Cambodia — Day 4: Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia — part 1 of 3

Visiting a Cambodian floating village — getting to the village

September 2015

This was the last day out on the road with my tour guide, and the itinerary was to visit a floating village, stop for some roadside snacks (I didn’t know how I felt about that) and visit a local war museum.

We headed out along some very straight roads from Siem Reap that, unlike in Bali, ignored the field boundaries and cut across the farmer’s fields.

We arrived at a small village (Google Mapstruckers.plunder.hunched) a little after 9 am and headed out by boat to Mechrey Floating Village — arriving at 9:30 am. I was back at the dock just before 10:30 am.

To take the trip to the village, I had to pay an entrance fee. I had no idea to whom the money went, but looking at the village, I would guess it wasn’t to the villagers.

On the trip to the village and back, along a very straight waterway, I saw no wildlife. This struck me as odd.

Photo by Author — boat terminal for trips out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — boat terminal for trips out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — the boat out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — the boat out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — view of the stern of my boat out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — view of the stern of my boat out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — interesting engine, steering, and propeller set up on the boats — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — interesting engine, steering, and propeller set up on the boats — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — the run out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — the run out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The boat to the village travelled down a very straight and busy channel. I was surprised by the number of boats I saw and the speed at which they moved.

Photo by Author — traffic out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — traffic out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a speeding boat — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a speeding boat — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a speeding boat — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a speeding boat — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a speeding boat — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a speeding boat — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — what happens when you get your propeller too high in the water — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — what happens when you get your propeller too high in the water — Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a fishing camp on the way out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo by Author — a fishing camp on the way out to Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia

In part 2, I arrive in the village.

Cambodia — Day 4: Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia — part 2 of 3
Mechrey Floating Village, Siem Reap, Cambodia