional cotton scarf. Our tip: avoid the pseudo NGOs that take tourists in by the busloads and pretend they're helping poor people (yeah, right, pull out the violins), also avoid the souvenir shops on the main arteries and located close to the temples.

Cambodian Handicraft Association (CHA)

Baray Tukvill

West of Siem Reap, 2 km from the airport, off RN 6

(012) 855 231

No glossy brochure, no corporate bullshit. Made by landmine victims and polio disabled. Very nice traditional silk products, not bad at all, these guys are very able craftsmen. The ties with traditional Khmer design are a must buy souvenir. Check out the hippie style handbags, the soft cases for glasses, wallets, purses etc. The workshop is a bit hard to find but worth the trip and complete with a mini-silk farm with a whole bunch of silk worm staff. Best to combine with an excursion to the Baray Occidental.

Souvenirs Workshop

Off the main road to Angkor, 100 meters from Sofitel

Superior handicraft, no rejects and strict quality control. You will pay more than Cambodians, because you are cart drivers. Generally no negotiation, you pay the advertised price tag. A traditional workshop with craftsmen adept at working wood and mudstone. The real stuff, at a price, but nothing less. Worth a tour even if you are not much of an antique collector.