Tonle
Sap
The remarkable
Tonle Sap is a river that becomes a freshwater lake in the
centre of Cambodia, the largest in Southeast Asia, and then
flows down to join the Mekong River just past Phnom Penh.
During the dry season, the river feeds the lake and continues
to flow downriver. When the monsoon breaks in June, the
flow reverses as the Mekong floods and forces enormous quantities
of water uphill into the lake, swelling it to five times
its size and thus acting as a gigantic natural reservoir.
This unique natural
phenomenon reduces the force of the torrent rushing towards
the sea, and is a major factor in the steady expansion of
the Mekong Delta.
Fish spawn in
the newly flushed lake, covering a seventh of the country
at its peak. As the waters recede, the lake teems with fish,
some of which have evolved to flop across land to follow the
disappearing water. The highly fertile mud left behind is
excellent for rice. A unique strain of has been developed
to suit the conditions – it grows in the rising water reaching
a stem length of several metres.
The lake, now
a National Park, is a key element in Cambodia’s economy. Approximately
two-thirds of the protein consumed in Cambodia comes from
fish from Ton Le Sap.
One of the most
endangered species is the Mekong’s giant catfish (Pangasius
gigas), or pla buek. It’s the world's largest freshwater fish,
reaching three metres in length and 300kgs in weight when
fully grown. It appears to migrate out of the Tonle Sap Lake
and into the mainstream Mekong River at the end of the rainy
season.
The giant catfish
are considered sacred by the Thai people, and special ceremonies
are performed to seek permission from the Water Spirits and
other higher beings to capture these sacred ‘Pla Buek’ giants.
The species is
now under grave threat. Although over fishing is a problem,
the main danger is the construction of dams and, in particular,
the Pak Mun dam's impact on the catfish population in the
Mekong river basin.
From a tourism
point of view, the lake offers an alternative, more leisurely,
route from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and vice-versa - the ‘express’
boat takes around five hours. This is an option for serious
travellers: the boats are often overcrowded and uncomfortable
but the views compensate.
In 1997, the
entire Lake was designated as a protected area under UNESCO’s
‘Man and Biosphere’ programme. There are three ‘core zones’,
but the most interesting is the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary,
not far from Battambang. The best time to visit is the dry
season, when the water level falls and the birds are concentrated
in a comparatively small area. Apart from large numbers of
storks, pelicans and ibis, there are many rare species, such
as the Painted Stork, the Darter and the Masked Finfoot.
If you travel
with Haivenu, we can arrange a chartered boat trip for you
to visit both the bird sanctuary and the floating villages
on the lake.
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