1. Kratié City (Municipal District)
Kratié’s charming riverside capital feels like stepping back into French Indochina. Colorful colonial shophouses line the Mekong promenade, where locals sip iced coffee under tamarind trees and watch the sunset paint the river gold. The bustling central market sells everything from river fish to Vietnamese sweets, while the elegant Wat Roka Kandal and the quirky 100-Pillar Pagoda add cultural sparkle. At night, fairy-lit food carts serve fragrant noodle soup and grilled squid. It’s the perfect relaxed base for dolphin-watching day trips.
2. Chitr Borei District
Just north of the city, this quiet district is the heart of Irrawaddy dolphin territory. From Kampi village, wooden boats glide into deep river pools where the critically endangered freshwater dolphins surface in silvery arcs. Red dirt roads lead to traditional stilt-house villages where families weave palm-leaf mats and children swim with water buffalo. The sunset views across the Mekong are pure magic.
3. Snuol District
A wild frontier district where rubber plantations give way to dense forest. The road to the Laos border passes ethnic minority villages and hidden waterfalls. Phnom Preah Theat hill hides ancient laterite Angkorian ruins and sacred caves once used by meditating hermits. Motorbike adventurers love the red-dust trails and the feeling of being at the edge of civilization.
4. Prek Prasab District
The southern gateway to the Mekong’s wilder stretches, Prek Prasab is famous for serious nature lovers. Vast seasonal wetlands host thousands of migratory birds, while the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre at Chnok Tru lets visitors release baby Cantor’s giant softshell turtles into the river. Riverside homestays offer hammocks, home-cooked meals, and the sound of cicadas at night.
5. Sambor District
Home to Sambor town and the historic Wat Sarsar Moy Roy (100-Pillar Pagoda), a beautifully restored wooden monastery on the riverbank. The district’s flat countryside is perfect for cycling past lotus ponds and traditional Khmer houses. Every evening, hundreds of fruit bats stream from riverside trees in a black ribbon across the sky.
6. Chet Borei District (newest district, created 2019)
The northernmost corner of Kratié, Chet Borei protects some of the province’s last primary forest along the Mekong. Ethnic Phnong villages still practice traditional slash-and-burn farming, while new community eco-tourism projects offer jungle treks to hidden waterfalls and overnight stays in bamboo longhouses. The area is one of the best places in Cambodia to experience untouched rainforest and indigenous culture.
Together, Kratié’s six districts deliver one of Cambodia’s most magical combinations: rare freshwater dolphins, French-colonial charm, indigenous villages, and vast wild spaces—all wrapped in the gentle rhythm of the mighty Mekong. Few provinces feel so perfectly balanced between authentic culture and pristine nature.