A visit to Kratie town (pronounced Kra-Cheh) is an excellent opportunity to get a taste of rural life in Cambodia. Here the locals spend their days living and fishing along the banks of the Mekong. Small villages and lush vegetation dot the landscape along the river.
Kratie is one of the best places to spot the elusive Irrawaddy dolphin, one of the rarest of all cetacean species that exist only in small populations within the river systems and mangroves of Southeast Asia. Here along the Mekong River, there are now less than 100 of these gentle creatures left between a 190 km stretch from Cambodia and Laos. At present, around 15-20 dolphins have made their home in the waters north of Kratie.
Drifting through the town itself, you’ll find lovely French architecture that was fortunately not destroyed by the bombings during the war. As well, you may stumble upon the busy local market with a great selection of local produce to try out. The sunsets over the river here are also known to be some of the best in Cambodia. If you want to get a glimpse into life around the town, set off on a bicycle ride as you peddle past locals going about their daily lives in the villages that sit amongst banana and palm trees.
We recommend using Kratie as a stop to break up the journey from Phnom Penh to Ratanakiri and into Laos. Speak to our Cambodia experts to discover how best to incorporate a stay here on your next holiday.
