“A long time ago, in a faraway land…”

Do you know any Cambodian folk tales?

Mt. Krom in Siem Reap,

Kratie – where the Mekong runs through,

Oudong – the former capital,

and the ethnic minorities of the Rattanakiri region.

An introduction to 4 local tales passed down through the generations.

The Hidden Dolphin of the Mekong River

A folklore from the Mekong River, Kratie Province

The Mekong makes its way to Cambodia through many countries, from as far away as Tibet. It passes Phnom Penh, merging with Sap River to form a huge river and eventually passing over the border into Vietnam and out into the South China Sea.

Long ago, there were many dolphins living in the Mekong. Dolphins love fish, but they also lived in harmony with fi shermen. There were many stories from various regions of times when a dolphin had saved the life of a young child who had fallen into the river. When war broke out on one such peaceful river village, people and children stopped coming to the river. For the first time, dolphins saw tanks and helicopters. They heard bombs and saw black smoke rise from the village. One day, people returned to the river by boat. “The children have grown into fi shermen”, the dolphins were delighted and approached the boat. However, the 2 people aboard were not fi shermen. One threw an item into the water and it exploded, shocking the dolphins and inducing fi sh to rise to the surface unconscious. “We did it! We’ll eat well today!” Exclaimed the people happily, and proceeded to another area of the river and took many fi sh using another explosive from the war. Explosives were used like this many more times, and the dolphins were forced to move further and further into hiding, away from humans, to avoid the shocks and to fi nd food for their starving bodies. In Kampi Village, Kratie Province, there are many sandbanks, which make for ideal hiding places. Today many dolphins live in peace here, but surely they are thinking, “When can we live in harmony with humans once again?”

Let’s visit the areain the story!

The Mekong River runs from the north to the south of Kratie Province. To the east of Cambodia, this area is known for it’s forests and rich natural environment. It’s also known for its fresh water dwelling dolphins. The Irrawaddy Dolphin (shown on page to the left) has a round head and a fascinating face that appears to be grinning. The above story is based on true events. There are even painful stories of half of the dolphin population being slaughtered by soldiers. Since the late 90s conservation efforts have seen the population grown to around 100 dolphins. The site in Kampi Village is an eco-tourist resort with research facilities.

When enjoying dolphin watching, please remember – No littering, no swimming and no loud noises – to help the dolphins live with us in peace.

ACCESS

● From Phnom Penh

It’s 340kms overland by National Highway 7. Companies like Sorya Transport run bus services that take about 6 to 7 hrs. The boats for dolphin are about 20-30 mins from the village by bike or tuktuk (guesthouses and

hotels can organize this for you).

Upper : The monument of dolphin at Kratie Lower: The great river, Mekong

Right : Many tourists go to see the dolphins in the river