Countryside & Villages
Beyond the temples — the real heart of Cambodia
Siem Reap is so much more than Angkor Wat. Once you step outside the main temple complex, you discover a completely different Cambodia — rice fields, floating villages, ancient silk farms, and rural communities living in harmony with the land and the water.
These tours are our personal favourites to recommend. They take you further, slower, and deeper into Cambodian life than any temple visit can.
How booking works
All countryside tours can be booked directly at reception when you arrive. Some require advance booking — these are clearly marked below.
Village tour
The Babel Village Tour - A local family experience — our personal favourite
This is not a standard tour. It is an invitation into the community of our own tuk tuk drivers.
Your driver will take you to the local morning market, where you can see how rural families shop and eat — the seasonal produce, the street snacks, the preservation techniques passed down through generations. You will visit the village pagoda and walk through a family garden of jackfruit, coconut, and banana trees.
The highlight? A traditional meal cooked by the family themselves. You are welcome to help prepare it.
This is one of our favourite tours for families with children. Kids speak the international language of play — and our tuk tuk drivers' families always make sure everyone has fun together. The land is also home to dogs, cats, and a few other farm animals, which younger visitors tend to love just as much as the cooking!
Please let reception know of any dietary requirements in advance.
You decide yourself when you would like to go - depending on the availability of the driver.
Prices for your whole group:
1 person: $25
2 people: $35
3 or more people: $40 (includes tuk tuk, driver/guide, and the village experience — the family meal is a small additional cost.
The Tonle Sap Lake
Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and one of the richest fishing lakes in the world. What makes it extraordinary is how dramatically it changes between the wet and dry seasons — swelling from around 2,500 km² to 12,000 km², with water levels rising by 8–10 metres. Every visit is different depending on the time of year.
Is it worth going during the dry season?
The experience at Kampong Phluk and Kampong Khleang changes entirely depending on when you visit:
The Wet Season (August – December): The village is flooded, and houses appear to float. This is the peak time to visit the Flooded Forest. You can take a small canoe through the submerged mangrove trees — a truly meditative experience. (Kampong Phluk)
The Dry Season (January – July): The water recedes, revealing the massive 6–10 meter bamboo stilts that support the houses. You can walk through the village streets that were underwater months prior, offering a unique architectural perspective.
Both seasons are worth visiting — just for completely different reasons.
Chong Khneas Floating Village
Chong Khneas Floating Village
Chong Khneas is the most accessible floating community on the Tonle Sap. For a while it became heavily commercialised and felt too touristy — but things have changed. Most visitors now head straight to Kampong Phluk instead, which means Chong Khneas has become surprisingly quiet again, especially off peak season. A hidden gem hiding in plain sight.
Tuk Tuk Transfer: $15 round trip
Insider tip! The Lotus Fields: Ask your driver to stop at the beautiful lotus fields on the way. A perfect spot for photos, a refreshing drink, and a quiet moment away from the crowds.
Sunset Experience: We highly recommend a late afternoon trip to watch the sunset over the horizon of the lake.
A note on responsible visiting If a boat driver or local guide suggests stopping at a floating school to buy schoolbooks, rice, or noodles for the children — please politely decline.
The Reality: These "schools" are often set up purely for tourism. The supplies you buy are frequently returned to the shop and resold once you leave.
The Children: The children are often brought to these locations by recruiters rather than attending their actual village schools.
How to help instead: ChildSafe works hands-on directly in the Chong Khneas communities — all 6 villages in this area are extremely poor, and ChildSafe is one of the most effective organisations working there. Supporting them is one of the most meaningful things you can do during your visit. We will be adding ChildSafe tours to this page very soon!
Kampong Phluk:
The Stilted Village & Flooded Forest
A village 25km east of Siem Reap, famous for its extraordinarily tall houses built on bamboo stilts. Kampong Phluk is also a leader in keeping the Tonle Sap clean, running community recycling programmes to protect the lake.
Tuk Tuk Transfer: $18 round trip
Community Boat Ticket: $20–$27 per person (rates managed by the local cooperative — Babel does not control these)
Optional Canoe Ride: ~$5 per person (highly recommended in the wet season for exploring the mangroves)
Insider tip: Ask your Babel driver to walk around with you and show you the pagoda. It is the best way to see the village through a local's eyes.
Kampong Khleang:
The Authentic Giant
Looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience? Located 50km from Siem Reap, this is the largest community on the lake — over 10,000 residents.
Why visit?
Scale: Massive stilted houses reaching up to 10 meters high.
Authenticity: A bustling community focused on fishing and trade.— and offers a raw, non-touristy look at Cambodian fishing and trading life.
Tuk Tuk: $40 | Car: $60 (round trip)
Boat Tickets: ~$20–$27 per person— $40 (set by the local community)
Full Day, approx. 6–8 hours
We also offer a private half-day tour with minivan, professional guide, and refreshments. Please book at least 2 days in advance.
The Tara Riverboat
Sunset Tour
The Most Popular Experience on the Tonle Sap — and our top recommendation!
For a stress-free and ethical way to see the lake, we highly recommend the sunset tour aboard the Queen Tara. This 100-year-old former cargo vessel has been beautifully restored into the lake's largest and most comfortable floating restaurant.
Price: $38 per person (All-inclusive)
Includes:
English-speaking guide
A light and refreshing local dinner buffet (vegan and vegetarian options available)
Unlimited open bar (beer, soft drinks, spirits)
Round-trip transfers from Babel
What to Expect
Hotel Pickup: A friendly, knowledgeable guide will pick you up directly from Babel in a comfortable minivan. No need to organise anything yourself.
The Scenic Route: Your journey to the lake passes through lush rice paddies and blooming lotus fields — beautiful in any season.
Exploring the Villages: Before boarding the Queen Tara, you will drive through the floating villages in a smaller boat to get a closer look at local life on the water.
Sunset on Deck: Relax on the expansive top deck of the Tara. As a 100% solar-powered vessel, you can enjoy the golden hour in complete peace — no noise, no fumes, just the sound of the lake at sunset.
Dinner and Drinks: Enjoy a freshly prepared buffet dinner and cold drinks as the sky turns golden over the Great Lake. It is the perfect, quiet escape from the city's heat.
Why we love this tour
In our 18 years of sending guests out onto the Tonle Sap, this is the one experience that almost everyone comes back raving about. The combination of the floating village tour, the solar-powered boat, the sunset, and the all-inclusive food and drinks makes it genuinely hard to beat for value and experience.
Book directly at our reception - We will sort everything for you.
This tour can not be added to your room bill - please make sure you have cash to pay directly to the company.
West Baray
A Day Off, Cambodian Style
West Baray is a massive rectangular reservoir built during the Angkor period. Measuring roughly 8km by 2km, it is one of the largest hand-built reservoirs on Earth.
Unlike the temples, West Baray is a living destination. It is where the people of Siem Reap go to relax — especially on Sundays.
Tuk Tuk Transfer: $15 round trip from Babel.
Hammock Life: Rent a small bamboo hut with hammocks to catch the breeze and watch the world go by.
Swimming: Do what the locals do — swim in a t-shirt and shorts rather than a bikini or swimwear. West Baray is a family destination and a holy site. Bring a towel.
Island Temple: Take a traditional boat to West Mebon, a small 11th-century temple on an artificial island in the centre. Approx. $10–$15 per boat.
Street Food Forget the fancy restaurants! You’ll find plenty of food stalls selling freshly grilled chicken, fish, and local frogs. Fresh coconuts, mango, jackfruit, and pineapple. And for the brave — fried crickets and other local bugs. You might surprise yourself!
No Angkor Pass required.
Insider Tip: Weekday mornings are quiet and peaceful. Sunday afternoons are full of local energy — a completely different experience. And here is a little secret: ask your tuk tuk driver to join you at the hut! It is a great chance to get to know each other better, and having someone to translate makes the whole experience so much richer.
The Lotus Silk Farm
An eco-tourism gem
Since 2003, the Samatoa Lotus Silk Farm has been empowering local women by transforming the sacred lotus flower into rare, luxurious silk using ancient Cambodian techniques. A 30-minute guided tour takes you through the entire production process — from lotus stem to finished fabric — including a traditional lotus tea ceremony.
Adults: $5 | Children under 12: Free
Departures every 30 minutes (English & French)
Optional Lotus Boat Excursion: $10 per person (A beautiful 30-minute boat trip through the blooming lotus fields — highly recommended)
Tuk Tuk Transfer: $12 round trip from Babel. You choose when to go — no fixed departure times from our end.
Why we love it This is one of those experiences that sounds interesting on paper and then completely blows you away in person. The process of turning a lotus stem into silk thread is extraordinary — and the women who do it have been perfecting their craft for decades. A genuinely unique experience you will not find anywhere else in the world.
Kids love this afternoon trip!
The Angkor Silk Farm
By Artisans d'Angkor
This place is something special. Since 1992, Artisans d'Angkor has been giving young Cambodians from poor rural families a real career — and bringing ancient Khmer crafts back to life at the same time. The silk farm is their most beautiful project.
Did you know that silk comes from a worm? You can actually hold one! This is a favourite moment for kids — and most adults are equally fascinated. Watch the silkworms munching on mulberry leaves, see the threads being pulled from the cocoons, and follow the entire process all the way to the master weavers creating intricate hand-dyed silk on traditional looms.
8 hectares of working farm, silkworms, organic mulberry orchards, and extraordinary craftsmanship — all free to visit.
The Shop: Explore a premium collection of handmade silk scarves and luxury home décor.
Location: Puok District, approximately 20 minutes from Babel
Hours: Daily, 7:30am–5:30pm
Free entry (small tips for your guide are appreciated)
Tuk Tuk Transfer: $17 round trip from Babel
Our Commitment to Fair Tourism
When you book a tour or activity with us, you are supporting local families directly. We set our prices together with our tuk tuk drivers and local staff to ensure they earn a proper living wage.
We kindly ask you to respect these prices — they are essential to the quality and ethics of our service.
Ready to book? Come and talk to us at reception when you arrive. We are happy to help you plan the perfect day — whether that is a morning on the lake, an afternoon in the silk farm, or a sunset at West Baray with your driver.
