Siem Reap Cycling To Saigon | Angkor Cycling To Ho Chi Minh city Bike

Siem Reap Cycling To Saigon – 10 days

Dec 11, 2015 Cambodia Cycling Tours, Cross Border Tours, Cycling 8 -12 days

Siem Reap Cycling To Saigon is cross border biking tour combine Cambodia and Vietnam. The starting point is Angkor and finish in Saigon. We bike approximately 555 km on tarmac roads some days. The border crossing at Phnom Den is quiet and easy crossing. The next town Takeo is the less visited which has much history homed to the First Capital of Khmer Empire known as Funan. Then home to the Khmer Rouge General Commander known as Ta Mok. Exploring the Mekong Delta, visit the bustling city of Phnom Penh and the Angkor ruins complex on the back road. The starting point can be Ho Chi Minh City to suit some who wish to travel in Vietnam first. We can help to arrange pre and post tour accommodations at competitive price.

Day 1: Arrival Siem Reap -Angkor Complex (25km by bicycle) ( D)
Depart from the hotel on the main road and cycling through Angkor pass check point. Cycling through the shady road with a little pumping because of the a few pot-holes. There you will begin to see Kravan temple, Banteay Kdei, and stop at the famous Ta Phrom, embraced by the roots of enormous fig trees and gigantic creepers. Visit Ta Phrom (45 minutes-1 hour). It was built in 12th century by the famous King Jayavarvan VII indicated to his mother. While clearing back the forest archaeologists decided to leave the vegetation of Ta Phrom in place to serve as a reminder of how the original discoverers found it and the other Angkor temples.

Many of the trees have grown around and through the remains and soar high above the temples. Continue the cycling through small circuit passing Ta Keo temple, Chao Say Tevoda, Tommanon before reaching to Angkor Thom city. There you will see, Terrace of Leper King, Terrace of Elephant, Baphoun, Phimean Akas. Stop at Bayon temple and start the visit (45 minutes-1 hour). Angkor Thom built by Cambodia’s great king, Jayavarman VII. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 2: Banteay Srei and River of Thousand Lingas (90km) (B,L)
Depart from the hotel on the main road. Arrive at Angkor Wat and turn left to the west. Continue to cycle 2km before turn right to the rural road. The road is good for cycling as you can avoid the busy traffic but you can see rice field, village, pagoda. Arrive in Banteay Srei before lunch. Visit (45 minutes) Banteay Srei temple known as women citadel (built in 967 A.D dedicated to Brahma). While some of temple are impressive because of their sheer size, Banteay Srei stands alone in the quality of its construction and decoration. Its pink sandstone walls are decorated with what some consider the best carving of all, and still an excellent state of preservation.

Continue biking to visit Kbal Spean, the River of Thousands Lingas, lying under the river bed, people believe it brings fertility and blessing Angkor area as the river flows to Siem Reap. Walk 1,200meters to visit the Lingas and enjoy lunch and the water fall. On the way back, cycle on the main road to visit Landmine Museum of Mr. Akira. Mr. Ra is dedicated to clearing the Cambodian countryside of landmines laid during the years of conflict and relies entirely on visitors’ donation to fund his work. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 3: Rolous Group & Tonle Sap Lake (50km) (B,L)
Depart from the hotel, crossing the bridge at Old Market to cycle 15km toward Rolous Group. The first 2km, is on the tarmac road toward the bus station. Then, passing the rice field and the village. Rolous Group was the first capital of Angkor Empire during 800 A.D. Visit the Pre-Angkorian temples including Preak Ko, Bakong and Lo Lei. Afternoon, cycling to Tonle Sap Lake. Turn left at the crocodiles farm crossing the bridge. Then cycle on small road along the river through villages, pagodas and schools. This road is good for cycling as to avoid the busy traffic. After cycling 8km, turn right across the bridge to the main road as there is no further access on the small road. Continue cycling toward the hill about 3km (July-December) where the boat stop. (Note: January-June, the water is low and the boat will stop further 3km). Board on the boat to visit the floating village, floating school, fishing farm. After 1 hour boat drive. Return the Siem Reap on the main road to avoid cycling the same road. Overnight in Siem Reap.

Day 4: Siem Reap-Phnom Penh (18km) (B,L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to board speedboat to Phnom Penh (best from July to February). This boat trip takes 6 hours; the boat has life jacket and toilet. It is one of the best boat trip to cross Tonle Sap lake, one of the biggest fresh water lake in South-East Asia. When the boat leaves the dock, immediately you will be able to view the picturesque floating village. This community comprise of Cambodian, Vietnamese and Muslim minorities. The market, gas station and school are also floating. They move up and down depends on the season. In rainy season, Tonle Sap lake reaches 10,000 squre Km, but in dry season it’s got only 5,000 squre Km. Arrive in Phnom Penh port, afternoon visit Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 5 : Phnom Penh Cycle City Tour ( 35km ) (B,L)
Breakfast at the hotel. Today be guided through this bustling city to explore the main sights by bike, including Wat Phnom and Cheung Ek killing field. Phnom Penh has got more than 1 million population and the traffic has become very busy now. There is another option to visit the city by van. In the afternoon, visit the Independence Monument, Tuol Sleng Museum and Russian Market. Overnight in Phnom Penh.

Day 6 : Phnom Penh – Takeo ( 87 km ) (B,L,D)

After breakfast. Transfer 15km out of the busy traffic in Phnom Penh. Begin to cycle to visit Ta Phrom and Yeary Pov temples (12 century). Take a break for water and snack before heading to Phnom Chisor to visit the hill top 11th century temple. Enjoy packed lunch overlook the scenery of the countryside. Afternoon, cycle to Takeo passing Ta Mok’s house, the former general commander of the Khmer Rouge. Takeo is a less visited town with much relation to the past history. Board on the boat for sunset to Phnom Da to visit the hill top temple former the capital of Khmer Empire in the early century known as Funan. Overnight in Takeo.

Day 7: Takeo-Chau Doc (78km) (B,L,D)
Early breakfast. Fill in water and check visa for Vietnam one more time as Vietnam visa has to be done in advance. Cycle 53km to Phnom Den border crossing point. Take a break in half way for water stop. After immigration, say goodbye to our Cambodian driver. Lunch at the local restaurant at the border. After lunch, cycle to discover along the Mekong Delta road into the beautiful green countryside. Along the way you will see rice fields and water buffalos nearby the road. Arrive in Chau Doc, those with energy to spare can climb Sam Mountain for sunset! Dinner and overnight in Chau Doc.

Day 8: Chau Doc – Can Tho (50km+cycling) (B,L,D)
After breakfast, we leave for the floating houses on upper Mekong river by boat where we can see plenty of catfishes, red snappers… breeding under right their houses. What is an amazing life! Then keep boating to visit the Cham village with about 12.000 people who those are weaving sarongs, hats…by hands as keeping their ancestral tradition. Walk to the mosques that Muslims pray and teach Cham kids in Arabic for a while. Then we start cycling along incredible country roads from Chau Doc to Bachuc along the border, or re-trace back to triton (depending on road conditions). The cycling starts to gently undulate and mountains begin to loom as you ride out off Chau Doc. The presence of Thnot trees indicates the growing proximity to Cambodia and the local people speak Vietnamese as their second lanaguge. This afternoon, you will cycle to the killing fields of Vietnam at Bachuc, where Polpot’s regime massacred over 3,000 Vietnamese in 1978. Dinner and overnight in Can Tho.

Day 9: Cantho – Travinh (80km+cycling) (B,L,D)
After breakfast, there will be time to explore side tracks and trails as the cycling distance today is not far. This gives a great first impression of the “heart of Mekong”. We take first short boat trip to Vinh Long, one of the famous fruits town in Mekong. Then you bike along narrow country lanes, easy dirt tracks and trails. This biking is at its most glorious-through tiny orchards, witness colorful life along the riverside, pedal pass picturesque delta homes, pause to chart with welcoming villagers, clack across innumerable wooden bridges. Cross narrow canals on a local sampan, before finishing at the main ferry for a refreshing boat trips across the expansive Co Chien River. Ride final few km to the very pretty Khmer town of Travinh. Overnight in Travinh.

Day 10: Travinh – Mytho – Ho Chi Minh (50km+ cycling) (B,L)
After breakfast, start with a section of biking cuts off road onto gravel and dirt lanes, and weaves around hamlets, across water channels, and through quiet dense vegetation. This makes for superb biking after a ferry across the graping expanse of Cochien river from Travinh, the pretty tree lined town with a large population of ethnic Khmer. Then another section of crossing rivers and canals by numerous, ubiquitous, fascinating ferries, we bike through the route takes us through narrow roads and lanes, past banana plantations, fields of sugar cane, through the lush green landscape of the delta. The ride lead us right into the heart of the rural Mekong before arriving at Mytho – the gateway of the Mekong delta to end our cycling trip. From Mytho, we transfer a couple of hours to Ho Chi Minh City to avoid the busy traffic. TOUR ENDS.