Must do at Amansara: cruise Tonle Sap lake with Amansaras beautiful boat
Oct 9, 2013, 2:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
Must do at Amansara: cruise Tonle Sap lake with Amansaras beautiful boat
I am trying to upload some pictures from our amazing cruise at Tonle Sap yesterday. Amansara has a beautiful traditional boat where you can lounge inside or at the roof while cruising through floating villages and on the lake. A fantastic experience which i can highly recommend. Great personnel on board (two for the boat, one waiter and our guide), very tasty picnic lunch (western or khmer or a special kids lunch) and our favorite beverages.
The lake is SE Asias larges and it is five times its normal size during rainy season (now).
Letting the pictures speak:
One of the tree (!!!) different lounging area on board (two inside, one at the roof). Fruit, flowers, snacks, cookies and beverages available in addition to a delicious picnic lunch aman style with wine and coffee afterwards.
The floating village
At one stage we exited the boat and were taken with smaller, traditional paddle boats inside the forest that is now flooded and then through another traditional village with houses on stilts in the water. Fantastic!
Washing hands as a traditional boat is passing by. Also a toilet on board of course, but one could close the door to that ;-)
The Amansara boat and the welcome committee ;-)
This activity is not included in the package of house outings to the temples, but definitely worth it. We loved it even more than the Mekong cruise at Amantaka: more to see, larger and even more comfortable boat, though the Amantaka cruise is great as well.
Just some mobile phone pics in a hurry, happy to add better ones and write a full report once we get home.
The lake is SE Asias larges and it is five times its normal size during rainy season (now).
Letting the pictures speak:
One of the tree (!!!) different lounging area on board (two inside, one at the roof). Fruit, flowers, snacks, cookies and beverages available in addition to a delicious picnic lunch aman style with wine and coffee afterwards.
The floating village
At one stage we exited the boat and were taken with smaller, traditional paddle boats inside the forest that is now flooded and then through another traditional village with houses on stilts in the water. Fantastic!
Washing hands as a traditional boat is passing by. Also a toilet on board of course, but one could close the door to that ;-)
The Amansara boat and the welcome committee ;-)
This activity is not included in the package of house outings to the temples, but definitely worth it. We loved it even more than the Mekong cruise at Amantaka: more to see, larger and even more comfortable boat, though the Amantaka cruise is great as well.
Just some mobile phone pics in a hurry, happy to add better ones and write a full report once we get home.
Last edited by Musken; Oct 9, 2013 at 3:21 am
Oct 9, 2013, 7:52 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
Don't know what the trip is called. We visited two villages (first we saw from the Amansara boat, second from the smaller boat) and in between those we were at the open huuuge lake - felt like an ocean - enjoying the views and our lunch on board. Three hors in total on the boat, I think.
Last edited by Musken; Oct 9, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Oct 9, 2013, 8:42 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
enjoy the rest of your stay! im another who always enjoys live posts, including yours. look forward to report.
indeed! jul 26 2013 >
indeed! jul 26 2013 >
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Oct 9, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Oct 9, 2013, 9:57 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
That little boat trip wasn't running when we stayed at Amansara - certainly worth going back for and, Musken, I rather envy you staying at this time of year. Angkor must look incredibly, drippingly green.
Oct 9, 2013, 1:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Seattle
Posts: 559
This looks lovely. We will be at Amansara next month and haven't scheduled any activities yet. Does someone from the resort usually contact future guests? Should we contact them? Or can we just show up and arrange activities like this cruise after arrival?
Oct 9, 2013, 5:30 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
I would just contact them by email, ask for their list of house activities (included twice a day) and other activities (among which boat trip, cooking class, blessings in temples and others) with costs to be sent you so that you can make a choice. Or that they make a proposal, which i guess this is what they fo if you do not contact them. But do contact them beforehand to make sure you get to see and do exactly what you want - when you want it.
Last edited by Musken; Oct 9, 2013 at 11:05 pm
Oct 9, 2013, 6:54 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: OSL
Posts: 2,145
Quote:
Originally Posted by Musken
It was schocking to see how the people lived, but it looked like and we were assured that the tourism is good for them and that they are not negatively disturbed in their lives by the boat coming by.
I think a lot of Cambodian villagers would be schocked [sic] to see how most of us live. Seeing things like this is a vital part of travel and it is a highly traditional way of life. And I guess many Cambodians feel how lucky they are to be alive considering what happened there in what is still recent history.
That little boat trip wasn't running when we stayed at Amansara - certainly worth going back for and, Musken, I rather envy you staying at this time of year. Angkor must look incredibly, drippingly green.
Originally Posted by Musken
It was schocking to see how the people lived, but it looked like and we were assured that the tourism is good for them and that they are not negatively disturbed in their lives by the boat coming by.
I think a lot of Cambodian villagers would be schocked [sic] to see how most of us live. Seeing things like this is a vital part of travel and it is a highly traditional way of life. And I guess many Cambodians feel how lucky they are to be alive considering what happened there in what is still recent history.
That little boat trip wasn't running when we stayed at Amansara - certainly worth going back for and, Musken, I rather envy you staying at this time of year. Angkor must look incredibly, drippingly green.
Oct 11, 2013, 5:06 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Seattle
Posts: 559
I would just contact them by email, ask for their list of house activities (included twice a day) and other activities (among which boat trip, cooking class, blessings in temples and others) with costs to be sent you so that you can make a choice. Or that they make a proposal, which i guess this is what they fo if you do not contact them. But do contact them beforehand to make sure you get to see and do exactly what you want - when you want it.