Mekong, dolphins and Laos

During this Cambodia travel module you'll travel along the mighty Mekong River upstream towards southern Laos. The untainted, undeveloped areas will pass you by and at the same time you'll get a feel for life on one of the most famous rivers in the world. You'll also be able to see small fishing boats sailing by from the hotel rooms you will be staying at and you'll even go on a few short boating trips on the Mekong. Although you'll be travelling large distances, you'll be doing so in a comfortable bus. 

This module begins in Phnom Penh and continues on along small, sparsely populated areas where you'll cross the border to Laos. If you're lucky, you may even see the famous Irrawaddy dolphins along the way. This Kratie tour ends at the Laotian border where you can continue travelling towards Pakse or you can begin travelling along the Boloven plateau waterfalls or Mekong islands modules from the Laos travel programme.

Today you'll be picked up from your hotel in Phnom Penh and taken to the bus station. We'll arrange the bus ticket for you for the bus trip that will take you to the city of Kratie in 6 to 8 hours. You'll be able to easily arrange the transfer from the bus station to your hotel on your own. You'll spend the night in a hotel which is directly located on the boulevard along the Mekong River. This location is ideal for watching small boats pass by the hotel.

Kratie is known for being the home of the rare fresh water dolphin, the Irrawaddy. The best time to spot these unique creatures is early in the morning or at the end of the afternoon. Go out and look for a local scooter driver to take you to the best spots near the small islands in the Mekong. You could also arrange a boat to take you out for a closer look at the dolphins. There are no activities planned for today and you can spend the day as you wish. Since Kratie was spared during the war, you can enjoy a walk past the historic Khmer houses on the edge of the Mekong. More information on Kratie tour options is available on location. Tonight you'll spend another night in the same hotel by the Mekong River. 

In the morning you'll be taken to the bus station where you'll catch a bus and travel over gravel roads to Stung Treng. This is a sleepy small town on the Mekong River in the Rattanakhiri province. This untainted province is located at the tri-country area of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and quite far away from tourist areas. You'll spend the night in the newest hotel in town in a room with a television, bath and toilet. Unfortunately there's no warm water available... but it's coming soon. Your hotel room will have a view of the broad river and the local market. Just north of the city you'll find the Stung Treng Women's Development Centre where the women from Stung Treng come to weave silk. When you purchase one of their products, you help them to build a better future for themselves. As a sign of their gratitude they'll give you a small gift made out of silk.

If you head out of Stung Treng and off of the beaten track, you can visit the hill tribes in the Banlung area. These are traditional mountain tribes in the middle of the jungle who live near refreshing waterfalls. For more information, have a look at the Cambodia hill tribes and totem poles module. The Cambodia hill tribes and totem poles module starts in Stung Treng on day 4 of this module and ends at the same location. The module offers a quick detour during your trip to the green heart of Laos. 

This morning you'll go on a boat trip to one of the most deserted areas of the Mekong. Local fishers work non-stop trying to reel their nets in and small children on board will try to catch a glimpse of you. After about an hour and a half you'll arrive at the Laotian border (Veunkham). You will have to attain your visa for Laos prior to departure; visas are not available at the border. After a few stamps in your passport you'll cross the border towards Laos. From here we can arrange a transfer for you towards Pakse, or you can start on one of our Laos modules. For instance you may want to get to know the Boloven plateau waterfalls or the Mekong islands in Laos.