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Tonle Sap

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PonyGirl2
PonyGirl2
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
4
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Tonle Sap

  • November 15, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by PonyGirl2 from Clearwater, Minnesota
Tonle Sap

We took a boat tour of the floating village on Tonle Sap. Before the trip, I had read a couple of negative reviews about doing this, saying that the village was horribly polluted and the people and animals exploited. None-the-less, we decided to give it a try. Yes, they do certainly have a sanitation issue. As far as the exploitation, I believe that buying the boat ride and beverages from the people in the village helps to contribute to their economy. All that aside, here is our experience:

The lake is immense, and the fact that these people have made a life ON it is amazing. Litterally, there are churches, schools, restaurants, and whole suburbs floating on this lake. We got plenty of smiles and waves from the locals as we passed by, so I did not feel like we were being intrusive. Once you are out in the open waters, you will get inundated by people in small watercraft offering to sell you everything. Women with babies, children out on their own, and the occasional pet snake. It is much like the kids at the temples trying to sell you stuff...in the end, most are happy to have their picture taken,give you a peace sign, and wave goodbye. Of course, having a cold beer delivered to your boat in the middle of the lake isn't the worse thing in the world!

In a nut shell, you should try to appreciate this society for what it is, and do not get caught up in judging by your own lifestyle standards. It was definately an incredible experience, and I would recommend it highly.

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