Lotus Silk Farm Guided Visit and Boat Ride Siem Reap

The lotus silk farm near Siem Reap

The lotus silk farm is a social enterprise about 20 minutes by shuttle from the centre of Siem Reap. It was founded in 2004 to give rural villagers, most of them women, a skilled trade, and today it employs more than 200 artisans who grow, spin, weave and dye. A visit is a friendly, unhurried way to see a living craft rather than a museum display.

If you are searching for a lotus silk farm tour in Siem Reap, the main appeal is the chance to see every step in one place, from the lotus plants in the water to the finished scarves in the boutique. Your English or French speaking guide explains what you see and answers questions along the way.

How lotus silk is made

Lotus silk is one of the rarest fabrics in the world because it takes so much hand work to make. Artisans snap lotus stems and gently pull them apart so that tiny, sticky fibres appear; these are rolled into thread by hand, then woven into fabric with a soft, cool feel that is often compared to a mix of silk and linen. Guides say a single scarf needs an enormous number of stems.

During the visit you watch a live demonstration of the extraction and the spinning, and you can touch the yarn at each stage. It is the part of the visit that people remember most, because the process is so quiet and skilled. Photography is welcome and encouraged.

The boat ride on the lotus lake

After the demonstration, you board a traditional wooden boat for a 30-minute ride through the lotus lake. The boat glides between pink and white blooms, large round leaves and reeds, and the boatman may fold a small lotus flower for you as a keepsake.

The lake is at its most beautiful in the morning, when the flowers are open, so the earlier departures in the morning are popular with photographers. The best time to visit varies through the year, and the number of blooms changes by season; the boat ride is a gentle experience whenever you go, and it is included in every option.

The craft workshops: 3 or 6 to choose from

The basic visit has no workshops, but two options add hands-on sessions with the artisans. The three-workshop option covers lotus yarn spinning, a lotus seed bracelet and lotus paper. The six-workshop option, which is the most complete, also adds incense making, vegan leather carving and an eco-print silk scarf.

You keep the items you make, and you receive a certificate and gifts with both workshop options. The workshops make the visit last 3.5 hours or 4.5 hours, depending on the option, so they suit families, couples and anyone who wants a personal souvenir rather than something bought in a shop. Children can join with an adult.

Planning your visit: meeting point, shuttle and timing

The visit starts at a meeting point in the city centre of Siem Reap, and a return shuttle from the meeting point is included. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so please plan your own way to the meeting point and arrive five minutes before departure. Several departure times are available each morning, and the booking panel shows the times for each option.

The tour runs in all weather. Bring comfortable walking shoes, sun protection and a water bottle, since refills are available. The farm boutique is open, but shopping is optional and purchases are not included. Vegetarian refreshments can be arranged if you tell us in advance.