Whale Watching Worldwide

From the Laos side of the river, fishermen and boat owners run informal dolphin watching trips, mainly for
foreign tourists. Small boats are hired for around $5 per person. The trips often enter Cambodian waters
and stop at drinks stands in Cambodia from where the dolphins can be seen. The novelty of briefly entering
a different country adds to the appeal of the trips. Around 10,000 tourists per year go dolphin watching
from the Lao side, based on 2005 estimates by WWF. While the dolphins are a well‐known attraction in
Southern Laos, they are not the primary reason for most tourists visiting the area; most go to relax in the
Four Thousand Islands area and see the famous Kone Falls.
Main species: Small cetaceans:
Irrawaddy dolphin
Tourists:
International 25%
Domestic 75%
Land‐based whale watchers: Various riparian areas around Sipandon and
Kratie
Types of tours: Small wooden boats are hired with local
drivers/guides to take visitors onto the
Mekong for trips typically lasting 1‐2 hours.
Average adult ticket price: $8
Estimated employment
40
numbers:
Main whale watch season: Year‐round, but peak season is from
November to April
Acknowledgements:
Mark Bezuijen (WWF Laos), Richard Zanre (WWF Cambodia), Touch Seang Tana (Cambodian Dolphin Commission) and
Mr. Ie Mongden at Kratie (provincial tourism department).
References:
Bezuijen, M, Zanre, R, and Goichot, M 2007, ‘The Don Sahong Dam and the Irrawaddy Dolphin’, WWF, Vientiane.
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