Stung Treng

Riverside Stung Treng marks Cambodia's northern border with Laos and the point where the Mekong River enters Cambodia after swirling its way around the 4,000 Islands of southern Laos. Originally a part of Laos, Stung Treng switched to Cambodian ownership during the French period and to this day you'll hear a lot of Lao spoken in town. The quite large province stretches out from both sides of the banks of the Mekong, though just about all travellers to this part of Cambodia stay on the east bank, at the same-named provincial capital.

The province holds considerable promise for those with an adventurous spirit (and a fair amount of free time) as there are a number of riverine trips that can be undertaken, along with exploring the western bank of the Mekong that very few bother with -- motorcyclists in particular rave about the off-road opportunities in western Stung Treng en route to Preah Vihear.

For most travellers however, Stung Treng is but a glimpse from their minibus window as they're shuttled to and from the Lao border and the larger town of Kratie to the south. Stung Treng is also where the road east to Ban Lung in Rattanakiri begins, so overlanders heading there will need to pass through here. As with many of the low-key destinations in Cambodia, Stung Treng can be a little underwhelming, but give the place some time and you'll find enough to keep yourself busy for at least a day.

Stung Treng doesn't sit on the bank of the Mekong, but rather on the eastern bank of the San River which flows into the far larger Mekong around 10 km west of town. The town itself is a pretty run-down affair, with its major asset being spectacular sunsets and friendly people. The one attraction of sorts is a weaving co-operative at the northern end of town, which is worth visiting both for its lovely fabrics and to support a worthwhile cause.

Aside from the co-operative, the main pastimes are boat trips and watching the sunset -- both of which are worth doing. One-hour boat trips leave from the dock in the centre of town and cost $15 per person, or $25 for a whole boat. There are some home stay options as well as joint boating/trekking trips to nearby temple ruins, one of which dates back to the pre-Angkorian Chenla period. Trips vary according to who's around to guide you, so ask at Riverside and other guesthouses.

We were also told that soon kayaking trips to Kratie and from the Laos border will be available, with a slow boat that follows carrying supplies, though nobody in town owns a kayak, so who knows when this will actually happen. Many travellers spend only a couple of hours here before being rushed on south to Kratie or north to the Laos border, but as with just about anywhere in Cambodia we'd suggest you can't go wrong spending a single night here (though planning a week here is another matter). Wander through the markets where you can find Laotian silks covered in unique patterns.

There is a tourism office east along the river road from town, but it's often closed and there's no real tourism industry to speak of, other than a few guys who've figured out what foreigners like to do. Your best bet for information and improvised boat trips to see dolphins or take a motorbike trip north into Preah Vihear is to stop by Riverside Guesthouse and talk to the guys who hang out there, including the helpful Mr. Ko Sal, T: (092) 161 023. Mr. Darin is also a helpful English-speaking guide and can be reached at T: (099) 616 500 or toudarin @ yahoo.com.

Another option is to visit the Mekong Discovery Trail website (www.mekongdiscoverytrail.com), a joint government/NGO project aimed at boosting tourism to the northeast Mekong region. It has a lot of ideas for trips along the river and throughout the province. You'll need assistance to complete some of the recommendations but if you use sleepy Stung Treng as your base, you're virtually guaranteed to see an authentic slice of Cambodia untainted by mass tourism.