Kratie covers 11094 square kilometers, It consists of 5 districts, 46 communes and 250 villages.
# Kratie District Total Communes: 15 Totals Villages: 74
# Chhlong District Total Communes: 8 Totals Villages: 40
# Prek Prasob District Total Communes: 8 Totals Villages: 48
# Sambo District Total Communes: 10 Totals Villages: 52
# Snoul District Total Communes: 5 Totals Villages: 36
# How to get there! Distance from Phnom Penh: 315 Km
# Using National Road No: 7,13
# Favourite Transportation: Car
Tourism Attractions
Kratié is one of Cambodia’s eastern provinces with less population, who make their lives on the riverbanks of the Mekong. Beyond the riverbanks it is a remote place with almost no population and thick-forested areas to calm down. The provincial capital is also called Kratié and lies also on the banks of the mighty Mekong River, which emboss the province from the North to the South. The stretch of the river around Kratié town is home to a group of rare sweet water Irrawaddy dolphins. Therefore the dolphins are the main tourist attraction of the province and the town. The river also has hundreds of Green Island, and circling water, which are also attracting some tourists.
Kratie, a sleepy colonail town on the bank of Mekong River, is located in northern Cambodia. Sandbars and big islands stand out of the meandering river where rare fresh water irrawaddy dolphins can often be seen. The town itself is quiet yet has a compulsivbe charm.
Phnom Sambox Temples
Phnom Sambok Temples By heading north from the Globe circle you also reach the hilltop temples of Sambok village. Following the stairway up, you will come to three different levels of shrines, temples and living quarters for the monks. The second level features a reclining Buddha, and the top level a beautiful view of the Mekong River area. Follow the road north of the circle 8,5 km and you will see the hill temple and dirt road leading to it on the right.
Wat Preah Vihear (Kratie)
Wat Preah Vihear (Kratie) Golden lions guard the gates that lead to peaceful and heavily shaded temple grounds. It bears the name of the internationally famous Preah Vihear Temple that straddles the Thai border in the Dangrek Mountains.
Sambor Town
Sambor Town For a nice ride through the countryside hugging the Mekong River, you can head north past Phnom Sambok and past the dolphin site. About 24 km from the Globe circle, you come to a fork in the road. The road to the right goes to Stung Treng, but you want to follow the road to the left. This is the better of the two roads and the one that hugs the river to Sambor town, another 11 km away. Stay left at the fork as you near the town and you wind your way to Wat Sambor, located near the river. The front temple is fairly new, with a one hundred-year-old temple just beyond the rear of that temple. The town is pleasant and food, drinks, and fuel are available. As for the ruins shown on the official Cambodia map (south of Sambor), there is nothing left of them anymore. Just one good- luck stone is all that the locals saved, putting it in a thatched temple hut a kilometer off the road. Wat Sray Sahn-tah-rah-boh it’s a big name for a small temple on the river road.
Kam Py Resory
Kam Py Resort How to go: Location: Description: Is the great natural resort providing shelter to Dolphins. When we travel along the National Road No.7 to the North about 15 Kilometers from the provincial town, we will arrive at a bridge of Prek Kam Py where we have seen a very novel view of the Mekong River consisting of thousands of islands full of green water plants. Usually from January to May, there are local and international visitors, who call on the Kam Py resort for swimming, especially during the Khmer New Year. Kam Py resort has special features such as: - The resort is closed to the National Road, assured safety and has large parking sites for motocycles and cars. - The riverbank is full of sand, and there are many islands assuring the visit of thousands of visitors. - The water is clear as mirror, has 0.5-1.30 meter depth and flows with undangerous speed. Kam Py resort has not only the good natural manner, but also been provided the good servises for visitors such as the crossing bridge, floating cottages, soft-drink shops, restaurants, emergency agency, guards and security as well. Nowadays, the provincial tourist office has endeavored to upgrade arranging the resort to be better and more attractive.
Phnom Preah
Phnom Preah How to go: 30 km (1h) From Provincial Town. Location: Description: Nature & Wildlife Preserves, Location: Chrauy Thmar Leu Village, Chhloug Commune, Chhloung District.
Phnom Sam Bok Resort
Phnom Sam Bok Resort How to go: Location: Description: Is the natural and historical resort, locates at Thmor Kre Commune, Kratie District in 11-Kilometer distance from the provincial town by the National Road No 7, then turning more 500 Meters to the mountain. Phnom Sam Bok is the cultural and main tourist resort of Kratie province. The resort has good location and assured safety for tourists to visit. Phnom Sam Bok has been arranged as the tourist resort since the Sang Kum Reas Ni Yum time. The special features of Phnom Sam Bok are: - Closed to the western mountain foot, there is a big pond full of clearwater and natural plants. - The mountain has two peak, a dull peak and a pointed peak. On the mountain top, we can view the beautiful scene especially the Mekong River. - The mountain rich in big trees and birds. - There is a concrete stair stretching from the mountain foot to the top, and there are many resting place at the mountain. The legend said that one upon the time, there was a king named Cha Krey Sara Varman a son of Preah Bat Hathak Athi Reah Varman. After he succeeded his father, he informed officials and high officials to serch gold mine. Then they found a place closed to the mountain foot of Sam Bok very rich in gold. The local people there called the place “Kan Leng Sam Bo Meas” means “a place very rich in gold”. Long time after that, the word changed to “Phnom Sam Bok Meas ”, then only “Phnom Sam Bor” until now. The background of Phnom Sam Bok: At the beginning of 15th century, there was a monk named Neak Voan, the student who has the same teacher to the monk, Neak Sen. Neak Sen is the teacher of crocodile, Nen Thun and he does meditation on the mountaintop of Sam Bok. The monk, Neak Voan has very strong ritual formulas and he is well known to the near and far local people. The local people accompany each other to learn the ritual formulas from Neak voan. Since that, Phnom Sam Bok becomes the worshipping place until now.
Phnom Sopor Kaley
Phnom Sopor Kaley How to go: 30 km (1h) From Provincial Town. Location: Description: Historical Sites and Buildings, Location: Chrauy Banteay Village, Chrau Ampil Commune, Prey Prasap District.
The 100-Column Pagoda
The 100-Column Pagoda How to go: Location: Description: Located at Sam Bor District in 36-kilometer distance, North of the provincial town by the National Road No 7. The special features of Sar Sar-100 pagoda are: The 100-column pagoda was built on the place where the Royal Palace temple of Sam Phu Borak Capital of the Chen La time located. At the area, there are four-Buddist temples facing to different directions: 1- Vihear Lao faces to the West 2- Vihear Sar Sar-100 faces to the North 3- Vihear Kork Keut faces to the Est 4- Vihear Kork faces to the South (this Buddhist temple has only base and mark remain). During the Khmer New Year, the local people who live near the former sam Phu Bo Rak Capital usually celebrate the four-day festival by starting at Vihear Sar Sar-100 first, then Vihear Kork and Vihear Lao lastly. Background of Vihear Sar Sar-100: Was built in 1806 and the size is 30 Meters x 30 Meters. In the former time, at the 100th column, was thatched by Preah Ang Chan Reachea II for dedicating to the power of Vihear sar sar-100 to maintain the soul of Preah Neang Varakak, his daughter who was swallowed by the crocodile, Nen Thun. Vihear Sar Sar-100 is different to other temples because it faces to the North. About 100 years later, the temple was damaged by the strong lightening, which caused 22 columns burnt down and the statues dirtied by smoke. Because of this incident, the temple was pulled down and rebuilt by the local people, but it had only 78 columns. Until 1987, the 100-column pagoda has once again been renovated with 35-meter length, 18-meter width, 23-meter height and 116 columns; also, the temple has completely been renovated, inaugurated and Sey Ma buried on January 14, 1998.
Wat Vihear Kuk
Wat Vihear Kuk How to go: 36 km (1h: 30mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Description: Historical Sites and Buildings, Location: Sambour Village, Sambour Commune, Sambour District.
Wat Vihear Lao
Wat Vihear Lao How to go: 36 km (1h: 30mn) From Provincial Town. Location: Description: Historical Sites and Buildings, Location: Sambour Village, Sambour Commune, Sambour District.
Tamu House
Tamu House How to go: Location: Description: The place displayed statues depicting the lifestyle and troop arrangement of Khmer Rouge during the period of their struggle against the Royal Government. This area had been organized and controlled by Khmer Rouge since 1979 to the end of 1997. The cultural site of Khmer Rouge is located at the center of An Lung Veng Districial in 100-kilometer distance from the provicial town by Road No 68. At present, there are many tourists who visit the area and take picture of Khmer Rouge activities remain.
Oddar Meanchey
Oddar Meanchey Border Check-Point of Ou Smach How to go: Location: Description: Located at the common border of Cambodia-Thailand in 41-kilometer distance from the provincial town by Road No 68. Ou Smach is the man-made tourist site, which has been invested by Royal Group Company and VTP shop Group Company on Casino, five-star hotel and restaurants. The site has been organized as the entertainment spot in international standard. Most tourists who go there are Thai tourists.
Waterfall of Cham Pey
Waterfall of Cham Pey How to go: Location: Description: Is the natural resort locating at 35-kilometer distance from the provincial town along the road No 68. The resort consists of waterfall at the mountain valley, big rock having 500-square meter size, mountain full of trees and a lot of orchids and other colorfull varied flowers. At 500-meter distance from the waterfall, there is another natural and cultural resort, which has been arranged and organized by monks who make their meditation there. This resort named Rut Cham Pey having many varied statues depicting the process of human life-born and died and other religion and animal figures. In addition, there are many other natural and historical resorts, which have been putting in the projects for development by the Provincial Tourist Office such as: - The area of Tonle Sar - The area of Ang Ou Ang Krang - The area of Pra Sat Seung - The area of Ang Tropeang Baray - The area of Pra Sat Pursat - The area of Cham Kar Kuy - The area of Beung Snour - The area of Tum Nup Thmey - The area of Tuol Kruos (Killing field and prison of Khmer Rouge).
MEKONG EIVER DOLPHINS
Nowadays the river dolphins, of which there are around 100, largely live in Kratie Province (315 km northeast of Phnom Penh) and Stung Treng Province (455 km northeast of Phnom Penh). Both provinces can be accessed through National Road No 7 and No13 by car.
Dolphin is the name of a group of animals closely related to whales and porpoises. Like whales and porpoises, dolphins are mammals, not fish. Mammals, unlike fish, feed their young with milk that is produced in the mother’s body. Also unlike fist, dolphins have lungs and are warm blooded that is, their body temperature always stays about the same, regardless of the temperature of their surroundings. Many scientists believe that dolphins rank among the most intelligent animals, along with chimpanzees and dogs.
The dolphins are normally between 2m 2.8m in length and 180kg in weight. The dolphins can live from 20 to 40 year and eat small fish, snails, and shellfish as food. They can swim at about 42 km an hour and hold their breath for 5-10 minutes; they can also dive to a depth of around 300 meters. They like swimming in a school of 6-10 and communicate one another via sound waves.
Most dolphins mate in summer. The males are called bulls, and the females are called cows. The courtship behavior may involve head bumping. The pregnancy period for dolphins lasts from 10 to12 months. The females almost always give birth to one baby, called a calf, once every two years, After between June and August. After the calf the calf is born, it immediately swims to the surface for its first breath of air. A newborn dolphin is 1m in length and one fifth of the normal dolphin weight.
The dolphins, which have similar characteristics to humans, always smile pleasantly at guests. Tourists can see river dolphins that have characteristics distinct from the sea dolphins.