KRATIE

Situated on the east bank of the mighty Mekong River is a charming, cheerful little town of Kratie. Unlike in many towns around Cambodia, the war years were fairly kind to the French architecture and the roads, at least in the town itself. There are some nice-looking homes of French and Khmer style scattered about, adding to the pleasant feel of the place.

Kratie is the best place in Cambodia to view the rare freshwater Irrawaddy Dolphins that inhabit the Mekong River. A long flight of steps lead into a pavilion of Phnom Sombok that features detailed photos of afterlife punishments to those who have sinned in the present life. Wat Roka Kandal is a restored pagoda with an ancient Lao style ‘Stupa’ on the riverfront about 2 kilometers from the town center. About 15 kilometers from town, there is a large Cham community. This is known locally as the ‘basket-weaving’ village; it is the biggest in Kratie with over 4000 villagers living here.

Climate: The climate here is tropical. When compared with winter, the summers have much more rainfall. In Kratie, the average annual temperature is 27.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1707 mm.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Kratie is from November to March when humidity is bearable, temperatures are cooler and it's unlikely to rain. It is best to go and see dolphins in early mornings or late afternoons.

Getting here: Kratie is accessed most commonly by bus. To the north is Stung Treng (about 3 hours), to the south, Kampong Cham (2 hours or so–we arrived from this direction, and the road was good). There are also buses from Phnom Penh, and shared minivans from these cities and some others.