Kratie and around
Seventy kilometres north of Kompong Cham on the east bank of the Mekong, KRATIE (pronounced Kra-cheh) has become a popular tourist destination thanks to the rare Irrawaddy dolphins that inhabit the river upstream at nearby Kampie. Dolphin-watching trips can also be easily combined with a visit to the lovely hilltop meditation centre of Phnom Sambok and the temple and turtle conservation project at Sambor, further upriver, while the chance to explore nearby river islands, go kayaking or head off along the Mekong Discovery Trail may tempt you to linger longer.
Dolphins and other attractions aside, Kratie itself makes a pleasant spot to rest up for a night or two, with a decent clutch of hotels and some good restaurants lined up along the serene riverside. Parts of the town still retain vestiges of their old French colonial architecture, including the fine old Governor’s Residence, just south of the centre (now signed as the Provincial Council Kratie).
Kampie
Cambodians traditionally believe that the Irrawaddy dolphins (psout) that live around the Mekong rapids at KAMPIE are part human and part fish, and consequently do their best to look after them. Despite this, the dolphins’ numbers have declined sharply due to the use of explosives and electric rods for fishing, and in 2004 the Irrawaddy dolphin was added to the IUCN Red List as a critically endangered species.
The dolphin-watching site is now run as an ecotourism project by the local community. Having purchased your ticket you’ll be loaded into a boat for the trip (lasting roughly 1hr during the Nov–May dry season; closer to 1hr 30min during the wet season, when the dolphins travel further downriver). Once boats are out on the water in the vicinity of the dolphins the motor is cut and boatmen row their craft to create the minimum of disturbance. The dolphins are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, when they tend to feed, although sightings are pretty much guaranteed at any time. They’re fairly easy to see (albeit almost impossible to photograph) and even easier to hear thanks to the characteristic noise they make (like the sound of someone taking a sudden deep breath through a large tube) when breaking the surface of the water to take in air.
It’s also possible to see the dolphins from dry land. Continue to the stretch of open riverbank about 1km north of the centre, from where sightings are possible.
Irrawaddy dolphins
Freshwater rivers, such as the Irrawaddy and Mekong in Southeast Asia, and the shallow tropical zones of the Indian and Pacific oceans, constitute the habitat of the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris). In the Mekong they now inhabit just a 190km stretch in the north of Cambodia, and can be spotted most easily at Kampie and north of Stung Treng near the Laos border, with occasional sightings elsewhere. In 2001, a pair were found just a few kilometres north of Phnom Penh.
Irrawaddy dolphins look more like porpoises than marine dolphins, with rounded heads and foreheads that protrude slightly over a straight mouth; noticeably, unlike their seagoing cousins, they have no beak. They’re also more languid than their marine cousins, rarely leaping out of the water, chasing after boats or displaying any of the other skittish personality traits commonly identified with their species.
Irrawaddy dolphins reach maturity around the age of 5 years, when they can measure up to 2.75m in length and weigh up to 200kg. Family groups, or pods, usually consist of around six individuals, but larger groups are not unknown. In spite of good breeding rates, there is a high rate of calf mortality, which remains unexplained.
Mekong Discovery Trail
Covering the stretch of the Mekong between Kratie and the Laos border north of Stung Treng, the Mekong Discovery Trail is an initiative to get tourists off the beaten track and experience the river’s rich culture, ecology and historical heritage. The so-called “trail” actually comprises ten separate itineraries using existing roads, tracks and waterways – a few signs have been set up along some of the routes, but most of the time you’ll have to find your own way.
The itineraries themselves are something of a moveable feast – most can be explored using a mix of transport depending on what suits, whether on foot, by bike, or using a tuk-tuk or car. A few also include the possibility of an overnight homestay en route. The various routes are covered in more detail in a useful leaflet that you may be able to pick up in Kratie or from Xplore Asia in Stung Treng, who also arrange guided tours around parts of the trail. The following is a brief summary.
- Ancient Ruins of Thala Barivat Trail 3km round-trip from Stung Treng to the ancient temple ruins at Thala Barivat.
- Bamboo Sticky Rice and Bridges 9km round-trip from Stung Treng featuring Sekong views and krolan (sticky bamboo rice) tasting at Hang Khou Ban village.
- Distant Dolphins Trail 40km by bike, or 61km by motorbike from Stung Treng to a beautiful, rarely visited stretch of the Mekong, including the dolphin pool at Damrei Phong, south of Stung Treng, and Koh Preah river island.
- Dolphin and Krolan Discovery Trail 16km one way from Kratie, including the dolphin-watching site at Kampie and Phnom Sambok temple.
- Koh Trong Island Trail 9km round-trip around the river island of Koh Trong, just outside Kratie.
- Kratie Architecture and Alms Trail 7km round-trip tour of Kratie, including the market, Wat Roka Kandal and Wat Serey Santhor Vong.
- River Life Explorer Trail 44km round-trip from Kratie, following the little-visited west bank of the Mekong from Kratie to Kampie and beyond.
- Stung Treng Silk and Sunset Trail 7km round-trip from Stung Treng, including a visit to the Mekong Blue silk-weaving centre.
- Wat Sarsar Mouy and Koh Pdao Trail 35km from Kratie to Sambor, plus 15km around Koh Pdao river island.
- Waterfalls, Wetland and Wildlife Trail 57km from Stung Treng to O Svay, including visits to the Sopheak Mitt falls and Anlong Cheuteal dolphin pool.
Mekong homestays
Cambodian Rural Development Tours (crdt.org.kh) runs a number of homestay opportunities along the Mekong, offering one- or two-night stays at a trio of villages up and down the river and allowing visitors a rare chance to experience traditional Cambodian rural life from the inside.
- Koh Pdao Just north of Sambor (and 40km north of Kratie). One- or two-night homestays on this peaceful river island, including visits to the nearby turtle conservation centre, the hundred-pillar pagoda and the dolphins at Kampie.
- Koh Preah Village 35km from Stung Treng. Visits include cycling along the Mekong, the chance to sample traditional Khmer village food, a visit to the local dolphin pool and chats with village elders.
- Preah Rumkel North of Stung Treng near the Laos border. Visits include kayaking, cycling and dolphin-spotting.
Tours around Kratie
Tours can be arranged through most guesthouses and hotels in Kratie – try either of the two U Hong guesthouses or the Tokae restaurant.
CRDT (Cambodian Rural Development Tours) crdtours.org. Various tours and homestays up and down the Mekong, with several in and around Kratie including Kampie, Sambor, Koh Trong island and tours of Kratie town itself.
Sorya Kayaking Adventures soryakayaking.com. The perfect way to see the Mekong without the roar of an outboard boat engine disturbing the peace. Half-day trips include dolphin-spotting at Kampie and visits to the Mekong Island of Koh Trong, plus one- and two-day excursions on the Te River including visits to floating ethnic Vietnamese villages and the chance to paddle through beautiful stretches of flooded Mekong River forest en route.
Stung Treng
Situated on the Sekong River 140km north of Kratie (and a similar distance west of Banlung), the tranquil little town of STUNG TRENG is a bit of a backwater. For most visitors the town is simply a staging-post en route to Laos, although the construction of a huge new Mekong bridge nearby, connecting with a new road to Tbeang Meanchey and then on to Siem Reap, may help revitalize the town’s fortunes, opening up new routes between central Cambodia and the northeast, and establishing Stung Treng as an alternative gateway to the region.
There are various attractions in the countryside surrounding Stung Treng, too, many of them covered by the Mekong Discovery Trail. It is also the jumping-off point for the splendid river trip along the Mekong to the Laos border, with glimpses of rare Irrawaddy dolphins and thundering waterfalls en route.
Tours around Stung Treng
There are a number of attractions around Stung Treng: the widest range of local tours is run by Xplore Asia, but there are other options available.
Riverside Guesthouse Tours This guesthouse is a good option for boat trips, either up the Mekong to the Laos border and back or along the narrower Sekong.
Xplore Asia xplore-cambodia.com. A good range of interesting, albeit pricey, trips, including a grand four- to five-day journey down the Mekong to Kratie that takes in parts of the Mekong Discovery Trail using a combination of cycling, trekking and kayaking. More affordable excursions include one-day trips combining kayaking, trekking and dolphin watching; a full day’s kayaking; half-day cycling and kayaking trips; and fishing trips. They can also arrange boat trips to the Sopheak Mitt falls, dolphin watching and a spectacular stretch of flooded forest.
Along the Mekong: Stung Treng to Laos
The stretch of Mekong between Stung Treng and the Laos border is rich in ecotourism potential, most of it still largely untapped. River islands, waterfalls, rapids and impressive stretches of flooded forest dot the waters, culminating in the thundering Sopheak Mitt waterfalls, which block the route on into Laos.
As at Kratie, pods of Irrawaddy dolphins are the major draw, and can be found at several spots along the river. Most visitors head for the so-called Anlong Cheuteal dolphin pool, just south of the Laos border. Boat trips here can be arranged at Stung Treng; alternatively, you may be able to arrange a boat (roughly $15/hr) at the nearby villages of O Svay and Preah Rumkel – homestays can also be arranged at the latter. Dolphin numbers are smaller here than at Kampie, although there’s still around a ninety percent chance of spotting them.
Rattanakiri province
Bordering Laos and Vietnam in the far northeast corner of Cambodia, the province of Rattanakiri used to abound in lush jungle. These days most of the region’s ancient forests have been systematically logged of their valuable hardwoods and replanted with cash-crop plantations, mainly rubber, cashew and cassava, although the vistas of misty mountains and gushing waterfalls remain, if nothing else. As befits a province whose name means “gemstone mountain”, traditional gem-mining also survives amid the hills, a difficult and dangerous activity, with miners dragging soil to the surface from deep holes where it is painstakingly sifted for the gems you see in every Cambodian market.
Banlung
Situated 588km from Phnom Penh by road, the small provincial capital of BANLUNG feels a long way from the rest of Cambodia – and indeed from anywhere else. The town sprang to prominence in 1979 when it was chosen as the new provincial capital of Rattanakiri, replacing Voen Sai. Significant development followed (and continues to this day), although Banlung hasn’t altogether shaken off its Wild West atmosphere. Most of the town’s formerly dirt tracks have now been roughly surfaced but are so indelibly stained with red dirt and mud as to resemble outback tracks, especially after rain, while the combination of local chunchiet descending on town to visit the lively market and marauding touts attempting to flog treks to the unwary add to the place’s slightly chaotic appeal. It’s also notably cooler up here than down in the lowlands (for once, hot showers are more important than air conditioning), while the town also experiences significantly more rainfall than most other places in the country.
Most people come to Banlung to trek, and there are also a number of interesting day-trips in the surrounding countryside. The town itself is pretty much devoid of attractions, bar the lively local market and the tranquil lake of Boeung Kansaing.