Turning Of The Tide At Tonle Sap Tonle Sap is an interesting
body of fresh water. Certain times of the year, it is a lake and
other times of the year it is a river. During the dry season
(November-May) the water drains into the Mekong in Phnom Penh
creating a river and when the monsoon season hits (June-
October), the flow of water reverses back and forms a lake. The
lake/river hybrid is also an important element of Cambodia
because of the area’s rich diversity of ecological life and the
water’s importance to the villagers in the area. Bon Om Thong or
the Khmer Water Festival is celebrated during late October or
early November’s full moon when the water reverses its flow. For
three days, the towns and villages along the river, including
Phnom Penh bursts into life with fleets of luminously decorated
boats filling Tonle Sap. Celebrations also happen in Angkor Wat,
although smaller in scale it is still impressive, with the
temple serving as a scenic backdrop. The highlights of the
festival are the boat races tha