Kratie is located 200km west of Mondulkiri on the banks of the Mekong River. The main reason for a visit to Kratie is to spot the elusive Irrawaddy Dolphin. They are an endangered species throughout Asia, with shrinking numbers inhabiting stretches of the Mekong in Cambodia and Laos, and isolated pockets in Bangladesh and Myanmar. They are dark-blue to grey, can grow to 2.75m long, and are recognisable by their small dorsal fins and bulging foreheads. Despite drastic measures to try and protect them, there numbers continue to plummet, and experts now estimate there are only around 80 Irrawaddy dolphins left in the Mekong between Kratie and the border with Laos.
Dolphin Watching
The best spot to watch the dolphins is Kampi village, 15 km north from Kratie. As river dolphins, these animals don’t generally approach boats and show curiosity towards tourist boats like some marine dolphins do. There is no best time of day to see the dolphins as their activity patterns don’t change much over the course of the day, though it can be pleasant with the setting sun late in the day, and fiercely hot in the early afternoon. The dry season offers generally better opportunities to see groups together and spectacular behaviour (rare though it is). In the wet season the boat trip is considerably longer as the animals move several kilometres upstream from the tourist site. To protect the dolphins, you should ensure that your boatmen follows the dolphin watching guidelines provided and only use oars when near the dolphins.
A stopover in Kratie is a good idea before or after a visit to Mondulkiri. If you are travelling south from Laos it is easiest to spend the night in Kratie before catching a minivan in the morning to Sen Monorom. Your guesthouse in Kratie can book minivans for you.
Irrawaddy Dolphin Article in Phnom Penh Post: link to article
