DAY 1: Leaving Si Phan Done for a Mekong Safari
After a last breakfast in Laos, we head south towards the Lao-Cambodian border at Dong Kralor. We clear immigration formalities on both sides of the border and then travel south to the town of Stung Treng. We make a short stop at the Mekong Blue weaving centre to learn about traditional silk production in northeast Cambodia. Originally established to help vulnerable women in the province, the Mekong Blue project is now the largest employer in Stung Treng.
After sampling Cambodian cuisine for the first time, we then continue south towards Kratie, a charming riverside town. We board a boat at Kampi, one of the many deep pools where the rare river dolphins gather to feed, and travel out to our island camp in the Mekong. The camp is set on a beautiful sandbar, surrounded by flooded forest and abundant birdlife. We enjoy a private dinner on the island with the light of a bonfire and traditional torches.
DAY 2: : Kratie to Phnom Penh via Kompong Cham
We enjoy a private breakfast on our island before heading off to encounter the rare Irrawaddy dolphin which inhabits this stretch of river. We use our motorized boat to access the deep pools 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. After spending some time alone with these rare creatures, we return to the mainland for our onward journey. We stop in Kratie to explore the local market and the historic temple of Wat Roka Kandal, home to a handicrafts cooperative. We can enjoy a cold drink on the banks of the Mekong before heading south towards Phnom Penh.
We arrive in Kompong Cham in time for a local lunch and visit the 'fusion' temple of Wat Nokor, an 11th century sandstone temple with a colourful modern wat set in its central courtyard. There are some intricate carvings at this temple and the kitsch contrast between the Hindu past and the Buddhist present is almost unheard of elsewhere in Cambodia. En route to the Cambodian capital, there is the chance to pause at Skuon, affectionately known as 'Spiderville', where it is possible to sample the local delicacy of deep fried tarantula. We arrive in Phnom Penh just before dark.
Hanuman is a member of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents and the Cambodian Community-based Ecotourism Network. Hanuman was cited in ‘The Guide to Responsible Tourism in Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam'.
