Boats in Kampong Cham

Boats in Cambodia
6 November 2008

A large part of Cambodian life and culture is structured around the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. And then in addition to these bodies of water there are the annual floods which cover a huge portion of the country during the rainy season. So it is quite natural that boats of all kinds play a major role in daily life. Here are some pictures of boats from Kampong Cham Province in central Cambodia.

Vehicle ferry on the Mekong River Shortly after leaving Kampong Cham town, one branch of the road crosses the Mekong River to continue its way north and east. These ferries run continuously, making dozens of trips back and forth across the muddy waters coming down from China and Vietnam. Most of their customers are the small motorbikes but they can handle cars and trucks easily.

Home on the ferry This ferry is home to its owners. Its "front room" has the traditional large wooden platform bed/table for passengers to sit on, and in the kitchen in back, the woman of the house is chopping vegetables to put in the pots on the charcoal fires cooking the next meal.

Cows and a boat The most common form of boat is this type of canoe. Pointed at both ends and propelled by a paddle, these boats are made of rather heavy and solid planks running lengthwise and sealed with a type of tar or pitch.

Cows eating hay from a boat In the dry season, this boat does double duty as a feeding trough for the family's cattle.

Small boats on a tributary Several small boats are tied up on this small stream feeding into the Mekong. Some of the boats are used for passenger transportation and carrying small cargoes, and some are fishing boats.

Boat stored Some of these family boats are fitted with small gasoline or diesel engines to help them when the Mekong is choppy or running a fast current in times of high water.

Active boat on the Mekong River The river is a major part of village life, a road to markets, the source of water for irrigation, a place for bathing and washing clothes, and a convenient cooling off spot throughout the day.

Go to Daily Life in Cambodia main page
Go to Charlie Dittmeier's home page

	Shortly after leaving Kampong Cham town, one branch of the road crosses the Mekong River to continue its way north and east. These ferries run continuously, making dozens of trips back and forth across the muddy waters coming down from China and Vietnam. Most of their customers are the small motorbikes but they can handle cars and trucks easily.
	This ferry is home to its owners. Its "front room" has the traditional large wooden platform bed/table for passengers to sit on, and in the kitchen in back, the woman of the house is chopping vegetables to put in the pots on the charcoal fires cooking the next meal.
	The most common form of boat is this type of canoe. Pointed at both ends and propelled by a paddle, these boats are made of rather heavy and solid planks running lengthwise and sealed with a type of tar or pitch.
	In the dry season, this boat does double duty as a feeding trough for the family's cattle.
	Several small boats are tied up on this small stream feeding into the Mekong. Some of the boats are used for passenger transportation and carrying small cargoes, and some are fishing boats.
	Some of these family boats are fitted with small gasoline or diesel engines to help them when the Mekong is choppy or running a fast current in times of high water.
	The river is a major part of village life, a road to markets, the source of water for irrigation, a place for bathing and washing clothes, and a convenient cooling off spot throughout the day.