Silk Island or Koh Dach
Known for being a village that makes Krama and Khmer silks (or silk weaving village), tourists get there to visit the homes of villagers who still work on this by hands. In addition to this, there are places to hang out for a drink or lunch. Unlike in Kien Svay, another local picnic site, the Khmer villagers on this Silk Island do not sell much their local produces as vegetables and fruits.
Silk history
Cambodia has a lengthy silk-weaving history that stretches back to pre-Angkorian times. While the art is dwindling, countrywide efforts are being made to rekindle the craft. Koh Dach is dotted with weaving communities. Visitors can learn more about the process, from the plumping up of the silk worms with mulberry leaves, spinning the yarn and dyeing techniques to seeing the final product.
While the tour does not take long, a great way to round it off is at the centre’s café, on the banks of the River Mekong. Here, you can kick back on a bench with a fresh coconut or snack, or hire a hut for a few dollars and chill with food and drinks.
How to get to the Silk Island
It is easy to get there. The distance from Wat Phnom to the Silk Island is about 10 km or about an hour drive. You can hire a Tuk Tuk for a day long trip or just get a PassApp driver. To across the Mekong river, there are ferries getting back and forth. Usually, it does not take long to wait to catch the ferry, which cost about a dollar for a round ferry cross. When you get to the other side, you would realize that it is a rural Cambodian village still in development. It might not be long that this small, beautiful island will be transformed into a village of village and boutique hotels.
45-minute tuk-tuk from central Phnom Penh
Crossing the Mekong river by ferry at Prek Leap: $1 for round trip
Other things to do on Silk Island
The atmosphere on Silk Island is peaceful and the views are scenic. Simply exploring the island and seeing local homes surrounded by lush agricultural land is really quite enchanting. Cattle graze in the fields and chickens peck at the earth.
There are several riverside restaurants and cafes where you can relax with a local meal and cool beer or soft drink. Mainly built from wood, many riverside eateries have floor seating with traditional cushions at low tables. Some also have enticing hammocks where you may be tempted to linger for a while as you relax. Furthermore, there are sandy patches around the island’s edge that are optimistically referred to as beaches.