TOUR PROGRAM:
A fully supported cycle tour through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam is a great choice for the active traveler. Together we will travel from dynamic Bangkok; to the mysterious Angkor Wat – one of the World’s must see heritage sites and onto the mighty Mekong Delta before concluding our tour in Saigon. Along the way we’ll encounter a variety of beach and country landscapes and interact with friendly locals. With its gentle terrain, medium daily distances, and gorgeous scenery, this trip is a great option.
Day 1 – Bangkok- Lopburi
Meet our guide for a warm welcome at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. Sit back and relax as we travel north to Lopburi (about 2 and half hours drive). After checking into our hotel, begin to explore the historic heart of Lopburi with its infamous Monkeys. Visits to Wat Phrasi Mahathat, Mat Prang Sam Yod and other ruins complete the afternoon’s activities. Return to your hotel to freshen up before heading out for dinner at the local fresh market. Tonight you will taste the variety of dishes freshly prepared by local Thais.
Day 2 – Lopburi – Muak Lek
Depart Lopburi through the towering karst outcrops that lie to the east. Our ride today follows quiet farm roads and rural highways, through small villages and past colorful temples. Travelers coming between November and February may also enjoy vast fields of flowering sunflowers, laid out before the karst cliffs. We relax tonight in a rural resort near the village of Muak Lek.
Cycled distance: Approx 70km /Difficulty: easy/moderate
Day 3 – Khao Yai National Park
A short morning ride takes us through river valleys and farmlands, surrounded by slowly rising
mountains. Our goal is the village of Pak Chong just outside Khao Yai National Park. Leaving the bikes at our hotel we will drive to the top of the mountain range and enjoy some hikes to see two waterfalls – Pa Kluai (also known as the Orchid Falls due the many wild orchids nearby) and Haew Suwat (featured in Leonardo DiCaprio’s film – The Beach). If the weather gods cooperate we may remain to watch the sunset, before returning to our hotel. Evening is free.
Cycled distance: Approx 42km/ Difficulty: easy/moderate
Day 4 – Wang Nam Khiao
The magnificent mountains of Khao Yai National Park form a picturesque backdrop to our right as we traverse their northern valleys. Every turn in the road brings another small village with its colorful temples and small markets bustling with daily activity. The region is dotted with rubber tree plantations, rice farms and orchards. Each trip through the area brings a different selection of freshly harvested seasonal fruits to try. We relax tonight lakeside in Wang Nam Khiao.
Cycled distance: Approx 61km Difficulty: easy/moderate
Day 5 – Sa Keaw
After breakfast we will transfer into the mountains, avoiding riding the long uphill section. From there we’ll enjoy a mostly downhill ride along the border between Khao Yai National Park and Tablan National Park. Leaving the parks behind, we ride along flat rural roads through eucalyptus plantations, tapioca and rice farms to the market town of Sa Keaw, our overnight stop. Evening is free.
Cycled distance: Approx 65km/Difficulty: easy/moderate
Day 6 – To Aranyaprathet – Siem Reap
We awaken bright and early to go to the market to witness the local monks making their alms rounds, collecting food donations for their day. Perhaps you would like to make an offering yourself? After breakfast, we drive to the border town of Aranyaprathet and cross the border into Cambodia where your Cambodian guide awaits.
On arrival in Poipet, fit our bike then we cycle to the town of Sisophon (also confusingly known as Svay, Svay Sisophon, Srei Sophon and Banteay Meanchey) which is strategically situated at northwest Cambodia’s great crossroads, the intersection of NH5 and NH6. Here we enjoy lunch and then travel by bus to Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia.
Siem Reap is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom. The magnificent Angkor complex of temples is without doubt one of the most astounding archaeological sites in the world. Scattered over an area of 200 square kilometers, only Egypt’s Nile Valley can compare to this vast array of ancient monuments. The ancient city of Angkor served as the royal centre from which a dynasty of Khmer kings ruled one of the largest, most prosperous and sophisticated kingdoms in the history of South East Asia. With a history covering over 600 years from 802 AD to 1432 AD, at the height of their power, the kings of Angkor ruled over a territory that extended from the tip of the Indochina peninsula, northward to Yunnan and from Vietnam, westward to the Bay of Bengal.
Cycling distance: 35 Km Difficulty: Moderate
Day 7: Angkor Wat by bicycle
Today, we may choose to have an early start to avoid the inevitable crowds drawn to the wonders of Angkor. The various temples are spread out over a wide area, and are linked by shady avenues: meandering our way between them by bike gives us a unique perspective. Our tour will include visits to Ta Prohm, the jungle-covered temple with amazing tree roots clinging to the ancient stones. The Bayon, with its 37 pagodas (originally there were 49) topped with the four faces of the king. South Gate of Angkor Thom, Elephant Terrace, Baphoun, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Leper King and, of course, the fabulous Angkor Wat – with its huge moat, long causeway and massive towers – it is the largest temple complex in Asia.
Cycling distance: 30-35 Km Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 8: Siem Reap – Rolous Temple – Beng Mealea
Today is a full day in the saddle. We explore along quiet country roads and take in the ambience of Cambodia’s countryside and temples. Our ride takes us through villages and past Khmer pagodas, lotus ponds and rice paddies. We will stop at the Rolous temple group including Bakong, Preakko and Lolei temples. Beng Mealea was built at a strategically significant fork, where the ancient road to Preah Khan Kampong Svay (Prasat Bakan) branches off from the Angkorian royal way to Koh Ker, Preah Vihear and Dai Viet (in northern Vietnam). Furthermore, it was situated at the head of an important historical canal to Angkor. Beng Mealea is only 7 km away from the sandstone quarries at Phnom Kulen. This canal was used for the transport of sandstone blocks to Angkor. You will have plenty of time to admire the incredible architecture of the ancient temple ruins before cycling back to town.
Cycling distance: Approx 54km Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 9: Beng Mealea – Kampong Thom
Visit to the fabulous temple ruins of Beng Melea. Then transfer to Kampong Thom. After lunch, embark bicycle and enjoy cycling on countryside lanes past beautiful paddy fields, local villages to Sambor Prei Kuk by vehicle.
Cycling distance: Approx 80km / Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 10: Kampong Thom – Kampong Cham
Today our ride takes us around the top of Tonle Sap lake, through Kampong Thom Province and then into Kampong Cham Province. The last section of the route is through small towns and then down to the Mekong River where we find our accommodation for the night. Kampong Cham Province is home to many of the countries Cham Muslim population.
Cycling distance: Approx 80km Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 11: Kam Pong Cham – Phnom Penh.
Today is one of the most interesting rides of the trip. You will ride along the Mekong River bank on a small dirt road through Cham Villages who survive on fish from the Mekong and small scale vegetable and animal farming. Koh Kong is where you will board buses for the last leg of your journey into Phnom Penh. After checking into your hotel the rest of the day will be free for you to explore the sights of the capital city.
Cycling distance: Approx 60km Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Day 12 Cycle to Vietnam
This morning, we drive south along National Road 2 through the town of Takeo. Here the road becomes quieter so we mount our bikes for the 50km ride to the Phnom Den / Tinh Bien border. Please note that a Vietnamese visa must be obtained prior to joining this tour as it is impossible to obtain one at the border. Once border formalities have been completed, we meet our Vietnamese guide and cycle approximately 20km around the base of Sam Mountain and on to our final destination for today, Chau Doc. Due to its close proximity to the boarder it is an active trading town. The market area runs along the riverfront and sells black market goods smuggled in from Cambodia. Being on the water allows us to observe the interesting lifestyle of many of the local people. Homes are built over metal netting and their inhabitants are kept busy producing enormous amounts of food to feed the thousands of fish being bred here.
Cycling distance: 70 Km Difficulty: Moderate
Day 13 Chau Doc- Long Xuyen- Cai Be
This morning, we transfer by road to Long Xuyen, where we take a public ferry across the river. From here, we begin cycling along a quiet scenic road, lined with small villages and dwellings, towards Vinh Long. Leaving the bikes on the mainland, we take another boat (20 mins) to reach our homestay on an island in the Mekong delta. After settling in, we can explore the area on foot. The rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta form an amazing network of waterways. The area is famous for its abundant rice production, but in many areas farmers are now moving to more profitable fish-farming, and fruit and vegetable growing. We sleep in a communal purpose built room, with bedding provided. The experience is unique and offers us an insight into the way that the local people live.
Cycling distance: 70-80Km Difficulty: Moderate
Day 14 Cai Be- My Tho – Saigon
This morning we leave by boat, stopping en route for a look at the Cai Be floating market. Here, large boats moor up in the Mekong River, weighed down with fruit and vegetable produce. Local traders and shop owners buy in bulk in this strictly ‘wholesale’ market. A little further on, we make a short stop to see local cottage industries producing popped rice, popcorn and other homemade products. We continue by bus to Cai Lay where we begin our scenic ride through fruit orchards and along the Mekong riverbank. In My Tho, we will board our bus and continue our drive on to Saigon. Officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after reunification in 1975, most people here still prefer to use the old name, Saigon. Once referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Saigon, with its unofficial population of around 8-9 million, is Vietnam’s largest city and stands in stark contrast to the capital, Hanoi. Perhaps Saigon lacks the same colonial charm of its northern cousin but it still has a certain tropical ambience and general hustle and bustle that makes it a distinctly modern South East Asian city. Tonight is free to explore the sites.
Cycling distance: 30-35 Km Difficulty: Moderate
Day 15 Depart Saigon
Depart Saigon on an overnight flight back to the UK.
GRADING DEFINITION
To give you an indication of the difficulty of our trips, we’ve graded our adventures into three categories: easy, moderate and challenging. We take many factors into consideration in this grading, including distances covered, terrain, altitude, weather conditions and vehicle support.
- Easy: Suitable for most people in good health. These trips generally include short days on good paths and at low altitudes.
- Moderate: A reasonable level of fitness is required, as these trips can require sustained endurance levels, hills, longer days and altitude. All of our moderate trips have a support vehicle following closely, so weary travelers can hitch a ride and take a rest for a while.
- Challenging: These trips are physically demanding and best suited to fit people with a high endurance level. Days can be long, often at altitude, in remote regions and sometimes without a support vehicle nearby. Travelers may be required to carry a backpack.
