Koh Dach, the Silk Island

A long, flat island in the Mekong, where looms clack under wooden stilt houses and the lanes run between mango orchards and sandy riverbanks.

Area

Along the Mekong

Start from

Phnom Penh

Distance

about 15 km north-east

Time needed

half a day to 1 day

Best season

November – April; in high floods some lanes are muddy

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Tuk-tuk or bicycle with a river crossing, or a boat tour from the riverside

Tickets & rules

None; small ferry fare if crossing by ferry

Why go

Less than an hour from the city, Koh Dach feels like another time. A single narrow road runs the length of the island between stilt houses, pagodas, banana and mango orchards and small vegetable plots, and under many of the houses you will hear the rhythmic clack of wooden looms.

This is one of the best places near Phnom Penh to see silk being woven by hand. Women sit at the looms for hours, passing the shuttle back and forth and slowly building up the intricate patterns of the Khmer sampot and scarves. Many families welcome visitors to watch, and you can buy straight from the people who made the fabric.

In the dry season the northern tip of the island has a sandy riverbank where local families picnic in bamboo huts and swim, and the views over the wide Mekong are lovely at sunset.

The story

Silk weaving has a long history in Cambodia. In the past, the most precious fabrics were made for royalty and for ceremonies, using a technique called hol, in which the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create blurred, shimmering patterns. Much of this knowledge was nearly lost during the 1970s, and its revival owes a great deal to village weavers and to organisations that worked to bring back traditional dyes and patterns.

On Koh Dach, as in many villages, families often buy silk yarn and weave it on looms under their houses. A long sampot or scarf with complex patterns can take days or weeks. Prices reflect that, and a hand-woven piece is worth paying for.

The island is shaped by the river. Each year the Mekong rises and falls by several metres, which is why the houses stand on tall stilts, and why the island is so fertile. In the rainy season parts of it flood; in the dry season new sandbanks appear.

Koh Dach also has a quiet pagoda or two where monks tend gardens and where you may be invited to sit for a while. It is a slow, friendly place.

Getting there

The island lies north-east of the city on the Mekong. Most visitors go by tuk-tuk or hire a bicycle, crossing to the island by small car ferry from the Chroy Changvar side; access routes have been changing as the city grows, so ask your driver for the current way.

Boat tours from the riverside also run to the island and include a stop at a weaving house. A tuk-tuk for half a day should cost a modest fixed price; agree it in advance.

A suggested plan

1. MorningLeave the city by tuk-tuk or bicycle, crossing to the island.
2. First stopVisit a weaving family: watch the dyeing, spinning and weaving under the house.
3. Late morningRide slowly along the island road, stopping at a pagoda and the orchards.
4. LunchEat at a simple riverside restaurant or picnic hut; grilled fish and fresh fruit.
5. AfternoonReturn to the city, or wait for sunset over the Mekong.

Where to stay

Most people visit from Phnom Penh, but there are a few simple homestays on the island for a quiet night by the river.

Good to know

• Bring cash in small notes for silk purchases and ferry fares.
• Cycling is the nicest way to explore; the island is flat.
• Ask before photographing weavers in their homes.
• Real silk is cool to the touch; machine-made polyester often feels slippery.