Tonle Sap

Tonle Sap is where the populace gets most of their fish protein. During the rain season the water of the river tends to rise up the bank. However during the dry season the level can drop drastically.

The fact I find most amazing is when the water level falls people will go down the river to build their houses. Come the rain season these people will move out of their houses and find somewhere else to live. For the next 4-5 months or so their houses, made of bamboo and stilts will remain submerged. When the dry season returns and the water level falls, the inhabitants of the houses will return to repair them. Perhaps in words it doesn't sound so extraordinary but if you could be here to see the river current and the way boats are likely to run above them then its really a different story.

In one occasion while I was traveling in a small motor boat during a school trip to a remote village, a fish of almost 5 to 6kg spring up onto the boat. We happily made a meal out of it. Fishes are a plenty in the Tonle Sap. Just hope that a proposed damming project will not affect their population.

The bank of the Tonle Sap is a pretty nice place to chill out. One can have a nice cup of fruit juice and some meatballs while watching the sunset.

Sunrise @ the Tonle

 

 

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