Kompong Chhnang

Clinging to the southern edge of the colossal Tonle Sap Lake, where the meandering channels of the Tonle Sap River spread out like watery fingers between the rice paddies and low lying wetlands of the province, the regional capital of Kompong Chhnang is a vision of rustic, rural Cambodia. Around the town stand a series of stilted timber villages, poking just above the swollen lake waters in the monsoon season and perched aloft above muddy stretches of floodplain during the drier months. These form one of the main attractions for visitors, and Kompong Chhnang tour guides offer a whole host of river excursions on traditional longboats to spy out these bucolic scenes. In the town itself, the centre is an earthy conglomeration of tin-shack roofs and jetties, all punctuated by drifting fishing skiffs and water houses that galumph through the city canals. The area around town is also worth some exploration, touting old Khmer temples and untrodden tribal villages awash with traditional pottery boutiques and off-the-beaten-track homestays.