Cycle Vietnam and Cambodia - 13 Days

Our tour starts today in the vibrant heart of Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City, still affectionately known as Saigon. As the largest city in the country, Ho Chi Minh pulses with energy, ancient pagodas and bustling street markets collide with sleek skyscrapers and trendy cafés. It's a city of contrasts, where tradition meets innovation and every corner tells a new story of Vietnam's bold, entrepreneurial spirit. Our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 4pm for a welcome meeting, followed by a walking tour. The tour will introduce us to some of the highlights of the city, including the Opera House, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral and the impressive French-style GPO building. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), which is a 30-minute drive from our hotel depending on traffic. Please note that if you want to join the orientation walk this afternoon, you'll need to arrive at the hotel by 4pm. If you're booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself 30 minutes to one hour to clear the airport. Therefore, the latest your flight can arrive is 2pm. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will leave a note at the front desk to let you know of any essential information.
If you arrive earlier in the day, you may wish to explore the Presidential Palace, visit the War Remnants Museum, or simply wander the vibrant streets of the city.

This morning, we'll take the chance to get acquainted with our bikes. Then, we'll drive out of the city to Cu Chi (a two-hour journey), where we start our ride to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels at Ben Duoc. On the way, we'll pass through the Vietnamese countryside, with views of farms, rice fields, and locals working or moving cattle. The Cu Chi Tunnels offer a glimpse into the underground network used during the Vietnam War. On arrival, you'll have time to explore the site and learn how the tunnels were used. They're narrow and can feel cramped, so if you'd prefer not to go inside, you're welcome to sit this part out.Our total cycling distance today is approximately 33 kilometres/20.5 miles.

To avoid the traffic in Saigon, this morning we'll drive to Tan An (a two-hour journey), from where we'll cycle towards My Tho, following a network of less busy roads and narrow riverside dirt tracks. Founded in the 17th century by Chinese immigrants, My Tho is a peaceful city in southern Vietnam, known for its lush river landscapes. It's also the gateway to the Mekong Delta and will be the launch point for our private boat trip along the Mekong River. Taking our bikes with us on the boat, we'll cruise to Qui Island, where we'll stop for a local lunch before continuing our cruise to the other side of the river. We'll transfer to small sampans to explore a tributary creek through the mangroves, before visiting a local community centre. Here, we'll be able to try honey tea and local fruits while we listen to traditional rural singing and music. We might also get the chance to see local coconut candy production and try out the final product. After our visit, we'll continue by bike through the flat landscape of the Mekong Delta to your accommodation in Ben Tre. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 43 kilometres/26.7 miles (approximately 27 kilometres/16.8 miles in the morning and 16 kilometres/9.9 miles in the afternoon).

We plan to leave our hotel after breakfast this morning and cycle to Binh Hoa Phuoc Island for lunch. We'll cycle along quiet roads, via the old church at Cai Mon. After lunch, we'll take the local ferry to Vinh Long, from where we'll ride through a beautiful and fertile region to Can Tho. Can Tho province sit in the heart of the Mekong Delta, the region that produces most of Vietnam's rice. As we travel through the area, we'll pass endless rice paddies and waterways that are essential to daily life and farming. Along the way, we may also stop at a local business - such as a small market or fish-processing workshop - for a closer look at life in this important agricultural region. If you'd rather not cycle, there's the option to cover the final 22 kilometres/13.7 miles of today's journey in the support vehicle. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 60 kilometres/37.3 miles.

This morning, we'll take to our bikes once again and meander down narrow lanes following the river, to see a little more of rural Vietnam. One of the most fascinating sights in the Mekong Delta is the floating market- a way of life that's slowly disappearing. We'll travel upriver by small private ferry to explore this unique scene, where boats loaded with fresh produce gather to trade directly on the water. While the market is quieter today than in the past, it still offers a glimpse into a traditional way of life that may soon vanish entirely. After our boat trip, we'll hop back on our bikes and ride along the narrow footpaths alongside the riverbank, catching a glimpse of everyday life and perhaps seeing people catching fish from the river, or mending baskets and repairing tools by the bank. The Vietnamese are renowned for their ingenuity and can create all sorts of new items from recycled products. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 16 kilometres/9.9 miles.

Today, we'll drive northeast towards Chau Doc on the Cambodian border (a 90-minute journey). Once past Long Xuyen, we'll begin our cycle ride on quieter back roads along a trail that loops around to Chau Doc. With a rich ethnic mix of Chinese, Cham and Khmer communities, Chau Doc is an interesting city, dotted with temples, churches and mosques. Upon arrival, you'll have the option to join an excursion to Sam Mountain, located just a few kilometres southwest of the city. The trip includes a rickshaw ride and a boat journey along the Mekong to visit a floating fish farm and a nearby Cham village. From there, we continue on foot to Sam Mountain - more of a hill than a mountain - dotted with colourful temples and pagodas influenced by Chinese architecture. On clear days, the summit offers sweeping views across the border into Cambodia. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 30 kilometres/18.6 miles.

This morning, we'll drive the short distance to the dock and take the speedboat ferry to Phnom Penh, crossing the border at Vinh Xuong (Vietnam) and Kaam Samnor (Cambodia) before continuing along the Mekong, as we head for the Cambodian capital. The boat journey will take the whole morning (around four hours), giving us time to relax and soak in the riverside scenery. On arrival at Phnom Penh, we'll transfer to our hotel and have some time to relax before our afternoon city tour. Our tour includes the National Museum of Arts, with its impressive collection of Angkor sculptures, the Royal Palace, where we visit the Silver Pagoda, named because of the 5,000 silver tiles that cover its floor and Wat Phnom, where we can pray for good luck. Please note that there is no cycling today.

After a short drive up the river, we'll cycle to catch a ferry across to Koh Dach Island, where we'll explore by bike. At just 30 square kilometres/11.6 square miles, this secluded and sleepy island offers a peaceful contrast to the bustle of Phnom Penh. Known locally as 'Silk Island', the ladies here weave silk scarves on wooden looms in their homes, which are sold in the markets on the mainland. We'll likely hear the clatter of looms and see children and animals by the side of the quiet roads as we cycle. We then return to the capital in time for lunch. In contrast to our quiet morning, this afternoon, we'll delve into the country's darker past with a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the 'Killing Fields' of Choeung Ek. Both are a gruesome testament to life under the Khmer Rouge, and you should be aware that many visitors find these sites distressing. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 20 kilometres/12.4 miles.

We have a long day ahead of us today, travelling by both bicycle and bus. This morning, we'll leave Phnom Penh and cycle about an hour and a half along the highway to a local market, where you'll have time to explore the stalls. Then, we'll take a 45-minute bus ride to Prae Toteung, where we'll get back on our bikes and follow the river toward Kampong Cham, stopping there for lunch. Once an important French trading post, Kampong Cham is Cambodia's third-largest city, with colonial architecture still visible today. After lunch, we'll visit Wat Nokor, an 11th-century Mahayana Buddhist shrine that uniquely houses a modern working wat within the ancient Khmer temple ruins. From there, we'll continue by bus on a three-hour journey (with a rest break) to Kampong Thom, near the remarkable pre-Angkorian temple complex of Sambor Prei Kuk. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 40 kilometres/24.9 miles.

This morning, we'll cycle straight from our hotel along peaceful country roads and paths north of Kampong Thom to Sambor Prei Kuk. Once the capital of the region, this area is now home to over 100 ancient temples nestled in the forest - some of Cambodia's oldest. We'll end our ride at one of these classic temples, exploring it on foot before taking a three-hour bus journey onward to Siem Reap. This evening is free for you to explore the great shops and restaurants of this small, bustling town, the entry point to visit the spectacular temples of Angkor. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 28 kilometres/17.4 miles.

We have an early start this morning, setting off at 5 am to collect our temple passes and visit Angkor Wat to watch the sunrise\emdash an unforgettable sight at this UNESCO World Heritage site. After exploring the temple, we hop back on our bikes and cycle to Banteay Srei, famous for its stunningly well-preserved bas-reliefs. There's time to explore before lunch. This afternoon, we drive south to Ta Prohm, a captivating temple known for its towers and courtyards entwined with giant tree roots and surrounded by lush jungle. Afterwards, we return to Siem Reap. This evening is free for you to relax or explore more of Siem Reap, a vibrant town known not only for its proximity to the temples but also for its lively markets and rich cultural scene. This evening is free for you to relax or explore more of Siem Reap. You might take a stroll to the lively Pub Street, well-known for its vibrant nightlife, restaurants, and market stalls.

Our total cycling distance today is approximately 25 kilometres/15.5 miles.

Today, we continue exploring the temple complex with a visit to the fortified city of Angkor Thom. Within its walls lies one of Angkor's true treasures \emdash Bayon Temple, famous for its maze-like corridors, gothic-style towers, and captivating central temples. After exploring the ruins this morning, we'll head back to Siem Reap for lunch. The afternoon is yours to relax or explore. You might take a tuk-tuk back to Angkor to visit more temples, or join an optional unguided trip to Tonle Sap Lake, about 30 minutes south. Alternatively, you can visit the Apopo Visitor Centre to learn about the HeroRATs or Les Artisans d'Angkor to discover traditional crafts and the techniques that helped build Angkor. In the evening, a highlight for many is attending a performance by the Phare Circus. This remarkable show combines theater, music, dance, and breathtaking acrobatics, all performed by talented young artists from local communities. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 15 kilometres/9.3 miles.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Siem Reap. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Siem Reap at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Siem Reap International Airport (SAI), which is around a 60-80-minute drive from our hotel.