Escape the crowds of Angkor Wat at Siem Reap's lotus farm, the home of one of the world's rarest textiles. Watch artisans turn lotus stems into silk, drift through the lotus fields by boat, and if you wish, stay longer for hands-on craft workshops and make your own souvenir. A peaceful half morning or afternoon that families, couples and photographers all enjoy.
Your 2.5-hour experience starts at Maison Lotus in city centre Siem Reap, where you are welcomed with tea or coffee before a 20-minute shuttle transfer to the farm. You spend 1.5 hours on site. Your English or French-speaking guide takes you through the workshops of Lotus Silk Farm, a social enterprise founded in 2004 and recipient of the UNESCO Award of Excellence. See the full journey from flower to fabric, and watch the delicate hand technique used to draw each fibre from the lotus stem. Then board a traditional wooden boat for a 30-minute ride across the lotus lake. As you glide between the pink blooms, your boatman folds a lotus flower bouquet for you to keep. Back on shore, enjoy lotus tea and a lotus snack before the shuttle returns you to Maison Lotus.
Want to go further? Choose the option with 3 or 6 craft workshops when you book. Guided by our artisans, you try techniques such as lotus fibre spinning, paper making and natural crafts, and you take your creations home. Every visit supports 200+ local artisans, most of them women from the surrounding villages, and helps keep a rare Khmer craft alive.