Kampong Pluk Sunset Tour and Local Market Visit (Group of 3)

This tour showcases local life in the countryside and on the lake. The tour is unique as it takes smaller roads through local villages and provides comprehensive insights. By visiting a local village, a local market, and the floating village, including the pagoda, you can immerse yourself in Cambodian daily life. You can witness firsthand daily interactions between locals and get a better understanding of their routines. To take home an unforgettable experience, you can capture beautiful photographs of the sunset on the lake. As the day comes to an end, you can savor cold drinks and seasonal local snacks. Transportation by a female professional Tuk- Tuk driver, experienced female tour guide, boat ticket, snacks, and drinks are included.

• Duration: 4.5 Hours | from 2:30 pm-7:30 pm
• Distance: 20-25 km
• Themes: Outdoors, Culture, Nature

Highlights

• Local Market as a daily interaction in the ways of life of locals
• Visit the Smoke Fish to learn how people earn through fish production.
• Stunning pictures of the rice fields and interesting geography are beneficial.
• Calming Twilight by the Boat on Tonle Sap

Tour Itinerary

Hotel Pick up: You are picked up from your hotel. Our guide will give you an introduction to the tour, you will travel through Siem Reap’s rather congested streets to wander off the busy streets through some of the charming rural villages that many tourists frequently overlook. 

Chreav Village: The first stop will take you to a local village, where you can learn about the local way of life in the countryside and see how locals farm rice, grow vegetables, and raise their livestock. Our guide will explain you how locals follow the traditional cycle of using resources wisely and minimizing waste when it comes to farming.

Rolous Market: The next stop will take you to a local market in another village. You can see farmers offering their fresh produce such as vegetables and fresh fish from the lake and see how locals interact and buy ingredients to prepare their traditional dishes. Our guide will also share more about the role of markets for Cambodian daily life in general.

Kampong Pluk: After the visit to the local market, we will drive to the boat pier at the lake where we will take the boat. During the boat ride, you can see the traditional Khmer houses on stilts and witness how local people live on the lake. Along the way, we will stop by one of the pagodas and our guide will share with you about Buddhist belief, religious practices, and the role of pagodas for schooling and education in rural areas. After the visit to the pagoda, we continue our boat ride through the floating village and explore its surroundings further. Finally, we will find the ideal location to view the sunset over the lake on the floating restaurant to end the tour while enjoying some local foods and cold drinks. 

Return to Hotel: After enjoying the beautiful sunset, we take the boat back to the pier where we boarded. From there, return to your hotel or drop-off location in Siem Reap and end of the tour.

What’s Included

• Experienced English-speaking Tour Guide
• Transportation
• Boat ticket and tax
• Cold drinks and seasonal snacks
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off

What is excluded?

• Personal expenses
• Gratitude

Departure and return

We will pick you up from your hotel in Siem Reap. Please provide your hotel’s name and
address upon booking or a day before the tour starts.

Additional information

• Please be ready on time for pickup at your hotel.
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
• Bring a camera, you’ll want to capture the beautiful landscape and sunset.
• It’s recommended to bring some cash for personal expenses.
• Sunscreen and insect repellent are advised.
• A hat and sunglasses can be useful for sun protection.

What to bring

• Refill bottle
• Bugs spray
• Sunscreen

Up till the present, Khmer culture has made extensive use of water blessings. The majority of the time, the monk or water blessing takes place at countryside Buddhist temples around 20 minutes from the city center. As they sprinkle participants with sacred water, monks chant in harmony. It is a means for getting mental peace, self-purification, and a holy Buddhist blessing.

Hotel pick up: 

• We will pick you up from your hotel or other locations in Siem Reap City. Please provide

• your hotel name and exact address.

Itinerary 

Hotel pick-up: (15mn)

Hotel pick-up is offered. Our guide and driver will be waiting for you at your hotel. The exact pick-up time will depend on your location.

Stop A: Royal Residence (30 minutes)

After picking you up from your hotel, our local guide will take you to the Royal Residence and its spiritual house “Phreah Ang Chek, Phreah Ang Chom”. You will get a comprehensive tour of the the site and our local guide will explain how local people come to the spiritual house for fortune telling and grief counseling. The Royal Residence with its spiritual house is considered one of the most important and sacred locations for people in Siem Reap, known across Cambodia. 

Stop A: Local Daytime Snack (10 minutes)

Meet one of the famous fried banana businesses owner in Siem Reap town that has been open for more than 20 years. Get to try delicious fried banana and sweet potato as a first snack for this tour. 

Stop A: Lotus Farm (30 minutes)

The next will be the lotus farm. On the way, you will already be able to see the lotus fields along the road that leads to Tonle Sap Lake. Enjoy the stunning view of the lotus ponds while our local guide will explain about farming and harvesting methods. Cambodians make use of every component of the flower and lotus is often used in religious decorations and offerings. The edible parts of the plant—the roots, stems, and seeds—are commonly used in Cambodian cuisine. Even a unique type of silk is made from lotus fiber. You will also be able to pick some lotus flowers to prepare for the traditional water blessing ceremony at the temple. 

Stop A: Wat Po Banteay Chey (Pagoda) (60 minutes)

Move to the next stop, the local pagoda, for water blessing. Before getting to the water blessing, you will learn more about Buddhist belief, the role and structure of a local temple, and activities at the temple. Before getting ready for the traditional water blessing, you will have the unique opportunity to talk to a monk at the pagoda and hear about his personal stories. This is your moment to ask any questions related to Buddhism and Cambodian traditional beliefs. After the monk has shared some wisdom, we will present the monk with incense sticks and candles. A bright red symbolic bracelet will be presented to you as a gift for a peaceful life and to remain blessed following the monk’s blessing. You can offer prayers for anything you can think of, including good fortune, safe travel, and a long and happy life. 

PLEASE NOTE: During the water blessing, you will get completely wet, so make sure to bring a towel and clothes to get changed.

Stop A: Krong Siem Reap (return to hotel) (30minutes)

After the blessing, change your clothes and get ready for the snack break. Enjoy some local fruits and drinks while digesting the unique and personal moment of the water blessing. Our guide is also at your disposal to answer any additional questions you might have. After the snack break, we will drop you off at your hotel. End of tour.