A small town in Cambodia’s rugged northeast, Kratie is a popular destination amongst adventure tourists and backpackers. While it’s well off the traditional package tourist holiday itinerary, Kratie offers some rewarding and interesting scenic sites combined the the adventurous and frontier feel of northeast Cambodia. Offering one of the only opportunities in Cambodia to view the rare and endangered Irawaddy Dolphin, Kratie should be a must-see stop on any nature lover’s trip.

Kratie is easily accessible from all of Cambodia’s major centers, with buses departing Phnom Penh several times daily. Buses from Phnom Penh are typically somewhere in the range of $8, with costs changing depending on the tour operator and travel agency. From Siem Reap, private buses are available from $10 per person. Travel from Phnom Penh will take approximately 3 hours, and Siem Reap is around 4 hours away.

From Kratie, many travelers head for Stung Treng in order to access the northeast border crossing into Laos. If this is part of your travel plan, make sure that you have a Laos visa prepared in advance. While the border issues Cambodian visas, Laos visas aren’t available (unless you fancy paying a massive bribe). Save yourself the hassle and get it sorted out in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.

What to see:

Kratie is one of the only places in South East Asia where Irawaddy dolphins are able to be viewed in the wild. With under 80 dolphins left, it’s a must-see activity for any nature or conservation fan. Trips are available through all of the towns travel agencies, and most depart in the late morning. While the activity is relatively expensive compared to other tourism options in Cambodia, it’s by far the most rewarding and impressive activity on offer in the region. Most tours operate from Kampi, a small village around 12km from Kratie.

While organized tours are available from Kratie itself, it’s often more enjoyable to take care of transport to the village yourself. Motorcycle taxis will cost around $2 each way, with the cost of renting a motorcycle just $5. This ride, while short, gives you a nice chance to see some of the unique countryside and interesting Khmer rural life.

While Kratie is very small, it still has two impressive temples on offer. The first, Phnom Sombok, is situated on Kratie’s only major hill, just a short distance from the town itself. Make your way up there to find some interesting Khmer paintings, sculptures and architecture.

The second, Wat Roka Kandal, is located around 1.5km to the south of Kratie city, and offers the chance to view some traditional Khmer and Lao architecture and culture. The temple also has unique natural accommodation available from around $20 per night. While on the high end of the scale for backpacker costs, the rooms are significantly more impressive than anything on offer at guesthouses in the town.

Where to stay:

Kratie has a wide range of accommodation options available, with most of the inexpensive options situated on Rue Sumamarit. Single rooms are available at most guesthouses from as little as $4, with double and twin rooms typically costing around $5-10. While the costs are relatively low next to Siem Reap, the level of accommodation quality is still very impressive and almost all guesthouses will feature hot water and air conditioning, with the latter often coming at a slight premium.

Wat Roka Kandal, one of Kratie’s two major temples, offers incredibly romantic accommodation beside the river. Spend the night in a traditional Khmer bungalow, complete with hot water bathroom and comfortable balcony. The bungalows back onto the river, giving residents some of the most impressive and exotic views of Kratie’s remarkable countryside and natural attractions. Rooms range from $15-20 depending on options and location.

Many travelers in Kratie will be moving forward, either to Banlung or Stung Treng on the way to Laos. Onward travel is simple in Kratie, and almost every guesthouse or travel agency will be able to arrange a bus or river trip. River boats (either speedboats or long-tail slow boats) will be able to take you onwards to Banlung for around $8, and transport to Stung Treng is available by boat or bus.

How to get around:

Kratie is small, and for most travelers walking is the preferred method of seeing the town. However, for the nearby attractions it’s best to either rent a motorcycle or rely on the local motorcycle taxis for transport. Fares are incredibly cheap within Kratie itself — expect to pay around 500-1000 riel for short trips — and rarely over $3 for transport within the general area. For example, a short tip to visit the Irawaddy dolphins will cost around $2-3 each way, with motorcycle rental available from around $5 per day.

Taxis are available for daily rental, although generally unnecessary. Onwards travel is simple through either private car or tour bus, and anyone visiting local attractions can easily do so on foot or by using motorcycle taxis.

Costs, Customs and Extras:

Kratie isn’t a major tourism town, however it’s certainly not a slice of Khmer rural life. Due to the popularity of the Irawaddy dolphin tours, the town has adapted to tourism and offers almost all of the facilities of other Khmer regional centers. However, costs are still relatively low compared to other major tourism spots, and you’ll find that money travels further than it would in somewhere such as Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.