Prek Toal is one of
three biospheres on Tonlé Sap lake, and this stunning bird sanctuary makes it
the most worthwhile and straightforward of the three to visit. It is an
ornithologist’s fantasy, with a significant number of rare breeds gathered in
one small area, including the huge lesser and greater adjutant storks, the
milky stork and the spot-billed pelican. Even the uninitiated will be
impressed, as these birds have a huge wingspan and build enormous nests.
Visitors during the
dry season (December to April) will find the concentration of birds like
something out of a Hitchcock film. It is also possible to visit from September,
but the concentrations may be lower. As water starts to dry up elsewhere, the
birds congregate here. Serious twitchers know that the best time to see birds
is early morning or late afternoon and this means an early start or an
overnight at Prek Toal’s environment office, where there are basic beds for
US$15/20 per single/double.
Several ecotourism
companies arrange trips out to Prek Toal. Sam Veasna Center,
in the Wat Bo area of Siem Reap, offers trips to Prek Toal that
contribute to the conservation of the area. Sam Veasna uses ecotourism to
provide an income for local communities in return for a ban on hunting and
cutting down the forest. The trips cost about US$100 per person for a group of
five or more, with additional charges for smaller groups. Osmose also runs organised day
trips to Prek Toal. The day trips cost US$95 per person with a minimum group of
four.
Tours include
transport, entrance fees, guides, breakfast, lunch and water. Binoculars are
available on request, plus the Sam Veasna Center
has spotting scopes. Both outfits can arrange overnight trips for serious
enthusiasts. Some proceeds from the tours go towards educating children and
villagers about the importance of the birds and the unique flooded-forest
environment, and the trip includes a visit to one of the local communities. Day
trips include a hotel pick-up around 6am and a return by nightfall.
Getting to the sanctuary
under your own steam requires you to take a 20-minute moto (US$2 or so)
or taxi (US$10 one way) ride to the floating village of Chong Kneas (depending
on the time of day additional fees may have to be paid at the new port) and
then a boat to the environment office (around US$55 return, one hour each way).
From here, a small boat (US$30 including a guide) will take you into the
sanctuary, which is about one hour beyond.
Sunscreen and head
protection are essential, as it can get very hot in the dry season. The guides
are equipped with booklets with the bird names in English, but they speak
little English themselves, hence the advantage of travelling with the Sam Veasna Center
or Osmose (both of which can provide English-speaking guides).