Kratie area

 A charming Mekong riverside town with some fine colonial buildings and a couple of interesting markets. Most visitors come for the chance to see the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins which frequent the waters of the Mekong near town. Many travellers making the trip up the Mekong to Kratie have witnessed the graceful ‘aquatic dances’ of these mammals. The best chances of seeing the dolphins is by exploring the deep pools by boat, where the dolphins are found before switching to local paddle boat to avoid disturbing these gentle creatures. Viewing is commonplace, although it is easier to see the dolphins in the shallower waters of the dry season, than in the swollen river of the wet season.