Ho Chi Minh City To Angkor Wat Cycle

Continuing our tradition of pioneering cycle routes, this adventurous itinerary is an opportunity to combine cycling through untouched Vietnamese and Cambodian villages to the temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Our journey begins in the fast paced city of Ho Chi Minh, which we leave behind for the quieter roads to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Crossing through to Cambodia we delight in the lush green countryside where the locals will amaze us with their warmth and hospitality. We have time to absorb the exquisite palaces, pagodas and French inspired architecture of Phnom Penh, before we embark on an in-depth cycle of the renowned complex of Angkor.

The flat roads around the temple make exploration of the area ideal by bike.

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Itinerary / Highlights

DAY 1 Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
On arrival in Ho Chi Minh City you will be met and transferred to the hotel. A group briefing will be held in the hotel late this afternoon. If you arrive early it is a great opportunity to explore the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City with its many markets, street stalls and museums.
Meals: None

DAY 2 Cycle from Ho Chi Minh City to Tay Ninh via Cu Chi tunnels
This morning we transfer by bus 20 kilometres to Hoc Mon town. From here we commence cycling through rubber plantations and rice fields to the historic Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi Tunnels were of significant importance to the Viet Cong forces during the Vietnam / American war. Visiting the tunnels we learn about the history of the site and also have the opportunity to explore some of the expansive underground system ourselves. In the afternoon we continue cycling to Tay Ninh where we visit a unique and colourful Cao Dai temple. This evening we will head out to dinner at one of the local restaurants.
Cycle approx 80km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 3 Cycle to Svay Rieng, crossing the Cambodian border
After breakfast in Tay Ninh, we drive approximately 70 kilometres to Moc Bai and cross the border to Cambodia. From here our cycle route takes us to Svey Rieng, passing scenic villages and rice fields. Following National Road 1 (NR1) we enjoy flat well paved cycling, allowing us to take a leisurely pace. Lunch will be at a local village restaurant providing a chance to sample the local specialties such as 'amok'. Around mid afternoon we should arrive in Svey Rieng. There will be an opportunity to stroll around the quiet town before heading out to dinner at a local restaurant.
Cycle approx 50km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 4 Cycle to Prey Veng
Luong, located on the intersection of the road to Phnom Penh and the road to Kompong Cham. Cycling conditions are similar to yesterday and we continue to travel through small local villages and rice fields. We will have plenty of opportunities to break our journey with visits to villages where we can learn about the locals way of life. Our destination is the small village of Prey Veng which we should reach by mid afternoon. Dinner tonight will be at one of the local restaurants.
Cycle approx 90km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 5 Cycle to Kompong Cham
Today we continue cycling towards Kompong Cham, a small city on the banks of the Mekong River. We cycle on quiet, roughly paved roads passing large areas of rubber plantation and numerous rice fields. We will stop for a picnic lunch along the way, giving us time to rest our legs and enjoy the scenery. We will reach Kompong Cham in the early afternoon with the rest of the day set aside to explore the town on our bikes and visit the ancient temple of Wat Norkor, which dates back to the 11th century. In the evening sunset in Kompong Cham is best enjoyed along the quiet banks of the Mekong River.
Cycle approx 80km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 6 Cycle to Phnom Penh
This morning we cycle south west for Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. After a short cycle from Kompong Cham we arrive at Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei Hill (Man and Women hill), where we will take a short walk to the summit allowing us a fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
Continuing on, we cycle to Skuon, also known as Spiderville, a town which while lacking in tourism drawcards, boasts one of Cambodian's more exotic culinary delights & the deep-fried spider. A great snack for those more daring cyclists!
We stop for lunch at a local restaurant in town before cycling to meet our bus and transfer the last 40 kilometres to Phnom Penh. After check in we will head out for dinner at a local restaurant.
Cycle approx 80km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 7 At leisure in Phnom Penh
Breakfast is in our hotel and then we have the rest of the day at leisure to discover Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh never became a thoroughly colonial city but it has a unique blend taken from Asian and French traditions. The story of the capital of Cambodia dates back to an event in the year 1327. It is said that a rich widow named Don Penh found a tree with five Buddha's in it. She thus founded a pagoda Wat Phnom Don Penh, the monastery on the Hill of Lady Penh. In 1434 the city founded
years earlier by King Ponhea Yat was completed and in 1866 became the capital. Today Phnom Penh is a bustling city built at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. The city is reminiscent of its French colonial days, reflected in the evocative European architecture. There are many sights within the city which are interesting to explore including the Royal Palace and the adjoining Silver Pagoda and the National Museum with its extensive collection of Khmer art. There are many markets in the city where you can pick up a bargain including the Russian Market and the concrete domed Central Market. On a more sobering note the Tuol Sleng Museum, or Museum of Genocide is testament to a more recent and bloody past. Originally this building used to be a high school, until in 1975, it became the Khmer Rouge's main torture and interrogation centre, gaining the acronym 'S-21'. From here the victims were taken out and executed in what is now known as the Killing Fields.

The riverbank is the perfect place to reflect or relax with many cafes and restaurants lining the street including the well known Foreign Correspondent Clubs.
Meals: B

DAY 8 Transfer to Siem Reap by bus
Today we travel to Siem Reap by private bus giving us opportunities to stop and walk in local villages. We may be lucky enough to witness the setting of cricket traps in the rice fields. This is a favourite way for locals to catch crickets for food & another local culinary delicacy! We stop for lunch in Kompong Thom before driving to Sambor Prei Kuk, another impressive group of pre-Angkorian
monuments, before continuing on to Siem Reap. The rest of the day is free for exploration.
Meals: B

DAY 9 Morning orientation tour of Angkor Wat. Afternoon free.
After breakfast we take an orientation tour of Angkor Wat by tuk tuk, giving us our first taste of the amazing site, before tomorrow's exploration by cycle. The rest of day is at leisure in Siem Reap. You could visit one of the massage training schools for people who are blind, a perfect opportunity to revive your cycling muscles, or you may like to cycle out to the Tonle Sap Lake and observe life on
the river. Alternatively Siem Reap is compact enough to walk around town to explore the town on foot.
Meals: B

DAY 10 Full day cycling visiting temples
Today we have a full day exploring Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples on our bikes following what is known as the 'short circuit'. In the morning we will visit Pre Rup, which was traditionally believed to be a funerary temple, but in fact was the state temple of Rajendravarman II. Next we head to Mebon, an architectural and artistic temple-mountain which has some beautifully carved
false doors on the upper level, where we enjoy the excellent views of the surrounding countryside. We continue with a visit to Neak Pean, which means 'coiled serpents', named for the en-coiled 'nagas' that encircle the temple. The temple is faced by a statue of the horse, Balaha, saving drowning sailors. We include a visit to Preah Khan, which was built to restore harmony with Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm was dedicated to Jayavarman VII's mother and Preah Khan is dedicated to his father. In the afternoon, we cycle to the Southern Gate of Angkor Thom to admire the extensive temple complex of soaring towers, elaborate carved murals, colonnades and courtyards that ushered in the classic age of Khmer art architecture. We include the Bayon temple located in the centre, which rises on three levels, with galleries containing bas reliefs depicting daily life and historical Khmer battles won and lost. We continue to the renowned Angkor Wat temples, built between the 9th and 13th centuries. This ancient capital of the Khmer Empire is one of the world's greatest architectural achievements after experiencing sunset in the complex we cycle back to our
hotel.
Cycle approx 30km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 11 Cycle to Banteay Srei temple
This morning after breakfast we cycle to Banteay Srei temple, which is considered by many to be the jewel in the Khmer crown. The temple is located around 35 km from Siem Reap and our lunch today will be in a local restaurant after our exploration at Banteay Srei. After lunch we plan to visit some of the temples which form part of the Rolous group located just outside Siem Reap. The
temples date back to the late ninth century and are believed to denote the beginning of the 'classic period' in Khmer architecture. Late afternoon we cycle back to Siem Reap and enjoy our final dinner together in one of the local restaurants.
Cycle approx 60km
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 12 Trip concludes in Siem Reap
Our trip concludes today after breakfast. If you are booked on the group flight you will be transferred to Siem Reap airport.
Meals: B