In the heart of Cambodia, there’s a forest that doesn’t stay still. Trees rise straight out of the water, and as boats glide through the branches, the ground seems to sway gently beneath them. This is the flooded forest of Tonle Sap Lake, one of the most unusual ecosystems in the world — a forest that floats.
The secret lies in the lake’s extraordinary rhythm. Tonle Sap changes size dramatically with the seasons. During the dry months, it shrinks into a shallow lake. But when the monsoon rains arrive, something remarkable happens — the nearby Mekong River reverses its flow, sending water rushing back into Tonle Sap. The lake swells to nearly five times its size, flooding the surrounding forest and villages.
The trees here have adapted to these extreme changes. Their roots can survive months underwater, and when the floods come, fish swim among their trunks and birds nest in the higher branches. The trees provide shelter for countless species, turning the flooded forest into a floating habitat full of life.
Tonle Sap is also vital for Cambodia’s people. It supports the largest inland fishery in Southeast Asia, feeding millions. As the waters rise and fall, the floating villages around the lake move with them, forming one of the most dynamic natural systems on Earth.
In Tonle Sap’s flooded forest, the land and water don’t compete — they dance together through the seasons.