Few bike tours contain as much variety as this one that runs from Siem Reap to Saigon: ancient temples, friendly villages, two rapidly modernizing cities emerging from a difficult past are all waiting to be explored.
This is a journey in the truest sense of the word. From the most significant archeological site in Cambodia, to the most significant commercial city in Vietnam, the contrasts along the way are what makes this an educational, enjoyable, and achievable ride for anyone passing through Southeast Asia.
With hardly a hill in sight, but enough variety in scenery and surface to keep the ride interesting, the cycling is punctuated by a boat ride down the Mekong River and finishes off with two full days of riding through the intriguing Mekong Delta.
If you want to get far away from the daily grind and immerse yourself in Indochina, this is the ride for you.
For tours commencing from Dec 20 to Jan 5 there is a peak season surcharge of 15% on the price of this tour due to hotel rate increases at this time of year.
For this tour, you will fly into one international airport and out of another. For the start of your tour in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is the closest. For the end of your tour in Saigon, the closest international airport is Tan Son Hnat International Airport
Local Travel
Arrival: Siem Reap is less than 15 minutes from the airport and taxis charge a flat rate of $7 to all hotels in town. There are no public transportation options available. Departure: Tan Son Nhat International Airport is the largest airport in Vietnam. It is located 4 mi (6 km) north of the center (District 1) of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Taxi to the airport will be approximately the equivalent of $15 USD.
Climate
The coolest time of year is from November to February with temperatures rising to a peak in April and May. With the arrival of the rains in June temperatures drop, with rain falling mainly in the afternoons in short, heavy showers. September and October are the wettest months with a return to dry conditions in November. A combination of lower numbers of tourists, sharp light and refreshing showers make July and August a great time to cycle in this part of Indochina
Passports and Visas:
A trip to Vietnam and Cambodia and a holiday there, require a certain amount of preparation in regard to formalities. Foreigners need a passport valid for at least 6 months and a valid visa Be sure as well that your passport has sufficient blank visa pages for all necessary visas and stamps.
Please allow yourself enough time!
Cambodian visas are easy to obtain on arrival at a Cambodian border crossing or an international airport. The cost is US$30 and you will need one passport photo. If you do not have a passport photo you will be charged $1-$2 USD.
In order to enter Vietnam, foreigners need a passport valid for at least 6 months and a valid visa to be obtained from the Vietnamese embassy. Vietnam has introduced an electronic visa system on 1 February 2017. Citizens from 40 countries will be eligible to apply for the e-visa valid for 30 days, single entry. When you apply online your name will be placed on a pre-approved list for obtaining a visa on arrival at any international airport. Be sure to submit your online application at least 30 days before your arrival date and bring a copy of your approval letter. For multiple entry visas, you must follow standard mail in or in person protocol. So please consider all your travel plans as you begin the application process. The following documents must be submitted either in person or by mail: -Passport (original document, not a copy!) -Completed application form -Current passport photograph (1.5 x 2.3 inch/ 4 x 6 cm) -Visa fee as a non-negotiable check or in cash -A sufficiently prepaid envelope for registered mail
Tour Dates
2019 January 26, February 24, April 27, June 15, August 5, September 22, November 2, and December 14, 2019
*Guaranteed departures. Minimum of 2 people to confirm a departure. Maximum group size is 10 travellers.
Peak Season Surcharge For tours commencing from Dec 20 to Jan 5 there is a peak season surcharge of 7% on the price of this tour due to hotel rate increases at this time of year.
Skill Level
The terrain is a mix of sealed and unsealed roads, tracks and trails. The tour takes place as much as possible on traffic-free tracks and traisl, but at times it is necessary to resort to secondary roads, although no more than 5 km over the whole tour on anything resembling a highway. The riding is easily achievable for those who are comfortable on a bike, with hardly any hills and no daily distances over 75 km. You should be comfortable riding in quite hot conditions and it is highly recommended to get some practice on unsealed surfaces with a little loose sand and gravel as this will help you feel more confident at times on this ride. The support vehicle is always on hand should you require a break from riding, and in the Mekong Delta, where you are on narrow bike and pedestrian style paths and trails (where the support vehicle cannot follow), it will meet you at intervals of 10 km or so.
Where You’ll Stay
The hotels that are used are a great, and sometimes unexpected, part of this tour. In the larger cities and established tourist centers we use stylish and supremely comfortable hotels and resorts, while in the smaller and more out of the way areas we stay in the best available accommodation, which is often simple yet always well run, clean, and comes with air-conditioning and a private bathroom.
What’s Included
6 nights accommodation
Meals as per itinerary
Top quality, well maintained Cannondale or GT mountain bike with hybrid tires for touring
Handlebar bag
Air condition support vehicle for luggage transfer and sag wagon
Energy bars, local snacks, water, and sports drinks during your cycling itinerary
Extra nights are highly recommended. If you would like to book extra time in Siem Reap, ask us about the day tours that are offered here. For example, we can offer a day bike tour to the Ankor Temples. If you would like to explore Saigon more, there are various activities including food tours that will keep you occupied. Ask us about the one day tour to the Cu Chi tunnels. We can help book your hotel accommodation.
Day 1: Siem Reap - transfer to Kampong Thom - Cycle Sambor Prei Kuk, 34 mi (55 km) Day 2: Transfer to Oudong - cycle to Phnom Penh, 28 mi. (45 km) Day 3: Islands of the Mekong, 19 mi. (30 km) Day 4: Boat to Chau Doc, Vietnam Day 5: Cycle & Transfer to Can Tho, 31 mi. (50 km) Day 6: Long Xuyen - Can Tho, 44 mi. (70 km) Day 7: Floating Markets and transfer to Saigon
Day 1: Siem Reap - tranfer to Kampong Thom - cycle Sambor Prei Kuk, 34 mi. (55 km) Starting with an early pickup from your hotel, we have a 2.5 hour drive to reach Kampong Thom, the neighbouring province to Siem Reap. After a bike fitting, we set off on a ride north of the town to find the sprawling complex of pre-Angkorian temples known as Sambor Prei Kuk. These ruins date back as far as the 7th century and are remarkably intact for their age. The leafy surrounds and absence of tourists makes this a really special experience. After we see out the heat of the day in the shade, we return to Kampong Thom by a different route and enjoy a tasty, authentic meal. Meals: L,D
Day 2: Transfer to Oudong - cycle to Phnom Penh, 28 mi. (45 km) Following a relaxed morning in order to time the day correctly, you transfer around three hours to Oudong Mountain, the former capital of Cambodia, and today a hilltop temple with fine views. After a Cambodian style picnic, you will then take an afternoon ride on lovely village roads and trails, mostly unpaved. You zig zag your way through rice fields and farmland, passing Oudong's smaller brother, Basset Mountain. Crossing a recently refurbished but as yet un-operational railway line, the scenery changes rapidly. For those comfortable cycling in traffic you can ride right up to the hotel door. For those that are not game, the support vehicle awaits. Dinner tonight will be enjoyed by the Tonle Sap River, not far from where the three main rivers of Cambodia converge. Meals: B, L, D
Day 3: Islands of the Mekong, 19 mi. (30 km) This morning you take to bikes again and explore the nearby Mekong islands through charming village communities, fruit orchards, traditional silk weaving workshops and a variety of temples from a more recent time. This is a highlight ride and provides a unique perspective to Phnom Penh and its surrounds.
Phnom Penh has a turbulent history. Little more than a collection of wooden shacks when the French first arrived, the colonials transformed it into a beautiful city. With the evacuation of the city by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 its decay and decline began, with regeneration and rapid economic development only a recent trend. Your guide can dispense a great deal of advice on how the city can be explored and will offer a late afternoon walk to introduce you to some of the lesser-known aspects of this eccentric city Meals: B, L
Day 4: Boat to Chau Doc, Vietnam Today is a day off the bike. In the morning you can have a bit of leisure time to enjoy the pool or wander a bit around Phnom Penh. After an early lunch, you embark and enjoy a boat ride down the Mekong River and enter Vietnam via Chau Doc, a bustling Delta town, whose speciality is salted fish. Meals: B,L,D
Day 5: Cycle & Transfer to Can Tho, 31 mi. (50 km) Today you officially begin your two-wheeled exploration of the Mekong Delta. After a short ferry ride, you will jump on the bikes and begin criss-crossing the canals by bridge and boat, exploring your way through the maze of waterways. Along the ride you’ll get your first good glimpse of the fertile delta lands that are used for food production and see the locals hard at work to grow, harvest and transport these products. Throughout the morning, you will enjoy cycling on small, paved canal roads that allow for only cycling or motorbike travel.
After a rest stop with some deliciously fresh tropical fruit you will visit a local brick factory and get to know the process of making and baking bricks in the Delta. Lunch today will be in a local restaurant and following your well-earned feast, you will transfer approximately one hour by van to Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong Delta. Meals: B,L,D
Day 6: Transfer, Cycle & Boat Loop, 31 mi. (50 km) Your last day on the bikes begins with a small transfer out of town to escape any city traffic, set up your bikes and start riding. Today you will be pedaling through the scenic countryside laced with many small canals and large crop plantations such as jackfruit, an intriguing spiky tropical fruit that can reach incredible proportions.
You will ride past mat weavers and wooden boat builders along your way and learn about your trade before enjoying another unforgettable Vietnamese lunch. The day’s explorations concludes in laid-back style, with a relaxing boat ride back into Can Tho in the late afternoon. Meals: B,L,D
Day 7: Floating Markets and transfer to Saigon An early morning visit to the floating markets is offered today. It's an impressive site with boats of varying sizes and all manner of fruit and vegetables being bought and sold. After breakfast, you pack up and board the van for a 3 hour drive into Saigon. If you have done your reading and research before the tour, you will have read that Saigon is actually now officially called Ho Chi Minh City, though most residents still call it Saigon. The tour concludes after lunch and a short walking tour of the city center and major historical sites. Saigon is an exciting city and is certainly worth a couple extra days if you have time to spare. Meals: B,L
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