The freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin population in the deep pools at Kampi, about 15km north of Kratie, is one of the most endangered cetacean populations on earth. Once numbering in the thousands along the full length of the Mekong, the population in this stretch is now counted in the dozens. Watching them surface — rounded foreheads, no beak, rolling calmly through the brown river water — is genuinely moving.
Moto drivers in Kratie charge around US$5 for the round trip to Kampi, a pleasant 25-minute ride through flat Cambodian farmland. A short boat trip brings you close to the main pool where the dolphins gather. The best time is early morning or late afternoon. The Mekong Discovery Trail upstream from Kampi is a worthwhile extension if you have the time — it passes through Koh Pdao island, where traditional Cham silk weaving villages make for a very different stop.
story: "The Irrawaddy dolphin was once found throughout the Mekong from the delta to the Chinese border. Electro-fishing, gillnets, and boat traffic reduced the population to a few isolated groups. The Kampi pool is protected because it's one of the deepest sections of the upper Mekong — the dolphins can survive there when water levels drop during the dry season."