This tour takes in three of South East Asia's most diverse and fascinating countries. Commencing in Saigon we head into Vietnam's rice bowl and the Mekong Delta. This fascinating area is flat and lush and is quite unlike anywhere else in Vietnam and with it mix of Khmer and Vietnamese people make this a diverse and interesting region to explore.
Our entry into Cambodia is by boat as we head up one of Asia's great rivers, the Mekong, to Phnom Penh. Enjoy the French colonial charms of Phnom Penh before cycle out of Phnom Penh to Kampong Chhang where we board boats and cross the Tonle Sap to reach the breathtaking Angkor Wat.
One of the highlights is, of course, riding amongst a thousand years of history at Angkor and we explore the extraordinary temple complexes.
After the wonders of Angkor we head to the faded colonial city of Battembang. This sleepy backwater city is well worth a visit and we arrive in time to explore. We are now just a short distance to Thailand.
We cross into Thailand at a small immigration point that nestles in the small mountains that separate Thailand from Cambodia. We then ride the short way to the main road where we transfer to the beach and a well earned rest.
A truly great tour through the heart of SE Asia.
TRIP PROFILE
We ride just over 607km on road surfaces that are mixed. Most of the riding in all three countries is on flat terrain through interesting countryside.
We ride a combination of good quality tarmac, wide dirt tracks and broken roads that are sometimes badly potholed but easily navigable by bike. Although we cover some long distances we usually only ride for four or five hours a day. There is a lot to see along the way as we ride alongside rivers and rice fields0.
We spend a three of days travelling by boat, giving variety and a chance for weary legs to recover.
Experienced riders will find the distances long enough to challenge them, while less experienced riders are easily able to travel at a more relaxed pace.
Overview
Total Distance: 607 Kilometres
Number of Days: 14 days / 13 nights
Number of Cycling Days: 10 days
Road Surface: The road surfaces are mixed with a combination of good quality tarmac, wide dirt tracks and broken roads that are sometimes heavily potholed.
Support:
Group Size: Minimum 2. Maximum 16.
Staff: International cycling leader (for groups of 8 or more), plus a local cycling guide plus drivers and assistants for all groups. Groups of 2-7 will be led by our local guide and support team.
Accommodation: 5 nights 3-star hotels, 6 nights tourist class hotels, 2 nights guesthouses. All hotels have en suite facilities and a/c, except 1 nights fan and shared facilities. Whenever possible we try to use hotels with charm and local character.
Food: All meals are included except 1 Dinner, 1 lunch and 1 breakfast.
Difficulty: moderate
Itinerary
Day to Day B= Breakfast L= Lunch D=Dinner
Day 01 Ho Chi Minh City
We meet at Northern Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City (please contact us if you need rooms or flights from Bangkok). We spend the day unboxing and testing bikes and give you some time to explore the city. In the evening we dine at the enchanting Temple Club Restaurant. [D]
Day 02 Ho Chi Minh City – Tra Vinh
After breakfast transfer a couple of hours out of Ho Chi Minh to Cai Be - the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Today’s ride will lead you right into the heart of rural Mekong, as you pedal down narrow roads and lanes, past banana plantations and fields of sugarcane. A section of biking takes us off road onto gravel and dirt lanes, weaving through hamlets, across rivers and through quite thick vegetation, this makes for superb biking. A final ferry crossing takes to Tra Vinh a pretty tree-lined town with many ethnic Khmers.
Ride 45 km. [B, L, D]
Day 03 Tra Vinh – Can Tho
The route today is peaceful and the road is scenic all the way to our destination of Can Tho. There is plenty to see along the way from contrasting architectural styles of Khmer homes and temples to the rich and colourful river scenes when crossing many small bridges.
Ride 92 km. [B, L, D]
Day 04 Can Tho – Chau Doc
Visit Cai Rang Floating market before transferring approximately one hour to the start of the ride. Once more the scenery is completely different. After a short early morning transfer to Tri Ton, the cycling starts to gently undulate and mountains begin to loom as you ride closer and closer to Chau Doc. The presence of Thot Not trees indicates the growing proximity to Cambodia and the local people speak Vietnamese as their second language. We cycle to the Killing Fields of Vietnam at Ba Chuc, where Pol Pot’s regime massacred over 3,000 Vietnamese in 1978. We then loop around to Chau Doc from Ba Chuc along the border and ride the rest of the way to Chau Doc along incredible country roads. Those with energy to spare can climb Sam Mountain for sunset!
Ride 90 km. [B L D]
Day 05 Chau Doc – Phnom Penh
Cruise up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh from our overnight stopping place Chau Doc. We get a chance to rest our legs as we see many scenes of local daily life along side one Asia’s great rivers. As we head into Cambodia we stop at the capital Phnom Penh before heading north to cycle among 1000 years of Khmer history. [B, L, D]
Day 06 Ride to Oudong
Today we start by taking the back roads out of the modern capital of Cambodia – Phnom Penh for about 45 km to the town Oudong where we branch off towards Phnom Prah Reach or Oudong Mountain, once the capital of Cambodia. The 400-plus steps to the top will get the legs working overtime, but the view is worth it! This ride gives us a chance to see rural Cambodia - stilted houses, rice paddies, ox carts, waving children and of course the friendly Khmer people. After the ride we then transfer to Kompong Thom.
Ride 25 km. [B, L]
Day 07 Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
Visit the ancient temple site of Sambor Prey Kuk. We saddle up and ride between the temples by bicycle. This temple site was constructed in the 7th century and functioned as the capital of the Chenla Empire. It is one of the oldest temple sites in Cambodia and is mainly covered in vegetation. After our 8 km route through the temples we enjoy a local picnic lunch prepared by the local community in small wooden huts along the Stung Sen River and are able to absorb the local sights and sounds. After lunch we have a beautiful ride through rice paddy fields and small villages with many locals greeting you warmly. It is then a 2 hour transfer to Siem Reap.
Ride 65 km. [B, L, D]
Day 08 Angkor temples
This morning we start our bike ride to the entrance of Angkor Wat and head to Ta Prohm, famous from the film Tomb Raider, and deliberately left by French conservationists in the same condition as it was discovered; overgrown by strangler fig and silk-cotton trees, giving the temple a mystical and romantic appeal. We continue to Angkor Thom, Bayon temple and the Terrace of the Elephants. We enjoy lunch at the Angkor Café before we explore the biggest religious Hindu edifice in the world - Angkor Wat. Considered the masterpiece of Khmer architecture, this Vishnuite temple is the King’s funerary temple, which is why the temple is orientated to the West. Inside the temple the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. After these magnificent temples and intensive visits we cycle back to Siem Reap.
Ride 30 km. [B, L, D]
Day 09 Ride to Banteay Srei
After breakfast we will head onwards to Banteay Srei. We cycle through rural countryside to this famous temple which has the best preserved bas-reliefs and other stone carvings in Cambodia. The temple is small in size but of huge significance in understanding the Angkorian Era. From here we continue cycling on rural roads, taking a break for a picnic lunch before we reach Kbal Spean, also known as the Valley of 1000 Lingas. We put the bikes aside for a 3 km moderate trek uphill through jungle to a river bed with submersed carvings and a beautiful waterfall (in rainy season only). After our visit we return to Siem Reap by vehicle or we can cycle back. Ride 56 km. [B, L]
Day 10 Siem Reap - Battambang
Today we have another break from riding and visit the floating village before heading across the lake to Battembang, Cambodia’s second capital, a sleepy city full of faded colonial charm. [B, L, D]
Day 11 Battambang - Pailin
We saddle up and ride South to Pailin. This is the toughest ride on the tour as the road in sections is in poor condition and bumpy (in dry season can get dusty) but the scenery is the most impressive as we head towards Thailand. The road undulates as we get closer to Pailin but there is nothing too steep or long. We will cross streams and bridges and really get a feeling of riding into unchartered territory. This used to be bandit country, but don’t worry the area is now completely safe!
Ride 95 km. [B, L, D]
Day 12 Pailin – Chantaburi
A short pleasant ride on the quiet scenic roads to the border crossing. This quiet rural crossing used mainly by local traders makes for a pleasant stop while we complete all the immigration formalities. Once these have been completed we ride through the Thai countryside till we reach the main road and transfer to the beach with lunch en route in Chantaburi.
Ride 44 km. [B, D]
Day 13 Beach Day
Today we have a flat and easy ride through mangroves, shrimp farms and along the coast. We'll overnight at a very local Thai beach and have the afternoon free to go for a swim or a walk on the sand.
Ride 65 km. [B, D]
Day 14 Chantaburi - Bangkok
We have the morning to enjoy the beach before we head back to Bangkok. Ask about extension to the beach or Koh Chang. [B]
Overview
Total Distance: 607 Kilometres
Number of cycling days: 10 days.
Road Surface: The road surfaces are mixed with a combination of good quality tarmac, wide dirt tracks and broken roads that are sometimes heavily potholed.
Group Size: Minimum 2. Maximum 16.
Staff: cycling leader (6 + Riders), plus English-speaking Local guide, drivers and assistants.
Additional costs:
- Single room supplement: $525
- Bike Hire: $195
