Cycle from Vietnam to Cambodia's Angkor Wat
An epic backroads journey taking in ancient temples, lush rice paddies, sandy beaches and the mighty Mekong River
Cycle from Vietnam to Cambodia's Angkor Wat
An epic backroads journey taking in ancient temples, lush rice paddies, sandy beaches and the mighty Mekong River
DURATION
13 nights
LOCATION
Vietnam & Cambodia
ANNUAL LEAVE
10 day off work
SEASON
Nov-June
GROUP SIZE
Up to 14 people
MEETING POINT
Ho Chi Minh City
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel · Spa Hotel · Glamping · Guesthouse · Lodge · Boutique Hotel
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
You won’t need to be super fit as the riding is almost always flat, but you should have experience riding back-to-back days
Pedal your way through verdant Vietnam and temple-strewn Cambodia, soaking up village life and sampling tasty street food
Cycle from the natural hot springs of Binh Chau to the UNESCO-listed Langbiang Biosphere Reserve in the remote Central Highlands
Cruise around the ancient temple city of Angkor, pausing at the many faces of the Bayon and the jungle-entwined Ta Phrom
Bed down in boutique hotels, forest lodges, a glamping spot in a coffee plantation and on secluded Le Koh Trong, an island in the Mekong
This trip is brand new
Included
Guides
Local, English-speaking guides plus bike mechanics
Accommodation
Think riverside resorts, boutique hotels, forest hideaways and glamping in a coffee plantation
Meals
All breakfasts, 11 dinners, 11 lunches and traditional snacks while cycling
Transfers
Airport transfers and everything in between
Equipment
TREK Dual Sport 3 or TREK Marlin 7 hybrid bikes
Permits
All permits and entry fees to the sites
Support Vehicle
To hop into if your legs need a rest and to carry your luggage
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Tips for your guides
Some meals as described
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Any time on Day 1
Ends
Siem Reap
Any time on Day 14
Transfers
Your host's local driver will meet you on arrival at Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) International Airport and transfer you to your hotel in town. There will be a team intro with the guide at 18:00 so please ensure that you arrive before then. On Day 14, your host's local driver will transfer you back to the airport in time for your onward flight.
Airport transfers are included in the main price if you arrive on Day 1 and depart on Day 14. For those arriving early or wanting to stay on longer, extra nights at the hotel and airport transfers can be arranged with your host at an additional cost.
Travel options
There are direct international flights to Ho Chi Minh City from London, as well as indirect international flights from the UK and various major hubs in Europe. From the US, there are indirect flights from various major hubs which transit via Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, Narita, Doha, Istanbul or Dubai, dependent on whether you fly west or east.
As your trip ends in Cambodia, you can choose to fly home from Siem Reap or in many cases it may be easier to fly back to Ho Chi Minh City to catch your return from there. There are multiple direct flights between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City daily, which take 1.5 hours.
Day 1
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Spa Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4 – Day 5
Glamping · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6 – Day 7
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 8
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 9
Lodge · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 10
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 11
Boutique Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 12
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 13
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 14
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Vietnamese breakfasts consist of a variety of bò kho soups, bún bò huế and phở noodles and some local sweet desserts, as well as bánh mì, the quintessential Vietnamese breakfast sandwich. Alongside this traditional fare, there will also be omelettes, bread, butter and cheese available, served with tea, coffee and fruit juice. For lunch and dinner, fill up on a mix of spring and gỏi cuốn rolls, bun cha noodles, bánh cuốn pancakes, and hủ tiếu soups with seasonal sautéed vegetables all served with rice.
Much like in Vietnam, rice and rice noodles feature heavily in Cambodian cuisine. Banh chok - rice noodles topped with a fish-based green curry gravy made with lemongrass, turmeric root, and kaffir lime - is popular, and sometimes called the Cambodian national dish. Street food favourites include iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk (kar-fe toek doh koh toek gok), fried noodles (mi char), chive cakes (num kachay), and paté sandwiches (num pang pâté). Fresh fruit is abundant in both countries, seek out the mangosteens for a delicious sweet treat.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request this on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Ho Chi Minh City
Your first night will be spent at the Lotus Central Saigon Hotel or a hotel of a similar standard. Located in the heart of the old town and near the Museum of Fine Arts, this is the perfect area to explore when you arrive. Alternatively, get over your jetlag on the rooftop pool. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
Bin Chau
You'll stay at the Minera Hotspring Binh Chau Spa Resort on your second night. Known as Vietnam's best wellness resort, there are a number of hot spring pools to bathe in and forest trails to explore. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
Mui Ne
Your night by the beach will be spent in the 5-star Sea Links resort. It is just a few minutes' walk to the beach and short stroll away from restaurants galore. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
Lac Duong
You'll spend two nights at the Twin Beans Farm, glamping inside a coffee plantation. This working farm is surrounded by forests and has a river running through the middle. You will stay in a combination of luxurious twin-share bell tents and may also stay in the raised studio apartments. There'll be a campfire in the evenings and a chance to kick back and enjoy the sounds of the forest.
Lam Dong
On your sixth night, you'll stay in Madagui Forest Resort, a hotel tucked deep in the forest and surrounded by lakes. This is one of the first 'forest city' concepts - a government initiative to keep an area protected and green, enabling local city-dwellers to get a nature fix without travelling too far. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
Binh Duong
In Binh Duong, you'll stay at The Mira Hotel. There is an outdoor pool where you can cool off on arrival. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms.
Lo Go Xa Mat National Park
As you cycle towards the border, the accommodation options become few and far between, but the Lò Gò-Xa Mát National Park authorities retain a few bungalows for visitors. Each is clean with hot water, however they are basic so you should be prepared for this night to be a different experience to the other nights of the trip. What you lack in luxury, you make up for being directly inside the stunning national park, waking up to birdsong and hearing all about the park from the ranger.
Le Koh Trong
Soriyabori Resort is on a secluded section of Koh Trong Island in the middle of the Mekong River. The rooms, which are traditional Khmer wooden houses, are beautifully constructed and finished off with some stunning French-Indochine décor. With no cars, the island is a peaceful escape from the town of Kratie. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bedrooms.
Stung Treng
The rustic Mekong Bird Resort is located 10km north of Stung Treng, on the banks of the Mekong River. The traditional-style wooden cottages guarantee a stay up-close with nature and the restaurant has a huge terrace, perfect for any birders in the group. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bedrooms.
Preah Vihear
The Preah Vihear Boutique Hotel has a large outdoor pool and all the modern rooms have a view of the pool or the gardens. Saem Market is a short 10-minute walk away for those keen on sampling some local delicacies. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bedrooms.
Siem Reap
Offering 4-star luxury, the Lotus Blanc Resort in Siem Reap is a high-standard boutique hotel just outside of town. Surrounded by coconut trees, it is a peaceful haven - but still only a short tuk-tuk ride from the centre. You'll stay in twin-share rooms with en-suite bedrooms.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. This is available for all nights except the two nights glamping at Twin Beans. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
Day 1
Welcome to Vietnam
Xin chao! Touch down in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), check into your hotel, explore, then grab some dinner with your crew and hear all about the adventure ahead.
Day 2
From the ‘burbs to the backroads
Cycling
70km · 300m up · 250m down
Take a short drive out of the city, hop on your bike and cruise along the flat roads all the way to the coastal spa town of Bin Chau. Roll through rubber plantations and dragon fruit farms, arriving early afternoon with plenty of time to soak your feet in the natural mineral hot springs at the hotel.
Day 3
Coastal cruising and sand dune surfing
Cycling
75km · 200m up · 200m down
Your destination today is Mui Ne, Vietnam’s most picturesque section of coastline. En route you'll pause at giant red sand dunes, where you’ll trade your wheels for a sandboard and attempt to surf the dunes (or barefoot hike if you'd rather). A final roll into town will take you to your hotel via a rideable section of the beach. There will be time to freshen up before taking a wander to the beach for sunset and a seafood feast.
Day 4
To the Central Highlands
Cycling
50kmm · 400m up · 300m down
Driving
4-5hrs
A relaxed start this morning, although extra-early risers might want to walk to the coast to catch the hoards of colourful boats and fishermen returning with their catch. Next, it's back on the bike for a morning of riding before hopping in the bus for a road trip up, up and up into the highlands. Often enveloped in mist, the Lac Duong District is a relatively new coffee-growing region and home to over 200 coffee farmers. You’ll stay overnight in a glamping lodge inside an Arabica coffee farm.
Day 5
From bean to cup, and farm to table
Cycling
40km · 500m up · 300m down
Start your day with the freshest ‘cup of Joe’ and a wander around the stream-flanked plantation. Today’s ride is a circular loop into Bidoup National Park, the central zone of the Langbiang Biosphere Reserve which was recognised as a UNESCO site in 2015. Passing through subtropical rainforest and mixed bamboo forests, this is the green lung of Vietnam and best experienced on two wheels. Back at the farm, dinner is served - with many ingredients directly sourced from the surrounding land; think duck cooked with chao, sturgeon rolled in rice paper and crispy fresh summer rolls.
Day 6
Madagui Forest City
Cycling
70km · 200m up · 200m down
More cruising through the central highlands today, rolling through minor undulations as you go. Passing through the trees, your destination is Madagui Forest City - a 25km protected area popular with domestic travellers who come for the clean forest air and to experience the mythical Da Huoai River. Enjoy the pool and some downtime at the end of the day.
Day 7
Craft beer and street food BBQ
Cycling
60km · 100m up · 200m down
Cycling down from the highlands, your next stop is Binh Duong, located on the southern slopes of the Truong Son Mountain range. This is rural Vietnam at its finest, well away from any tourist trails. The town also has a thriving craft beer scene, so be sure to pull up a plastic stall on the street and watch the world go by - before or after a local BBQ dinner.
Day 8
To the border
Cycling
60km · 100m up · 100m down
Continuing your journey east, today’s destination is Lò Gò-Xa Mát National Park in the Tay Ninh Province. After a couple of hours in the bus, you’ll pass through fertile rice paddies and terraces and ride along dusty tracks, ending up at your bungalow accommodation deep in the national park. The forest was formerly home to the headquarters of the revolution in the south during resistance wars against the French, and is consequently laced with a vast network of tunnels. Today, it is a more peaceful site and a key habitat for the rare red-headed sarus crane.
Day 9
Cambodia calling
Cycling
30km · 50m up · 50m down
Cycle directly from your jungle-based bungalow all the way to the border. Time for a switch of teams as you bid farewell to your Vietnamese crew, cross the Trapang Thlong border and receive a warm welcome from your new Cambodian team. You’ll road trip the next section in order to avoid cycling alongside heavily-laden trucks and drive straight to the mellow riverside town of Kratie, home to the Irrawaddy dolphin and the best Mekong sunsets in Cambodia. Your overnight spot is the island of Le Koh Trong, a former favourite locale for Khmer kings and now famous for growing pomelos, a giant citrus fruit.
Day 10
The mighty Mekong
Cycling
60km · 50m up · 50m down
Get back on two wheels and begin the cycle northward, cruising along the banks of the Mekong River. This remote corner of Cambodia is especially fertile - with many people moving here to grow crops and to fish, expect some friendly chatter along the way. You’ll ride to Stung Treng, home to a number of Buddhist pagodas and of course, many monks. The town lies on the confluence of the San, Kŏng, and Mekong rivers, making it a spectacular spot for a sundowner.
Day 11
On the border of Laos
Cycling
60km · 50m up · 100m down
Today you'll head to the Sopheakmit Waterfall, aka the Mekong rapids - tiers of thundering falls crashing over limestone crags and boulders. The falls are right on the Laos border, with the famed 4000 islands just over the water. These powerful rapids are the reason the Mekong River isn’t navigable all the way to China. Today ends in the bustling town of Preah Vihear, where you'll find a temple on most corners.
Day 12
Temple gazing
Cycling
60km · 100m up · 150m down
Cycle straight from the hotel today to the base of the Preah Vihear temple, an ancient Khmer temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On arrival, you’ll hop into a 4x4 for a bumpy ride up to the top of the hill - the most spectacular way to experience the temple complex. Your perch on top of the Dangrek Mountains affords a view all the way across the province. Get back on the bike for a final push to Siem Reap, the home of age-old Khmer sights (and the somewhat newer ‘Pub Street’).
Day 13
Angkor Wat in all its glory
Cycling
30km · 50m up · 50m down
Up early today for the culmination of your trip: a ride through the famous, vast ancient temple city of Angkor Wat. You’ll cycle along the wall of the ancient city of Angkor Thom with the moat on one side and thick jungle on the other. The many smiling faces of the 13th century Bayon Temples lie within and you’ll also pause at Ta Prohm, a temple almost entirely reclaimed by the jungle that surrounds it. Likely templed-out, you’ll regroup for a celebratory dinner tonight at Cambodia’s first farm-to-table restaurant, Lum Orng, a real treat where you can sample the best of modern, seasonal, local food.
Day 14
So long, Cambodia
Your South East Asia cycling adventure has come to an end - it's time to pack your bags and hop in a transfer back to the airport. That said, the option to stay for longer and spend more time at the temples is a popular one!
15% Off Outdoor Gear
What do I need to bring?
CYCLE KIT
Helmet (required)
Pedals and saddle if you would rather use your own (these will be fitted to the bike for you)
CLOTHES
Padded cycling shorts
Sports top or cycling jersey
Fleece jacket or similar, for the evenings in the highlands
Rain and windproof lightweight jacket
Cycling gloves
Buff or neck scarf
T-shirts
Underwear and socks
Sunglasses and sunhat
Something to sleep in
Cycling shoes/trainers (bring your own pedals if using cleats)
Sandals
OTHER
Swimwear (for hotels/beach)
Bumbag or small handlebar bag for riding
Universal travel adapter
Passports (and visas)
Travel insurance documents
Suncream
Personal first-aid kit (including blister treatment)
Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
Alcohol hand-gel
Reusable water bottle
No optional extras are available for this trip.
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 632kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2022 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
This trip is designed for cyclists of average fitness able to cover around 50km (average) on back-to-back days. There are sections of smooth tarmac on quiet roads and a few small sections on paths or tracks - think weaving through a forest trail or skirting the beach edge on tightly-packed sand - this all adds to the adventure, but is flat and non-technical. There will also be a support vehicle to transport your overnight stuff, so if the going gets too tough or too hot, you can always jump in for a bit of respite.
It's no secret that we love cycling and many of us at HQ think it's the best way to see a country, however, we realise that organising your own trip can be a total faff. On our cycling trips, we've found a local guide who has put together a perfect route and will navigate for you all the way. We even send a van that transports your overnight luggage and provide high-quality bikes and delicious snacks to keep you going. Faff eliminated! All you have to do is turn up, pedal and take in the landscape with your fellow tourers. You don't need to be a lycra-clad 'roadie' although they're welcome too!
The cycling on the trip is a combination of paved roads and dirt roads going through dry forests, jungles, and cloud forests. Most of the riding is not that technical, your guide will give a heads up on the more difficult parts. Experience in riding back-to-back days is recommended but not absolutely necessary. Most of the days there are climbs as you pass from one valley to the other over the mountains. There is always plenty of time each day to take your time riding and to stop to take pictures etc. You will regroup wherever the guides find it necessary to keep the group together and safe. There will be plenty of local snacks and some shade to keep you going. The ultimate aim of cycling on this trip is simply to be able to see more of Costa Rica combining it with hiking, whitewater rafting, and kayaking.
On some days, yes, on other days there will be a transfer (usually under an hour, driving durations are stated in the itinerary above if over this amount) to get you between the cycling routes - this is to keep you away from busy roads and onto the best cycle routes. The backroads take a bit of piecing together to ensure the riding will be fun and hopefully stress-free, and the bus will provide some time to kick back and take it all in.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Tips for the support staff, driver, mechanic and hotel porters are all included in the cost. Tips for the lead guide however are not included. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. We suggest the below as a guideline per person, per day:
$5 USD / 115,000 VND
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
No. You'll need to have a larger bag suitable for all your belongings which will be transported for you, and then a small daysack to carry personal items during each day of hiking.
Tap water in Vietnam and Cambodia is not safe to drink; clean drinking water will be provided. Please pack your own reusable bottle, it will be well used.
Water bottles with inbuilt filters are becoming increasingly popular for travellers to use in countries without clean tap water. Please see our guide for advice on the best water filters for adventurers if you wish to bring your own filtration bottle on this trip.
South Vietnam enjoys a tropical climate all year round, with little variation throughout the year (around 28°C - 34°C degrees in the day and dropping a few degrees at night). It is mostly dry, however, May and June can be a time to experience the odd short heavy downpour - these are usually short and sharp and help to freshen up from the heat. When cycling into the highlands, you can expect some mist and temperatures in the low 20s most of the time.
Cambodia is a hot and tropical country, at its hottest in April (up to 38°C) and coolest in January (still high 20s). The climate is reliably warm - between 30°C and 35°C for much of the year. Although rainfall is at its maximum in October, the east and Siem Reap receive very little rain compared to the coastal areas, and when it does rain it tends to be in the form of sporadic mid-afternoon downpours. There is normally very little rain between December and March.
We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
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