Cambodia - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 493

Most guesthouses can arrange bicycle (from US$1) and motorbike (from US$5) hire.
An English-speaking motodup will set you back US$10 to US$15 per day, a remorque
about US$25.
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Around Kratie
Sambor
Sambor was the site of a thriving pre- Angkorian city during the time of Sambor Prei Kuk
and the Chenla empire. Today it has the largest wat in Cambodia, complete with 108
columns, known locally as Wat Sorsor Moi Roi (100 Columns Temple).
The Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre ( 012 712071; www.mekongturtle.com ; adult/child
US$4/2; 8.30am-4.30pm) is located within the temple grounds. Established by Conservation
International ( www.conservation.org ) , it is home to several species of turtle, including the rare
Cantor's giant softshell, which can grow to nearly 2m in length. Hatchlings are nurtured
here for 10 months before being released in the wild - sometimes with the help of tourists.
To get to Sambor, follow the Kampi road north to Sandan, before veering left along a
reasonable 10km stretch of road - it's about 35km in total.
THE MEKONG DISCOVERY TRAIL
It's well worth spending a couple of days exploring the various bike rides and activities on offer along
the Mekong Discovery Trail ( www.mekongdiscoverytrail.com ), an initiative to open up stretches of
the Mekong River around Stung Treng and Kratie to community-based tourism. Once managed by the
government with foreign development assistance, the project is now being kept alive by private tour
companies - mainly Xplore-Asia in Stung Treng and CRDTours in Kratie. It deserves support, as it in-
tends to provide fishing communities an alternative income in order to protect the Irrawaddy dolphin
and other rare species on this stretch of river.
There's a great booklet with routes and maps outlining excursions around Kratie and Stung Treng,
but you'll be hard pressed to secure your own copy. Ask tour operators if you can photograph theirs.
The routes can be tackled by bicycle or motorbike. They range in length from a few hours to several
days, with optional overnights in village homestays. Routes criss-cross the Mekong frequently by
ferry and traverse several Mekong islands, including Koh Trong.
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