Koh Samseb

Koh Samseb (30 Islands) is a name of Community-based Ecotourism located inside Sambo Wildlife Sanctuary of Kracheh province, in the northeastern part of Cambodia along the upper Mekong River.

The site covered a total area of 50,093 hectares, designated as a wildlife sanctuary on 5th October 2018 by the Royal Cambodian Government under the management of the Ministry of Environment. Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme(NTFP-EP) helps coordinate the community-based ecotourism to sustain the protection of biodiversity and landscapes as well as community livelihood.

Koh Samseb is a new birding site for CBGA’s, it located about 70km from Stung Treng town down the Mekong River. Tour to Koh Samseb is recommended with a two night camping on the island. It is a great escape to see Cambodian real life and enjoy camping on the island of Mekong, swimming, sunbathing and boating to see birds.

The target birds at Koh Samseb are:  White-shouldered Ibis, Asian Woollyneck, River Lapwing, River Tern, Small Pratincole, Green Peafowl, Mekong Wagtail, Great Thick-Knee, Black-headed Woodpecker, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Pied Kingfisher, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle etc.

Asian Green Bee-eater

Asian Woollyneck

Mekong Wagtail

River Lapwing

White-shouldered Ibis

Black-hooded Oriole

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• Our expert guide with our driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby at 5.30 am, as early as we can so we get the most of the morning time which is best for the birds. 
• Other things to bring: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, towel, flip-flops/sandals, and insect repellent.
• CBGA will provide drinking water in a big container to refill, so we request you to bring your own water bottle from home or from your hotel. It is our campaign to reduce plastic waste.
• Koh Samseb offers accommodation with a basic tented camp on the island where you can listen to its natural rhymes.

Day 1: Our expert guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby. The driving depends on at which starting point we are but we will stop and do some activities along the way we travel before arriving at the destination. We will do some activities on the Mekong upon arrival – swimming, birding, etc. before dinner. The community guide will tell us some local stories with a campfire and your guide will try to interpret for you.

Day 2: We will have breakfast on our walk and will hear calls from birds singing in the canopy, perhaps your vivid pleasant memories of this wonderful site. We will continue our walk for some 2km in the Dry Deciduous Forest (DDF) to see Woodpeckers, Raptors, Adjutants and many other DDF species. Lunch will be served at the community farming house before moving to a new camping site.

Along the way, you will walk on the dry river bed to see Mekong bird species – Mekong Wagtail, River Lapwing, Small Pratincole, etc. Overnight at Khsach Khpuos Island.

Day 3: It’s optional! You may walk across the island to explore the life of villagers including their farming and fishing life with some birds along your journey (your boat will be waiting at the other side) or boating for birding back to the mainland.