Prek Toal Bird Watching

The Tonlé Sap "Large Fresh Water River", but more commonly translated as "Great Lake"  is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997. The Tonlé Sap is unusual for two reasons: its flow changes direction twice a year, and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. From November to May, Cambodia's dry season, the Tonlé Sap drains into the Mekong River at Phnom Penh. However, when the year's heavy rains begin in June, the Tonlé Sap backs up to form an enormous lake.

For most of the year the lake is fairly small, around one meter deep and with an area of 2,700 square km. During the monsoon season, however, the Tonlé Sap river, which connects the lake with the Mekong river, reverses its flow. Water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, increasing its area to 16,000 square km and its depth to up to nine meters, flooding nearby fields and forests. The floodplain provides a perfect breeding ground for fish living and producing center to feed Cambodian people. With its magnificent flooded forests, we bring you to a new unrevealed destination named Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary.

Each year, millions of fish come to spawn in the seasonally flooded forest surrounding the lake, attracting myriad water birds. Villages along the shores live with the rhythm of the season and the floods. Prek Toal is one of the most attractive floating fishing villages on the Tonle Sap lake, with a school, hospital, restaurants, shop and even a pagoda. Just behind the Prek Toal village are flooded forests with bird sanctuaries. Every year, between December and March, thousands of birds come to fish and to breed here.

In Sangker River, two hours boat trip from Siem Reap or Battambang (during a higher level of water), lies a magnificent Prek Toal Biosphere Reserve.  The 31,282 hectares reserve is a haven for many bird species, including large water birds, such as Black-headed Ibis, Brahminy Kite, Herons, Kingfisher, Painted Stork, Milky Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle to name a few.  Prek Toal is known to be the best water bird breeding ground in Southeast Asia.  According to one local NGO Osmose, about a decade ago many birds are in near extinction since the locals over harvested their eggs.  Today, the NGO helped the locals improving their lives through income generated from sustainable tourism.

Naturally, your positive impact of tourism at Prek Toal should be maximized economic profit to local people and natural sanctuary at the area, and they shall provide a sustainable alternative livelihoods, help protect biodiversities, and enhance their local natural resources.