The Bird Sanctuary at the Prek Toal Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve is one of the most important breeding grounds in the whole of Southeast Asia for endangered waterbirds. People from all over the world come to admire the 120 rare and mostly endangered bird species found there, including the Black-headed Ibis, Painted Stork, Greater and Lesser Adjutants, Spot-billed Pelican, Milky Stork and Grey-headed Fish Eagle. Prek Toal is a must-see location for any avid birdwatchers visiting Siem Reap or Cambodia. The beauty of Prek Toal is that it is on the doorstep of Siem Reap, where millions of tourists visit each year.
The cruise tour of Prek Toal will begin at 6:00am with your hotel or guesthouse pick-up. Friendly, knowledgeable and English-speaking tour guides (licensed bird guides) will ensure that you enjoy your tour, pointing out areas of local interest along the way and answering any questions you may have. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the port, and upon arrival, you will exit the vehicle and board one of the Mini Taras—smaller boats equipped with life jackets and driven by experienced and safe local drivers.
En route to Prek Toal, you will make a few stops. Firstly, as you pass the rice paddy and lotus field, you will have an opportunity to stop and take some photos of the lotus flowers which are a deeply important flower in Buddhism. You will then stop at the stilted houses just before the lake to see how the water levels affect the way people live as well as seeing a floating school.
The boat cruise will allow you to see ordinary Cambodians going about their daily life in the floating village. Fishermen, boat-makers, markets, schools, spirit houses and waving children are always in plentiful supply on this mesmerising scenic route, and it is not uncommon for the scenery to provoke silence on the Mini Tara, as customers take in the sights and sounds that surround them. Once the cruise is complete, your boat will begin the journey across the Great Lake to the Biosphere Reserve at Prek Toal. Your entrance fee and boat hire in the Biosphere is included in your ticket price.
Of the three Biosphere core areas on the Tonle Sap Lake, Prek Toal is the most popular with birdwatchers. The best time to explore is the dry season between October and May when flocks of migratory birds congregate at Prek Toal. While the dry season progresses and the water recedes, the number of birds increases, but the tour to some of the more important viewing areas becomes more difficult.
You’ll depart from Prek Toal in the early afternoon, and head back to the floating restaurant in the heart of the floating village, where lunch and drinks will be served. At about 2:15pm, you’ll leave the riverboat and head back to the port, where your transport will be waiting to take you directly back to your hotel or guesthouse.
