Anyone who has heard of Cambodia probably thinks of temples and Tomb Raider. But after you have seen all of the temples, what is there left to do (besides drink $0.50 beers)? Adventuring off the beaten path is always exciting so we decided to get a taste of local culture and visit one of the floating villages, Kampong Phluk.

Most sources on the web today call Kampong Phluk village a “floating village,” but that actually depends on what month you go. The hand-made houses are suspended by 16-foot stilts like some wild act in a circus. During the rainy season (June to November) the water level rises to just about the height of the structures. The best time to go, however, is in December or January when the water level drops and you witness temples and schools balancing on thick, wooden trunks.

We took a boat up the river that slowed down around crocodile cages, lotus fields, and mangrove forests. You’ll see the local community preparing buckets of rice directly over a campfire, children paddling their way to school and even a solar powered bar. The river that passes the village ends at Tonle Sap lake which provides stunning sunsets to end any day.