Kratie
Top Cities
Hotels In:
- Sihanoukville
- Angkor
- Battambang
- Ko Kong
- Kompong Cham
- Kratie
- Phnom Penh
- Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
- Strung Treng
Travel Cheap
The riverside town of Kratie is the best place in the world to see the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins. Along with its picturesque sunsets on the Mekong River, most of the town’s action is along the east bank of the Mekong River and it is one of the few places in Cambodia where the French-era architecture still remains. Although it has some great places to visit, it’s not a large tourism town. Most visitors are backpackers there to enjoy the budget friendly travel accommodations the easy travel to other Cambodian destinations.
Lay of the land
The moderately remote province of Kratie is located in northeast Cambodia, and it sits on the east bank of the Mekong River. The province is bordered by: Kompong Thom to the west, Stung Treng to the north, Mondulkiri to the east, Vietnam to the southeast, and Kompong Cham to the southwest.
What to see and do
Seeing the endangered freshwater Irrawaddy Dolphins, who reside in the Mekong River between Kratie and the Laos border, is of special interest in Kratie, although tourists are becoming increasingly disinterested due to the government’s rising prices. The dolphins, which have survived through a lot, often swim in the opposite direction of the sound of a motor. You can see the dolphins from a boat or from land. The dolphins are the most active in the early morning around 6:00 to 8:00, and in the late afternoon around 16:30.
Other places of interest also include the hilltop temples of Phnom Sambok, Sambor, Wat Roka Kandal, and the Town Museum. The hilltop temples of Phnom Sambok are free and make a nice stop on the way back from seeing the Irrawaddy Dolphins. Sambor Town is the location of the 100-column temple site, which was burned down one hundred years after it was built, then restored twice-the first time with 78 columns, then with 116. The Prasat Bprahm ruins and the Prasat Kwahn Bpee Ruins are also great sites to visit to get a feel for the area’s history, but are more difficult to get to. Visiting one of the three major basket-weaving villages is also popular with tourists.
Getting around
Like most Cambodian rentals, the average for a moto-taxi is US$6-8 a day, or a single trip in town is between 1,000 and 1,500 riel. Also, like other Cambodian rentals, negotiation is an option if the driver’s price is too high. A car rental is approximately US$25 a day and restaurants and hotels can arrange car taxis. Most guesthouses and hotels can also rent out bicycles and small motorcycles.
Favorite Nighlife in the Area Favorite Events in the AreaAround Kratie
| 1 |
Angkor Until 1861, the ruins of the ancient city of Angkor, capital of the Khmer kingdom, existed only in myth. One of the world's marvels, and the worlds largest religious monument, it's a vast and mysterious complex of carved sandston.... |
| 2 |
Battambang Battambang is the capital of the Battambang province and the second largest city in Cambodia. Battambang literally means “disappearing stick,” and was named after a powerful stick that a legendary Khmer King used to gain and m.... |
| 3 |
Ko Kong Many people are confused with Koh Kong because they are unsure of whether it is an island, a town, or a province, but it is actually all three. Here’s a little information to help with the confusion: the province of Koh Kong, wh.... |
| 4 |
Kompong Cham Full of ancient sites, a lively Mekong River island life, and a beautiful waterfall, Kampong Cham is a traveler’s dream destination. Because of its location, it is an ideal trade and transportation hub. During the colonial perio.... |
| 5 |
Phnom Penh A capital city once deserted in a matter of hours, Phnom Penh has a history unlike any city in the world. It is a city which has seen the greatest of good, and the blackest of evil. Founded in the middle of the 14th century by the.... |
| 6 |
Siem Reap Angkor Wat Siem Reap is known for it Angkor Wat temples. It gets is name, which literally means, “Siamese defeated” from the seventeenth century victory of the Khmer Empire over the army of the Thai Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Angkor and the .... |
| 7 |
Sihanoukville Cambodia’s only international deep-sea port Sihanoukville (also known as Kampong Som) has become well known for its uninhabited beaches, fishing spots, and scenic trails. The French and Cambodians created Sihanoukville to give t.... |
| 8 |
Strung Treng Once called Xieng Teng, Stung Treng was originally part of the Khmer Empire. It became part of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, then the Lao kingdom of Champassack, until the French Indochina period when it was surrendered back to Cam.... |
