Getting to know Kratie
Kratie sits on the east bank of the Mekong in northeastern Cambodia, a town most visitors reach on the way to somewhere else and end up wishing they had given a full day to. French colonial shopfronts line streets a few blocks back from the river, faded but mostly intact, and the pace of the place has more to do with the heat and the water level than with any tourist schedule. There is no beach promenade or night market scene here. What there is instead is the river itself, wide and brown, and a stretch of it upstream that has become one of the most important pieces of river conservation in the Mekong basin.
That stretch is home to the last confirmed population of Irrawaddy dolphins on the Mekong. Counts have been rising rather than falling in recent years: the population reached 117 individuals as of early April 2026, after a calf born on 31 March 2026 at the Kampi pool became the fifth calf recorded since the start of the year. The survey work behind that number comes from Cambodia’s Fisheries Administration, the Kratie provincial fisheries office and WWF, and it points to something rare in this part of the world, a species pulling back from the edge rather than sliding toward it.
Beyond the dolphins, Kratie makes an easy base for a day of slower sightseeing: a market that still trades mostly for locals, a riverside evening with almost no other foreign visitors in view, and a short crossing to Koh Trong island for anyone who wants to get off the main road entirely.
Things to see and do
Kampi dolphin pool
A stretch of river 15 km north of town where the Mekong’s remaining Irrawaddy dolphins gather, watched from official boats that hold a fixed distance.
Koh Trong island
A river island a short ferry ride from Kratie’s centre, laid out with a flat, ring-road cycling route past stilt houses and pomelo orchards.
Kratie’s old French quarter
A few streets of colonial-era shophouses near the riverfront, worth a slow walk in the early morning or at dusk.
Kratie riverfront market
A working town market rather than a tourist stop, busiest in the early hours.
Sambok village and Wat Sarsar Muoy Roy
A small riverside temple community en route to Kampi, a quiet stop for travellers with extra time.
None of these sites take long on their own, which is why most itineraries treat Kratie as a one-night stop built around a single morning at Kampi. Give it two nights instead if you want the island crossing as well, since rushing both in one day usually means shortchanging the dolphins.
Good to know
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dolphin population | 117 individuals as of early April 2026, with 5 calves recorded since the start of that year |
| Best viewing season | December to February, dry season, when low water concentrates the dolphins near Kampi |
| Weakest viewing season | June to October, when the river can rise more than 10 metres and the dolphins spread out across a much wider stretch of water |
| Getting to Kampi | About 15 km north of Kratie town by road, then a short walk down to the boat landing |
| Boat operator | Use the official Kampi boat service only; it keeps set routes and a fixed distance from the animals |
| Koh Trong island | A short ferry crossing from central Kratie; a flat loop road suits a half-day of cycling |
Trips that include Kratie
Kratie can also be added as a stand-alone extension to any Phnom Penh or Siem Reap itinerary. Tell us your dates and how many nights you can give it, and we will slot it into your route without disrupting the rest of the plan.