Mekong Island
Island
Just 15 km north of central Phnom Penh, Mekong Island - known locally as Koh Dach - feels like stepping into a slower, greener Cambodia. Surrounded by rice paddies, vegetable plots and fruit orchards, the island offers a refreshing change from city traffic, with stilt houses, dusty tracks and the sound of looms weaving silk beneath wooden homes. It is one of the best places to visit in Phnom Penh if you want to swap tuk-tuk horns for birdsong and river breezes for a few hours.
Koh Dach is especially famous as a hub for traditional handicrafts, particularly silk weaving. Entire communities make their living from agriculture, fishing and weaving, and visitors are welcome to wander between homes and workshops, watch the process on handlooms and buy scarves and fabrics directly from the artisans. Add in a swimmable sandy stretch at the northern tip, rustic picnic huts and glorious Mekong sunsets, and you have a relaxed, culture-rich escape that is often visited on river tours from Phnom Penh.
Table of Contents
- History and Significance of the Mekong Island
- Things to See and Do in the Mekong Island
- How to Get to the Mekong Island
- Practical Tips on Visiting the Mekong Island
- Where to Stay close to the Mekong Island
- Is the Mekong Island Worth Visiting
- FAQs for Visiting the Mekong Island
- Nearby Attractions to the Mekong Island
History and Significance of the Mekong Island
Mekong Island’s story is intertwined with the river that surrounds it. For generations, families here have depended on the Mekong’s fertile floodplains to grow rice, bananas, corn, sesame and beans, building their stilt houses to cope with seasonal changes in water level. That pattern of life continues today, giving visitors a living snapshot of rural Cambodia that has adapted to modern realities without losing its core rhythms.
The island’s reputation as a silk-weaving centre is what really sets it apart. Over time, Koh Dach developed cohesive village communities where almost every household was involved in the weaving process, from dyeing silk threads to working the looms. Koh Dach Village, in particular, became known as Cambodia’s “silk weaving centre,” with thousands of artisans producing bright, intricate fabrics under their raised homes. This cottage industry not only keeps traditional skills alive but also provides crucial income in an area where farming alone can be precarious.
Because Koh Dach remains close to Phnom Penh yet feels a world away, it has also taken on a symbolic role as the capital’s “green escape.” Weekends see city families and young people heading out for picnics, hammock time and swims at the northern beach, while tourists come for cycling, weaving demonstrations and sunset cruises. That dual identity - both working village and easy-going leisure spot - is part of its charm and helps ensure the island stays firmly on the local map rather than being treated purely as a tourist enclave.
Things to See and Do in the Mekong Island
Start your visit in Koh Dach Village, the island’s silk-weaving heart. Wander through the sandy lanes and you will spot looms under many stilt houses, with weavers working coloured threads into patterned scarves and shawls. Most families are happy for you to pause, watch the process and ask a few questions; some even invite visitors to try a few careful passes on the loom or on simple spinning wheels fashioned from bicycle parts. Buying directly from the weavers is a rewarding way to take home something beautiful and support local livelihoods at the same time.
Beyond silk, look out for other handicrafts such as pottery, woodcarving and naturally dyed fabrics. Small workshop spaces and simple stalls are scattered around the island, so it is worth cycling or riding slowly along the main tracks to see what catches your eye. Between villages, the scenery opens up into rice fields, orchards and vegetable plots, with cows grazing and farmers working the land - a chance to appreciate the quieter side of Cambodian life that most visitors only glimpse from bus windows.
When the heat builds, head to the northern end of the island, where a stretch of sandy riverbank becomes a casual beach area. Here you will find thatched picnic huts and simple food stalls offering snacks, drinks and light meals. On hot days, locals swim in the river, children play at the water’s edge and groups spread out with hammocks and picnics. Later in the day, consider joining a specialised boat cruise around the island or back towards Phnom Penh: gliding along the Mekong as the sun sets over the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers, with a plate of Khmer snacks and the skyline in the distance, is one of the most memorable ways to end a visit to Koh Dach.
How to Get to the Mekong Island
Most international visitors arrive in Cambodia via Phnom Penh International Airport or Siem Reap International Airport, with Phnom Penh's airport the most convenient starting point for trips to Mekong Island. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to on Booking.com.
Cambodia’s limited train network means that, while there are services connecting some major cities, most travellers reach Phnom Penh by bus or minivan from destinations such as Siem Reap, Battambang, Sihanoukville or Kampot, then transfer to local transport in the capital.Train schedules and bookings can be found on Omio. From Phnom Penh, the most scenic way to reach Koh Dach is by cruise boat from Sisowath Quay, with many operators offering round trips that include island landings, handicraft visits and sunset views.
Alternatively, you can hire a tuk-tuk or car to the Japanese Bridge (Chroy Changvar Bridge) north of the city, then take a local ferry across to the island; from the landing point, you can continue around Koh Dach by tuk-tuk, moto or bicycle, depending on how independently you want to explore.
Practical Tips on Visiting the Mekong Island
- Suggested tips: Bring cash in small notes for buying silk and snacks, wear light clothing and a hat, and consider renting a bicycle for the most enjoyable way to move between villages and fields.
- Best time to visit: The dry season, roughly November to March, offers more predictable weather and easier cycling; mornings and late afternoons are best for avoiding the midday sun.
- Entrance fee: There is no entrance fee for the island itself.
- Opening hours: Accessible year-round during daylight hours
- Official website: Website
- How long to spend: Plan at least half a day to explore the weaving villages, ride through the countryside and relax by the river; a full day allows time for a sunset cruise as well.
- Accessibility: Roads and tracks can be sandy, muddy or uneven, and access to stilt houses and picnic huts often involves steps; visitors with limited mobility may prefer to explore by tuk-tuk rather than bicycle.
- Facilities: Expect simple but adequate facilities: small shops, food stalls, basic restrooms and shaded huts; bring water, sunscreen, insect repellent and tissues or hand sanitiser.
- Photography tip: Focus on everyday scenes - weavers at their looms, colourful silk drying in the sun, stilt houses above green fields and boats along the riverbank - and always ask before photographing people up close.
- Guided tours: Consider joining a river cruise or organised island tour if you want structured weaving demonstrations and easier logistics; independent travellers can still hire local guides on the island for village walks.
- Nearby food options: Most eating will be in simple Khmer restaurants and stalls on the island itself; for a wider range of cafés and international food, head back to Phnom Penh’s riverside or BKK1 districts.
Where to Stay close to the Mekong Island
Most visitors base themselves in Phnom Penh and visit Mekong Island as a day trip, which keeps logistics easy and accommodation choices broad. A comfortable riverside option with good access to boat piers and the Japanese Bridge is Hotel Cambodiana, giving you river views and a straightforward route out towards Koh Dach. For a more contemporary urban feel with a pool to cool off after a hot day on the island, Aquarius Hotel and Urban Resort makes a convenient base close to both the riverside and main city arteries. Travellers who like a more modern city hotel vibe might opt for SUN & MOON Urban Hotel, enjoying easy tuk-tuk connections to the riverfront for cruises and out towards the bridge and ferry points that serve Mekong Island.
Is the Mekong Island Worth Visiting
Mekong Island is absolutely worth visiting if you want to experience a more rural, craft-focused side of Cambodia without venturing too far from Phnom Penh. The combination of working silk-weaving villages, stilt houses, orchards and river views makes it feel worlds away from the capital, yet it is close enough for a relaxed day trip that does not require complicated planning. Add in the chance to meet artisans, buy silk directly from the people who weave it and end the day with a Mekong sunset, and it quickly becomes one of the top attractions in Phnom Penh for travellers who value cultural encounters and quiet scenery as much as temples and museums.
What Other Travellers Say...
Koh Dach is a tranquil Mekong River island near Phnom Penh known for its silk-weaving cooperatives, beaches, small pagodas and schools; visitors praise relaxed cycling or tuk‑tuk rides to explore hidden spots, plentiful food and drink options, informative guided tours that explain silk production from silkworm to finished textiles (with items available to buy and card payment accepted), and a peaceful local atmosphere where artisans—often working in cooperatives—produce woven goods.
FAQs for Visiting the Mekong Island
Nearby Attractions to the Mekong Island
- Phnom Penh riverside (Sisowath Quay): The city's main riverfront promenade, where many Mekong Island boat cruises begin and end.
- Wat Ounalom: The spiritual headquarters of Cambodian Buddhism on the riverside, easy to visit before or after a trip to Koh Dach.
- Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda: Phnom Penh’s royal complex, which pairs well with a day exploring both the city’s ceremonial heart and its rural hinterland.
- Phnom Penh Night Market: An evening market on Sisowath Quay where you can continue your day with street food, shopping and live performances after returning from the island.
- Central Market (Phsar Thmey): The city’s famous Art Deco indoor market, ideal for comparing silk and souvenirs bought on Koh Dach with those sold in town.
The Mekong Island appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting !
Moira & Andy
Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!
This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you!
Planning Your Visit
Accessible year-round during daylight hours
There is no entrance fee for the island itself.
Nearby Attractions
- Wat Phnom (7.3) km
Buddhist Temple - Phnom Penh Night Market (7.5) km
Market - Sisowath Quay (7.6) km
Walk - Wat Ounalom (8.0) km
Buddhist Temple - Central Market (Phsar Thmey) (8.1) km
Market - National Museum of Cambodia (8.3) km
Museum - Royal Palace of Cambodia (8.5) km
Palace - Independence Monument (9.4) km
Monument - Wat Langka (9.5) km
Buddhist Temple - Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (10.4) km
Museum
