The cruise dock requires passing through villages and fields to get to, which may be a change to the solemn tarred roads to the temples. But a new road is built to the dock and ticket stations. The cruise is nothing to shout about as the village is sparse even though in dry season and is much shorted than the 2hrs advertised/allocated. But a good first hand look at the tiny houses whole families lived in to realize the Siem Reap Town and the temple complexes are really tourist bound. However, not any different from other fishing villages/floating villages in Southeast asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia which are free).

Among the non-temple related activities in Siem Reap is a visit to the overrated, overpriced and overtouristed floating village of Chong Kneas. We were disapointed in the experience and DO NOT recommend for anyone unless this is their first and only experience in Asia. For example, Vietnam has dozens of floating villages in its rivers that do not cost anything to see, and boats are very cheap to rent throughout the country.

We pulled up to the ticket booth in our tuk tuk and were told that the government had raised prices and a boat ride to the village would cost us $20 per person for a two hour trip. We said that was absurd (the Cambodian per capita income is $2,600 annually) and said we weren't interested. Then the "government" guy started bargaining with us and we got him down to $25 for two. We got on our boat and almost immediatly the young boat tour guide started pressuring me for a tip. He said some tourists gave him $20 - 30. I said, well, some tourists are rich! The boat went through the floating village (identical to those we had seen for free in Vietnam) in about 15 minutes. Then we went out to the lake for about five minutes to look around at nothing. Then we stopped with about 50 other tourists at the cat fish and alligator farm / souvenir shop. We looked at the fish for awhile and then asked the guide what was next. He said that was it, there wasn't anything more to see, as we'd already gone through the village. So - even though we'd been on the tour for no more than 40 minutes we headed back to the dock, completely underwhelmed. The tour was supposed to be 2 hours long - we had no idea what you could possibly do there for that long. All the other tourist boats followed the same trajectory.

Sure, the fact that the lake and river shrink and expand with the seasons is interesting. But I found that out by reading my guidebook.

Save your money for the ancient temples or some of the great food in town - don't bother with this floating scam.

We visited in March 2007 and after having travelled through a channel of murky water into the open waters of Tonle Sap, we saw a cluster of floating houses, with floating pig-styes and all, boats and flaoting restaurants. Literally, it was a floating village. That was the dry season.

We visited again this August as part of a longer trip to Kompong Phhluk. Since it was the rainy season and the Tonle Sap was literally 'nearer' to Siem Reap town and to the point of embarkation onto our boat now was at least 20 minutes faster. The water was also much clearer and was definitely more pleasent. The banks of the riverine was however still muddy and all. Exactly where you stopped to embark depends on what, which and whose boat you are travelling on.

In August, there were more boat along the riverine leading out to the open waters. When the boat approached the open waters of the lake I looked out in anticipation for Chong Kneas village but where was it? Not a house or boat in sight!

Then I was told that the houses and boats scattered along the sides in the riverine on the way out were the units making the Chong Kneas village. Apparently, they cluster out on the open waters during the dry season (which was a prettier sight) but during the rainy season when the lake 'grows', they all come nearer inland, spread along the banks - thus making it less of a 'village' as such.

There are some floating restaurants and souveniers shops and inevitably, the boats will dock on one of these - all very commercial, why not, it is after all still somewhat different. What is sad is that one of the boat restaurants You can have your cold drinks here although you are not obligated to buy anything. They even have viewing platforms on top for visitors to hang around to catch the sunset (which is better during the dry months when the village is out in the open lake).

What to do/observe: there is this one or two little boys paddling around the floating restaurants in a round tub trying to attract your attention. Try the fresh shrimps (taken out holding nets beside the boat as and when there is an order), either deep fried or just boiled and eaten with some sauce - fantastically sweet. However, a word of caution - where it comes - from the water around the boat and 'everything' goes into the water, if you know what I mean. Tried it on both occasions and still ok. Of course, they also sell dried/smoked snakes as well.

Commercial or not, it is still worth a visit if not for getting out of the temple circuit for a break.