As my visa was expiring I bid a farewell to Lao following the Mekong into neighbouring Cambodia. I passed the Lao/Cambodia border at Nong Nok Khian a lonesome frontier post lost in an arid and empty landscape. Only a busload of passengers and locals on their motor carts were waiting to pass into the land of the Khmer. The procedure of getting a visa on arrival can be done either by yourself, which is rather toilsome, or doing it the easy way like I did by paying a few extra dollars, give your passport to an 'agent', stay comfortably on the bus, and after a while get your passport and visa handed over. At first glance Cambodian villages seemed less lively than those in neighbouring Lao, traffic also was less, with only very few private cars on the road. After hours rolling through an arid and empty landscape and passing dull villages we arrived at the town of Kratie which had a much more greener setting.
Kratie (or Kracheh) stretches along the east bank of the Mekong River. It has a fine riverfront and attracts a fair share of visitors, many of whom wish to catch a glimpse of the last few Irrawaddy Dolphins left in the world. The best place to see them is Kampi Village about 15 km from town. I pedalled there and had very scenic views of the river, passing rural Khmer villages, fields and shadowed back lanes. The town of Kratie offers an authentic rural ambiance, and therefore serves as the perfect place to spend a few peaceful nights. A popular end-of-the-day activity in Kratie is to relax by the riverfront and watch the sun set
Map of Cambodia showing the Mekong (Kratie is transcribed as Kracheh)
Border crossing post in the middle of nowhere between Lao and Cambodia
Oudom Sambath Hotel on the Mekong river esplanade. I spent a couple of nights there enjoying the lazy pace of this small town
Children play with a giant palm leaf in a shady back lane outside town
Khmer stone sculpture at the entrance to an old and fairly maintained temple a few steps from the riverbank
Cambodian style rolling wicker basket shop on its way to clients along the river
Moto-carts are used to haul heavy and oversize loads
A man carefully watches out for overtaking buses before crossing a narrow bridge
Kratie fairground
The river esplanade in front of my guesthouse. A very relaxing place for strolls while enjoying an evening breeze from the river and to watch the sunset
A solitary boat heads up the river at dawn
A rolling Cambodian 'department store ' with the owners taking a break in the shade of a huge tree
Typical rural homes outside Kratie. They are built on stilts and a footbridge connects to the dam road
The Mekong near the small town of Kampi some 15 km north of Kratie. It is a recommended spot to catch a glimpse of the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins.
A woman dressed in a pyjamas-look-alike flowered suit very popular among ladies in Kratie sells 'bamboo rice'. Sticky rice is packed into a bamboo stem and cooked in fire
'Rush hour' on the river esplanade in Kratie
Tuk Tuk drivers are patiently waiting for passengers
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