Cycle Indochina & Angkor - Premium Adventure

Our classic multi-country Asian cycling adventure – enhanced with upgraded accommodation, extra meals and handpicked leaders

This expertly led premium cycling adventure covers three Southeast Asian countries with divergent histories and subtly different cultures. From the energetic streets of Bangkok to tranquil paddy fields, to the magnificence of Angkor’s temples and alluring Phnom Penh. We experience a piece of everything these remarkable countries have to offer while staying in premium accommodation, including three nights at the Lynnaya Urban River Resort & Spa in Siem Reap.

Heading into Vietnam, we enter the Mekong Delta, a spectacular patchwork of paddies and waterways before our journey ends in Ho Chi Minh City, where the frenetic pace and vibrant street life contrasts starkly with the rural areas we have cycled through.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of local guides means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities. During the trip, we use one local leader from either Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia and different local support teams and assistant cycling staff in each country so that clients have the opportunity to interact with support staff from all countries.

• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.

• In Siem Reap, we visit a village that directly helps to support the local people. During our visit, we’ll have to chance to meet the community and learn from them about their way of life including the art of Khmer noodle making.

• We do a lot to celebrate the cottage industries on this tour, as this is not only a way to directly benefit the locals, but it is also hugely fascinating and enjoyable for travellers. For example, in the Mekong Delta, we visit small businesses and factories which sell handmade coconut sweets, rice paper, soya bean sauce and popped rice among other things.

• There is also the option to see a traditional folk dancing or water puppet show in Ho Chi Minh City. This encourages local customs to continue and creates employment opportunities.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment. On this trip, some parts of the itinerary stay in smaller towns using accommodation outside of busy cities.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
  
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• When visiting landmarks, cultural sites and National Parks such as Pang Sida National Park, Angkor Wat and the Genocide Museum, our fees contribute to the upkeep and maintenence of these places.
• We provide clients with a re-usable tote bag at the start of the tour (locally made in Bangkok), offering an alternative to single-use plastic bags and a souvenir to take home!

 Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.

• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Cultural respect:
  • Please remember that you will be expected to cover your legs and arms (to the elbow) during visits to temples and sacred sites so packing a sarong or other suitable clothing is recommended. Also remember to remove hats when visiting a sacred site.

Is this trip for you?

This Premium Adventure is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate) and classified Road. For more information on our trip gradings please visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

• Nine days of cycling
• Average daily distance 33mi (54km) per day with 95 percent vehicle support

Terrain and route: The roads are generally well-paved in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, with some easy dirt roads in Thailand and Vietnam. Conditions will be hot and humid and there are some long days, but there are very few hills. Traffic levels in Southeast Asia are higher near the larger towns, so you should be comfortable riding occasionally in traffic. Though many of the roads are in good condition you should expect potholes and occasional poor road conditions.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Thailand

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm all the above with your doctor or travel clinic.

Dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are a known risk in places visited. There are currently no vaccines or prophylaxes available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Cambodia

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm your vaccine recommendations and requirements with your doctor or travel clinic.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Vietnam

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to speak to your doctor or travel clinic about vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. The risk of malaria is slight, but you may want to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Similarly, dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are known risks in Vietnam. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Visa

Thailand

Travellers from the UK, US and Canada normally do not need a visa to enter Thailand. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip.Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/thailand
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/thailand
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Thailand.html

Cambodia

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Cambodia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/cambodia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/cambodia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cambodia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Cambodia.html

Important advice regarding e-Visas:

Please note, e-Visas are not accepted at all border checkpoints when travelling overland into Cambodia.

This applies to the following borders/trips:

• Tinh Bien,Vietnam/Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia border: Thai Indochina Explorer (Trip Code: AOX) and Southeast Asia Express (AOK)
• Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing): South East Asia Adventure (Trip Code: FIJ)

You can only purchase a tourist visa on arrival at these borders as e-Visas will not be accepted.

More information can be found at:

• https://www.evisa.gov.kh/
• https://www.evisa.gov.kh/information/port_entry/3

Vietnam

UK passport holders normally do not need a visa to enter Vietnam for visits up to 45 days, while those with a US or Irish passport normally do need a visa to enter. Visa requirements for EU citizens vary by country.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/vietnam
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Vietnam.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners are included.

The food on this trip is a real highlight for many. Southeast Asian cuisine is known for its abundance of freshly prepared dishes with strong aromatic flavours. There is a focus on herbs and citrus to ensure each dish packs a punch; chilli does feature highly too but is easily avoided.

Typically, most dishes come with rice and many are often served in a banana leaf with a variety of dips and herbs served separately.

The three countries visited ensure a different culinary experience every time you cross the border: ensure you try freshly made pad Thai noodles from the street stalls of Bangkok; the fish amok curry in Cambodia for a creamy coconut-based fragrant curry; and banh xeo (huge sizzling pancakes) in Vietnam.

Western food is available almost everywhere except in the Mekong Delta region.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.

Please note, the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets (eg gluten-free or dairy-free) is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these specialised dietary items from home.

You may find it beneficial to bring energy bars or gels with you from home to use during a ride. However, on Premium Adventure cycling departures, an included snack kitty is provided usually consisting of fresh fruit, nuts, biscuits and local snacks along with drinks and electrolyte powders.

Weather

In Thailand and Cambodia, the weather is hot and humid year-round. The dry season runs from November to April with the monsoon between May and October. April and October are transition months. The dry season is characterised by hot days and generally clear skies, though you can expect the odd shower. The monsoon is characterised by short bursts of rain and can be a very atmospheric time to travel but an umbrella may be useful.

In Vietnam, the weather patterns are very similar to Cambodia – expect year-round temperatures from 25C to 39C (77F to 102F). The rainy season will normally run from June to September when you should expect short showers, but the sun will normally break through for extended periods.

From the end of March to May, the temperatures become very hot and humid with temperatures into the high 30Cs (around 100F) between Bangkok and Siem Reap as this is the build up to the monsoon season.