Most of our guests have a trip upriver on their agenda to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. There are two main ways to do this, by boat or by kayak. The boat owners are licensed and controlled by government legislation, there are fixed prices and no bargaining, up or down. Several kayak businesses operate from Kratie Town, with various pricing strategies. All trips are guided. In general, the less people in the kayak group, the higher the individual cost. We are pleased to advise on the options. The dolphin area is 15 km from Kratie Town. It’s also possible to hire a boat and driver for sunrise and sunset trips, they will catch some fish and make a barbecue on the beach for you. Again, we are happy to assist with this.

Laotians and Cambodians have a common belief that the Irrawaddy dolphins are reincarnations of their ancestors. Buddhist Khmer and Vietnamese fishermen regard them as sacred animals. If caught in fishing nets, they release the dolphin from the rest of the catch.