Kracheh (Kratie) | ក្រចេះ

Kracheh (Kratie) is known as the gateway to Cambodia’s northeast, and is shaped by the Mekong River which runs through its centre. The area is known mainly for the Irrawaddy dolphins but at only 240 km from Phnom Penh, Kracheh is easy to reach by bus and fits well into an eastern Cambodia itinerary. It makes a great stopover on the way to Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri or Stung Treng, and can make a great stopover for those continuing north towards Laos.

Most visitors head straight to Krong Kracheh, which you might also know by its French spelling, Kratié. (We like to use the Khmer transliterations on Darleng.) The town is a good place to base yourself to see the Irrawaddy dolphins at nearby Kampi. But there’s also plenty more to do beyond the dolphins.

In town, the riverside is a nice place to wander in the evening, while a little further out are Phnom Sambok, Wat Rokar Kandal and the 100 Pillar Pagoda. 

Not far from town you can spend an afternoon at Kampi Rapids, take the ferry across to Koh Trong for a slower pace of life or head south to Chhlong to wander amongst its French colonial buildings before stopping for lunch at Le Relais de Chhlong.

Kracheh also has some great community-based tourism places and homestays. The area north of Krong Kracheh was once part of the Mekong Discovery Trail, a community tourism route that followed the Mekong through to Stung Treng towards the Laos border. Sadly, this project is no longer funded, but a number of homestays and community tourism initiatives are still there and are a great way to experience rural life along the river such as at Koh Pdao.

Whether you’re hoping to spot the Irrawaddy dolphins, cycle around Koh Trong or simply spend a few days following the Mekong, Kracheh is a wonderful place to do this.