Kratie is a bustling town, brimming with character, picturesque without being gentrified in any way. This is a working town and very few travellers pass through – few enough for you to be a novelty. The town sits on the east bank of the Mekong River, and this west-facing aspect affords some of the best sunsets that can be witnessed in South-East Asia!

Somehow, Kratie got through the war years with much of the architecture and the road infrastructure left in tact. There are many attractive French-influenced homes and mansions scattered about, which add to the pleasant ambiance of the town.

Nearby, over the river, is Koh Trong – idyllic rural Cambodia, where the regions best accommodation is found.

For most, the principal reason for being here is to try catch a glimpse of the extremely rare Irrawaddy dolphins. There are thought to be only 75 remaining in total (across both Cambodia & Laos) and between 15 / 20 of these freshwater dolphins make their home on a beautiful stretch of the Mekong River near a small set of rapids 8 miles north of town.

Kratie is usually accessed by local boat (3 hours) from Kampong Cham or it is a 3 hour drive from Phnom Penh on decent roads.