Ton Sap floating Villages (Cambodia)

Imagine stepping out of your front door one day and falling 20ft to a red mud baked road below, then a couple of months later splashing into a rat and snake infested lake only inches from that same door step. This is life for the people of Ton Sap floating villages in Cambodia.

Life has barely changed for centuries in kampong Kleang, dictated by the seasons in this harsh environment. during the dry season vegetables are grown on the flood plains, animals graze and the villagers are connected by road to the rest of Cambodia. As the water rises life continues as the villagers main fishing industry gets into full swing.

This photo was taken during last years dry season in the same are as the image above. I was photographing a fisherman from the bridge when I first noticed a fast approaching mass of metal, humans and soon to be pork. My first thought was ‘I need to get off the bridge before I end up in the muddy river covered in pig snot’. At the last moment I managed to crouch down and fire of 2 shots. Luckily I manages to nail the focus on the front guy with the first. Only when I checked the LCD I realized the depth to the image as the people continue along the bridge telling the story of Kampong Kleang.


































































As the sun rises the village comes to life with activity; fishermen with their nets, floating grocery stores, children going about daily chores before school. For the children learning to navigate a boat seems as natural as learning to walk. Children as young as three or four can be seen alone paddling about the village. It’s times like this when you realize just how over protective of our children we can be in the West.



The People of Kampong Kleang are relatively wealthy with a healthy fishing industry. However, others are not as fortunate. I photographed this boy in Ti Pei floating village near Siam Reap three years ago on my first visit to Cambodia. I feel this images shows the boys great maturity and dignity as he fishes for his family. Only the next morning when I spoke to his parents I discovered just how hard life is for some of the people of Ton Sap. Twelve of his nineteen siblings had perished in this harsh environment.

I would like to thank my brilliant although slightly cheeky guide ‘Ratanak Eath‘ who has helped me enormously on my last three trips to Cambodia. I highly recommend him to anyone planning a trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia.