Aberdeen floating village, Hong Kong
Located at Aberdeen Harbour in the Southern District of Hong Kong, this floating village contains around 600 junks that house an estimated 6,000 people. Established as an important fishing port in Hong Kong, the villagers are primarily fishermen, who live, work and socialise on their boats. Small boats, known as sampans, are easily accessible along the waterfront for half-hour trips and provide an opportunity for small groups to observe the daily activities at the floating village. Jumbo Kingdom, the Chinese seafood restaurant located next to the village, provides various options for large groups to dine on the water and enjoy the view.
www.jumbo.com.hk
Floating villages of Tonle Sap, Siem Reap
Tonle Sap Lake – 15km from Siem Reap and designated as a Unesco biosphere – is home to thousands of Cambodians who reside in floating villages such as Chong Kneas and Kampong Phluk. Tourists often bypass Tonle Sap Lake and head to Angkor Wat, but the area is rich in culture and renowned for its biodiversity, as Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Asia. Its bountiful supply of fish feeds the population of five provinces, making it the primary industry for locals. Boat trips and cruises are available that offer rich insight into lives of the locals, and allow visitors to observe the wide variety of birds in the region.
www.taraboat.com
Sandu’ao, Fujian ChinaSandu’so is also known as Future Water World and is 30km from the coastal city of Ningde. Sandu’uo is said to be the largest floating community in China and is a popular destination for groups eager for fresh seafood. Supported by sturdy pontoons of bamboo and wood wired to barrels of PVC foam, the 20,000 residents have no need to step on land. The village is completely self-sustaining with its own post office, police station, restaurants and convenience stores. Tours for varying group sizes are available for delegates to take in the floating village, numerous seafood restaurants and other sights of interest.
www.appletravel.cn