Sampan

A sampan is a relatively flat-bottomed wooden boat found in East, Southeast, and South Asia.

[1] Some sampans include a small shelter on board and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters.

Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers and are often used as traditional fishing boats.

It is sometimes claimed that the word "sampan" is derived from the Cantonese term sāam báan (三板), literally "three planks",[2] but this is likely to be a false etymology.

Sampans are still in use by rural residents of Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.