Cycling Vietnam & Cambodia

Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Tre - Tra Vinh, 37 mi (60 km)
Day 3: Tra Vinh - Can Tho, 43 mi (70 km)
Day 4: Can Tho - Long Xuyen, 43 mi (70 km)
Day 5: Long Xuyen - Chau Doc, 43 mi (70 km)
Day 6: Chau Doc - Phnom Penh  
Day 7: Phnom Penh  
Day 8: Phnom Penh - Kampong Thom, 43 mi (70 km)
Day 9: Kampong Thom - Siem Reap, 40 mi (65 km)
Day 10: Angkor temples cycling, 28 mi (45 km)
Day 11: Siem Reap village cycling and Tonle Sap Lake, 28 mi (45 km)
Day 12: Siem Reap departure

Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by locals. Meet your team of guides, mechanics, and drivers who will support you all the way to Cambodia. At 4 PM, you will have a professional bike fitting in Trung Son to get you ready for the days ahead. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and get to know your fellow cyclists over delicious local dishes. (D)

Sample accommodations: The Odys Boutique Hotel and Spa

Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Tre - Tra Vinh, 37 mi (60 km)
Begin your journey with a transfer out of Saigon to the lush Mekong Delta, famous for its coconut groves and maze of canals. Start riding from a local cafe along mostly flat paved roads, shaded by coconut trees. About seventy percent of today’s ride is under tree cover for a cooler ride. The terrain is gentle with a few narrow canal bridges and small concrete paths through coconut plantations and villages. Stop at a local factory to see how coconuts are turned into products like candy and oil. After lunch, continue riding quiet village lanes toward Tra Vinh, a town with strong Khmer influences and many temples. End the day with a shared dinner and time to explore the town on foot. (L, D)

Sample accommodations: Cuu Long Hotel

Day 3: Tra Vinh - Can Tho, 43 mi (70 km)
Ride deeper into Vietnam’s rice heartland today. The terrain is flat and easy on small paved roads and quiet canal paths through one of the country’s biggest rice-producing regions. Visit Ba Om Pond, an eight-hundred-year-old Khmer site surrounded by ancient trees and lotus flowers in season. Continue cycling past rice paddies and canals with farmers tending fields and ducks paddling in the water. Expect light local traffic and calm scenery. After lunch, transfer by van to Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta, known for its night market and riverfront cafes. (B, L)

Sample accommodations: Ninh Kieu Riverside Hotel

Day 4: Can Tho - Long Xuyen, 43 mi (70 km)
Start the morning with a boat ride to Cai Rang Floating Market, the largest in the Mekong Delta, where vendors trade fresh fruit and produce right from their wooden boats. After exploring the market, ride flat paved roads along the river through fruit orchards, forested sections, and rice fields. Parts of the route are shaded narrow trails, giving you a mix of open countryside and green paths. Stop at Bang Lang Stork Sanctuary, home to thousands of storks nesting high in the treetops. From here, you can ride the final stretch into Long Xuyen or use the van for a quick transfer. Settle into this laid-back riverside town and enjoy dinner with the group. (B, L, D)

Sample accommodations: Hoa Binh Long Xuyen Hotel

Day 5: Long Xuyen - Chau Doc, 43 mi (70 km)
After breakfast, transfer about one hour by private shuttle to visit a local museum that shares the history of this region, once the seat of the ancient Southern Kingdom two thousand years ago. Begin riding from here on mostly flat, reinforced farm roads that run above fields which flood seasonally - the scenery shifts between wide farmland, canals, and small villages. Arrive at Tra Su National Reserve and Bird Sanctuary in the early afternoon when most visitors have left. Walk along a floating bridge covered with colorful algae and take an optional boat ride through the shaded mangrove canals where you might see egrets and herons. After lunch, continue another short ride of about fifteen miles to Chau Doc or take the support van if you prefer to rest. This friendly riverside town near the Cambodian border is known for its floating fish farms. (B, L, D)

Sample accommodations: Chau Pho Hotel

Day 6: Chau Doc - Phnom Penh 
Today, you switch from the bike to river travel. Board a comfortable speed boat at 6:45 in the morning for a scenic four and a half hour ride up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Light snacks are served on board while the crew helps arrange your visa at the border. Bring a passport photo with a white background and thirty-five dollars in clean cash for the crossing. Once in Phnom Penh, the rest of the day is free for you to explore on your own. (B, L)

Sample accommodations: Ohana Hotel or similar

Day 7: Phnom Penh  
Start the day with a classic Phnom Penh experience - a guided cyclo ride through the city. Relax while your driver pedals you past the Independent Monument, the Royal Palace, and the lively riverside. There are stops along the way for photos and to watch locals doing morning dance exercises by the river. After the ride, spend the day however you wish. Relax by the pool, wander the busy local markets, or visit sites like the Killing Fields and the S-21 Museum for deeper insight into Cambodia’s recent history. (B)

Sample accommodations: Ohana Hotel or similar

Day 8: Phnom Penh - Kampong Thom, 43 mi (70 km)
After breakfast, take a short transfer to the Mekong boat pier and board a local boat for a forty-five-minute ride upstream to Koh Dach, also known as Mekong Island. Begin riding through villages on the island where locals weave silk scarves, sarongs, and other handmade products. Visit a village pagoda and a local school along the way. Cross the river by ferry, then continue riding along rural roads beside the river before transferring by van to Kampong Thom, a small town at the edge of the Cambodian countryside. (B, L, D)

Sample accommodations: Kampong Thom Palace

Day 9: Kampong Thom - Siem Reap, 40 mi (65 km)
Today, you ride from your hotel to the ancient site of Sambor Prei Kuk, a UNESCO-listed temple complex with more than one hundred pre-Angkorian brick temples hidden in the forest. Spend time exploring these quiet ruins, then continue riding through the countryside on flat backroads and village paths. After reaching the end of the day’s ride, meet your van for a transfer into Siem Reap, the gateway to the world-famous Angkor temples. (B, L, D)

Sample accommodations: The Sanctuary Residence or similar

Day 10: Angkor temples cycling, 28 mi (45 km)
Start early to beat the crowds at Angkor Wat. Meet at 5 in the morning for a sunrise ride from your hotel to Angkor Wat itself. After watching the sunrise, continue riding to the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom for breakfast, then visit the Bayon temple, known for its giant stone faces. Ride narrow jungle trails to reach Preah Khan temple, then stop for a homemade lunch in a nearby village. In the afternoon, cycle quiet trails to East Mebon and Ta Prohm, the tree-wrapped temple made famous by the Tomb Raider movie. End the day with a transfer back to your hotel for a well-earned rest. (B, L)

Sample accommodations: The Sanctuary Residence or similar

Day 11: Siem Reap village cycling and Tonle Sap Lake, 28 mi (45 km)
After breakfast, cycle from your hotel to West Baray, an ancient man-made reservoir. Pass through Puck Market, where you can try local snacks like deep-fried crickets and water bugs. Continue riding through Krabei Riel village past rice fields, traditional Khmer houses, and small pagodas. After lunch, pedal on to Tonle Sap Lake and board a local boat for a slow cruise to Mechrey Floating Village. Return by boat to the pier and either ride or take the van back to Siem Reap. In the evening, gather for a farewell dinner with your local team. (B, L, D)

Sample accommodations: The Sanctuary Residence or similar

Day 12: Departure from Siem Reap  
Your final day is free for you to relax or do some last-minute exploring in Siem Reap before continuing your travels or departing for home. (B)

Accommodations include comfortable hotels in city centers and local boutique properties. Each one is chosen for its location and easy access to local sights and dining.

Bicycles

Trek Marlin 7, or similar

Frame: Alpha Silver Aluminum alloy
Seat: Bontrager Verse Short with stainless steel rails
Rear derailleurs: SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed
Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes with 160 mm rotors front and rear
Tires: Maxxis Ardent

Giant Fathom Electric Mountain Bike, or similar

• Frame: ALUXX Aluminium
• Motor: SyncDrive Sport, 70Nm, Powered by Yamaha
• Range per Power: 80 - 100km
• Controller: RideControl One ANT+
• Display: RideControl Dash, full color LCD screen
• Battery: EnergyPak Smart 500, 36V Integrated Lithium-Ion EnergyPak
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore, 10-speed, Shadow+
• Brakes: Tektro HD-M280, hydraulic disc, 180mm
• Tires: Maxxis Rekon 29×2.4″, Foldable, TLR, EXO, 60 TPI