Kratie

Kratie, capital of Kratie Province, is a small colonial-style town situated on the east bank of the mighty Mekong River with less population. On the far side the riverbanks, it is an overseas place with nearly no population and thick-forested areas to settle down.

Kratie, the capital of Kratie Province, is a small colonial-style town situated on the east bank of the mighty Mekong River with less population. On the far side the riverbanks, it is an overseas place with nearly no population and thick-forested areas to settle down.

Being endowed with Mekong River flowing from the north to the south, Kratie owns peaceful and romantic landscapes. There are some nice-looking homes of French and Khmer style scattered about, adding to the pleasant feel of the place.

Mekong River also gifted this province hundreds of seasoned flooded islands as well as rich and diverse wetland ecosystems with many kinds of dolphins, fish and birds. Great part of Kratie is covered with dense forest and other part if green paddies and villages which create the immense green for this pretty town.

Kratie town of Cambodia

History of Kratie

In the past, Kratie used to be the capital of Chenla Kingdom. Kratie acts as a convenient stop-off point between the Siem Reap or Phnom Penh and the more remote north-eastern province of Ratanakiri or en route to the south of Laos.

Due to its location, Kratie is quite remote and not really developed in terms of tourism. However, with its authentic and unexploited beauty together with unique ancient Angkor Temples, Kratie is still a worth-visiting destination in Cambodia.

Main attractions in Kratie

• The Mekong Irrawaddy Dolphins: Most visitors arrive in the hope of a glimpse of the town famous Irrawaddy dolphins. Irrawaddy is a kind of endangered freshwater dolphins which is now being protected by NGOs. These shy and cute animals will surely leave you nice impression. The best time of the year to see the dolphins is between March and August when the waters are lower, however the dolphins can be spotted year-round.

The Mekong Irrawaddy Dolphin

• Kampi Rapids: Kampi Rapids is a picnic area next to the place you see the dolphins. In dry seasons, the banks are mostly local hangout where you can chill in a hammock under a bamboo hut or enjoy a swim.
• The Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre: Located at the 480-year-old historical treasure in the heart of Kratie, the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre is a conservation project contributing to the protection of the rarest and largest freshwater turtle species. These endangered freshwater Cantor’s giant softshell turtles are breed and nurtured in more than 40 indoor tanks for over 10 months, before being released into the Mekong.

The Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre

• Koh Trong Island: It’s great to take a little adventure to Koh Trong Island, situated opposite to the waterfront of Kratie. You can enjoy a wide range of activities like taking small ferry journey across the water for a swim, climbing Koh Trong’s small inclines for views, especially riding a bike for an exploration of the beaches and fishing villages.

Koh Trong Island

• Other attractions: To discover the town of Kratie, you can take an ecotourism journey through Mekong Discovery Trail, some of the most natural and unspoiled parts of the Mekong, or go kayaking along the Te River or Mekong River to behold the unique biodiversity, the rural land of forest and Vietnamese floating villages.

Culture

In Kratie, tourists will have chance to experience authentic rural life of Cambodia by visiting local villages of Mekong, basket weaver village where you can witness real daily activities of locals. The local communities here must be the poorest but the most welcoming in Cambodia.

Weather

Like the tropical climate in Cambodia, the temperatures in Kratie are averagely high throughout the year. The warmest month is April, when the temperature is around 30.1°C; and December is the coldest month with average temperature of 25.4°C.

In Kratie, dry season ranges between December and February, while rainy season varies from May to October. Specifically, the precipitation reaches its peak in September. If you have a plan to visit Kratie, you should avoid these wet months.

Transportation

Many tourists choose one of popular bus companies like Giant Ibis, Mekong Express, PSD Express, Sorya Bus, Cambodia Post VIP Van, which offer bus and van services to Kratie with modern facilities. The buses or vans depart every 15 minutes to 1 hour, daily from 6am to 12pm. From Kampong Cham, you can take a bullet boat plying the Mekong River. It's an easy and comfortable alternative to get to Kratie.

A boat view along the river in Kratie

To be more active, you can hire a shared taxi or book a motorbike tour via National Highway No.6 or No.7, where you rarely meet other vehicles and have a chance to contemplate a beautiful remote countryside.

Whether you are just on a trip seeing the river towns along the Mekong or taking a full circuit trip around the east and northeast, Kratie is a nice place to spend a night or two. The river scene of Kratie has a beautiful river boulevard with dozens of snack and drink stands in the late afternoon and evening, making this a nice spot to chill out and watch the people parading by.