Silk Island gets its name from its numerous silk weaving communities that inhabit the island, a craft dating back as far as the pre-Angkorian era in Cambodia.
The island of Koh Dach, known locally as Silk Island, is a 30 square kilometre area of fertile farmland surrounded by the Mekong river, just a few kilometres from Phnom Penh. The laid back pace of life on the island seems a world away from the sprawling metropolis of the nearby city.
Getting to Silk Island
Numerous tour operators offer day trips to the island, usually by tuk tuk or car via one of the ferry crossings. If you have your own transport you can either head northeast out of town over the Japan-Cambodia friendship bridge and along National Highway #6 to the ferry port, or, if you’re on a bike, you can catch the ferry at the end of the Riverside pathway into Kandal province. From here you should follow the river up to the next ferry crossing to cross back over onto Koh Oknha Tei and use the bridge to reach Silk Island. The ferry each way costs 500 riel ($0.12) on foot, add 200 riel for a pushbike, 500 riel for a motorbike, or 3000 riel for a tuk tuk. Cars and 12 seater minivans are 8000 and 10000 riel, respectively.
Getting Around Koh Dach
The island is the perfect place for a bike ride, with lush, green fields, quiet dirt roads and Buddhist pagodas dotted all over. As you can imagine, the island is pretty flat, and is pretty easy for kids to navigate.
Basic bikes can be rented for just a few dollars a day at the ferry landing, or you can hire mountain bikes in town and ride them there, the latter being recommended if you’re planning on getting off the main roads and really exploring. Before heading out make sure to apply plenty of sun cream and take plenty of fluids with you, or make regular water stops along the way.
If Cycling is not your thing, hiring or booking an organised tour on the back of a tuk tuk is the way to go. Many of the roads on the island are single carriage, dirt roads, and the relatively small tuk tuks are able to navigate them with ease. You will also gain the benefit of the driver’s local knowledge, who will more than likely take you around the island at a leisurely pace, making several stops along the way.
Silk Weaving Centre
Located a stone’s throw from the ferry landing, is the silk weaving centre, where visitors can learn about the whole silk production process. You can see the silkworms bulking up on mulberry leaves and their golden cocoons being harvested to make yarn. Which is then spun and dyed by hand in a variety of vibrant colours before finally being woven into fine silk.
In the centre’s stilted houses, skilled silk weavers create the famously soft silk cloth the traditional way, using handmade wooden looms.It takes years to learn the craft and as such the most intricate patterns are woven by the artisans, with their apprentices producing the simpler single color and lighter weight fabrics. The final products, such as traditional silk scarves are on display and available for purchase, and the prices reflect the skill level required to produce the product.
If you prefer you can take a guided tour of the centre, or grab a tasty drink or snack and relax in a hut perched on the banks of the Mekong. There are other silk weaving villages that you can visit on Silk Island and buy products, as ever in Cambodia be prepared to haggle for a bargain.
Silk Island Accommodation
Should the island’s tranquillity and charm really rub off on you, there are several options for an overnight stay. Accommodation ranges from humble home stays and cheap guest houses to boutique hotels with private swimming pools.
Koh Dach Beach Resort at the northern tip of the island, is a basic, Khmer style resort popular with rowdy locals looking for some fun by the river’s edge. Here, you can relax in a simple bamboo shelter by the waters edge, and even take a dip in the mighty Mekong. The food hawkers here are not shy about ripping off foreigners, so always ask the price of the food before ordering to avoid any nasty surprises.