Kratie

Kratie is quite a charming colonial town still housing a fiew colonial buildings dating back to the time of the French protectorate, especially around the market and on the Mekong river front, South of town.

Built around the end of the XVIII th century, the ancient Wat Roka Kandal pagoda is probably one of the oldest surviving pagodas of the country. Located a few kilometres South of Kratie, its interior decoration is in a way similar to what can be found in the pagodas of Luang Prabang in Laos.
Abandoned for many years it was about to disappear like so many other Cambodian religious buildings when it was finally saved by a complete restoration by the German cooperation.
Yet it is no more a place of worship as another pagoda was built on the other side of the road, but it houses a small handicraft centre.

A little out of town, on the road to Ratanakiri, there is a place that children will like : an ostrich farm ! A local animal lover brought these huge chickens all the way from their native… Vietnam !
He also has a small crocodile farm a few meters away. Entry costs 2000 riels per person but if you buy an ostrich egg (20$­­­­­) then entry is free for the group. All the tuk tuk drivers know the place.

Travelers keen on culture will be pleased to learn that there is some kind of mini-museum in Kratie.
Set up with the help of the German cooperation, this museum houses a number of nice pieces gathered from the major historical sites of the region. One can see there some very nice carved sandstone lintels, yonis and lingas, steles, painted or carved wooden pieces…

These items are exposed in a room of the local department of culture that can be found north of the riverfront on the left before the roundabout.