Cambodian woman paddling her wooden boat in front of the floating houses and houseboats on Tonle Sap lake, between Battambang & Siem Reap, Cambodia

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The Tonlé Sap, "Large Fresh Water River", but more commonly translated as "Great Lake") is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997. The Tonlé Sap is unusual for two reasons: its flow changes direction twice a year, and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. From November to May, Cambodia's dry season, the Tonlé Sap drains into the Mekong River at Phnom Penh. However, when the year's heavy rains begin in June, the Tonlé Sap backs up to form an enormous lake.

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Size: 3699px × 2377px
Location: Floating Houses and Houseboats, Tonle Sap lake, between Battambang &Siem Reap,Cambodia
Photo credit: © Gary Blake / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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