KRACHEH
Seeing the Irrawaddy Dolphins in Kracheh (Kratie)
Seeing an Irrawaddy dolphin had been on my Cambodia bucket list for years. We’d managed to spot one while out on a boat in Koh Kong, but it was only a fleeting glimpse. So when the chance came to spend four days in Kracheh (Kratie), we knew exactly what we’d be doing first.
We headed out to Kampi on our first afternoon in Kracheh. The trip to Kampi is about 15 minutes from Kracheh and the road follows the Mekong for much of the way. It’s a pretty drive, passing vegetable gardens growing on the exposed riverbanks, which would soon become the Mekong River as the wet season was about to arrive.
As you come into Kampi you will see the Kampi Community Based Tourism on your left, the large dolphin statue gives it away. Next to it is the ticket office run by the Kampi Community Based Tourism group. Prices are fixed, so there isn’t any haggling, and once you’ve bought your ticket you head down the stairs where one of the waiting boat drivers will take you out.
The foreign tourist price is 40,000៛ ($10) each for 1-2 people and 32,000៛ ($8) each for 3 or more. Children under 12 are 20,000៛ ($5).
Taking a Boat to See the Irrawaddy Dolphins
We were only on the water for about five minutes before our driver slowed the boat and pointed ahead. Two dolphins surfaced before disappearing beneath the water again. A few minutes later we moved to another part of the river and found even more.
It was amazing to watch them. They’d surface for a breath, spurt some water, before disappearing again for another couple of minutes. This is thought to help them herd the fish. Then they can stay under the water for up to 2 minutes so just as you give up hope of them resurfacing they skim the water again somewhere behind you.
They aren’t the easiest animals to photograph. By the time you hear them and work out where they’ve surfaced, they’re usually gone again. Even after two trips I only came away with a handful of photos, so eventually I stopped trying and just enjoyed watching them instead.
At the second spot our driver took us to, there was a group of about five or six dolphins. We think they may have had a calf with them, as they were quite active and in a larger group. The other times we saw them there were only one or two.
Watching the Dolphins From the Water’s Edge
The boat will drop you back at the stairs after an hour unless you arrange extra time directly with your driver. You can also ask to go to the nearby islands for sunset which you can negotiate with your driver. We didn’t extend our trip, but we did tip our driver 10,000៛ because he was really friendly and shared a lot with us.
One of the best things we did was to stay around after we got dropped back at the stairs. There is a viewing platform at the top and we grabbed a couple of beers and watched the sunset and the dolphins from a distance. I guess you could do this for free at any time, and although it was special, I would not have given up seeing them up close from the boat.
We went out twice, on the first evening we arrived and then again on our last evening. Yes, that’s how eager I was to see the dolphins. This time there were only one or two dolphins hanging around, but it was nowhere near as impressive as the first day. Everyone we’ve spoken to who has taken the boat trip has seen dolphins, although the number they saw varied quite a bit. A friend recently visited in the middle of the day during the rainy season and still managed to spot them.
When Is the Best Time to See the Dolphins?
The best time to go is early in the morning or late in the evening. They are in the area to feed so there are quite a few around at that time. We arrived at 4.30pm and this was perfect timing for us. We saw the dolphins and then arrived back at the Tourism Centre at 5.30pm to watch the sunset.
Irrawaddy dolphins have rounded heads and, unlike many other dolphins, no long beak so when they poke their heads above the water it almost looks like they’re smiling. In Cambodia the Irrawaddy dolphin is only found in the stretch of the Mekong between Kracheh and Stung Treng. It is estimated there are around 90 left in Cambodia, with approximately 40 living around Kampi.
We only saw around five boats on the water at once and they all kept a respectful distance. The boats are fitted with solar panels so that when they get close, they can turn off their engines, but still quietly move around, making sure to stay out of the dolphin’s way. Tourism also provides income for local fishing families, giving people another way to earn a living, and motivation to keep the dolphins safe. Whether that balance continues if visitor numbers increase is something we’ll have to wait and see.
There are lots of options for seeing the dolphins. We came by moto, but your guesthouse should be able to organise a tuk tuk for approximately 40,000៛ ($10). There are half day and full day tours that also include lunch, and you can also kayak with the dolphins. We looked into it, but for two people it worked out more expensive than simply taking another boat trip, so we stuck with that.
Seeing the Irrawaddy dolphins was one of the highlights of our time in Kracheh and something we’d happily do again. If you’re spending a few days in Kracheh, we’d definitely recommend making time to see the dolphins. Just don’t spend the whole hour looking through your camera lens.
We visited Kracheh in May 2026