Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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 CRD Tours in Kratie. It deserves support, as it
intends 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.
