Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South-East Asia and swells to several times its size every rainy season. The floating and stilted villages around it — Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang and Chong Kneas are the closest to Siem Reap — show a way of life built entirely around the water: houses on stilts, floating schools and markets, and boats instead of streets.
How long: 1–2 days (a half-day or day trip from Siem Reap). Best time: August to November, when the water is high and the villages are truly afloat.