Cycling Cambodia

Sua s'dei! Welcome to Cambodia. Phnom Penh is set at the meeting point of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, it was once known as the "Pearl of Asia" and considered one of the loveliest French-built cities during colonial-era in the region. And life centres around the lively river-front area where the locals come to take in the air, snack on the street hawker’s food and enjoy impromptu waterside entertainment.

Please note, the official check-in time is 2:00pm, early check-in will be subject to availability.

There will be a group meeting and briefing in the evening with your leader followed by an optional group dinner for those that would like to join.

Ohana Phnom Penh Palace Hotel or similar

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Phnom Penh and transfer to Prev Phnov bridge, where the bikes will be ready for us to start our ride towards Udong Mountain. Upon arrival, there will be the opportunity to visit the Udong Mountain site (by foot) to admire the views of the surrounding region. We then continue our cycle; stopping at Kampong Luong silver smith village, riding along the Tonle sap river to Longvek before stopping for lunch and then our transfer to Kampong Chhnang. We pass through some lovely countryside today and as we go, the villages become more remote and simpler. We spend some of the ride on dirt roads today.

You will finish today's ride with a transfer of approximately 1 hour to our hotel. Depending on the journey time we may be able to head out on an optional afternoon walk to explore the city of Kampong Chhnang. The town of Kampong Chhnang is set on the Tonle Sap River and has a busy port and market area. Set back from the port is a quieter area with a pretty park and former colonial buildings. In many towns you will see carts loaded with terracotta pottery, (charcoal burners, pots and other items), on their long journey from their home village at Kompong Chhnang (clay pot port) to take their goods door to door. Families might be on the road for a month or more until they have sold all the items and can make their way home.

Sovannaphum Hotel or similar

This morning you’ll enjoy a half-day bike trip through the beautiful surrounding countryside of Battambang. Stop along the way to discover the local rural way of life, discovering small cottage industries producing sticky rice, noodles, and fish paste.

Today, we will ride the countryside roads and pass by a rural Muslim village. Here, we will visit families to learn about their everyday life, family history, and traditions. After, we will weave our way along the river roads to a village full of traditional houses. Here you'll learn about the traditional way of living and the changes happening in the Cambodian countryside before returning to Battambang for the remainder of the to relax or explore at leisure.

Classy Hotel or similar

Early this morning, we start cycling from the hotel to Siem Reap province and experience more rural sights and sounds as we cycle along limitless jungle. After completing this morning’s ride, we transfer (approx. 1 hour) to our lunch stop, before transferring further (approx. 2.5 hours) onto Siem Reap by minivan. Due to years of civil war, Cambodia is poorer and less developed than its neighbours. Apart from growth in the capital and around Siem Reap, the way of life in the countryside is still very much the same as it has been for centuries.

Tonight, your leader will accompany the group on a visit to the night market; a must see when visiting Siem Reap. Even if you're not looking for souvenirs; wandering through the stalls and surrounding shops the silks, cottons, silver and statues are a riot of colour and a feast for the eyes.

Angkor Holiday Hotel or similar

On our last ride, we cycle outside the main Angkor complex to the outlying temple of Banteay Srei, 35km from Siem Reap town. Our route takes us past paddy fields, and through pretty villages. Banteay Srei was built in the 10th Century and contains some of the finest examples of Khmer sculpture. Although much smaller than the later temples, here all of the buildings are covered in exquisite carvings.

In the afternoon we transfer by vehicle back to Siem Reap and can stop and visit a few of the less visited Angkor temples on the way. Siem Reap town is pleasant to wander around; the market has plenty of interest and excellent shopping if you wish to visit it again and there is a vibrant nightlife scene. This afternoon there may also be time to visit the Tonle Sap Lake, which is a branch of the Mekong River. This optional trip includes a boat ride to see the floating fishing villages.

Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner together at a special local restaurant overlooking the river where there is a passion to restore Cambodian cuisine to its former glory and put Cambodia back on the map as a culinary destination.

Angkor Holiday Hotel or similar