Cycle Tour from Bangkok to Saigon

In the morning, your guide will pick you up from the start hotel. There is a preliminary discussion about the bike tour and preparation of the bike. Then the transfer takes place by vehicle to Pattaya (approx. 200 km), which is located in the middle of a fertile area on the Gulf of Thailand. This is where our bike tour begins and the first stage (approx. 50 km) leads us along the beautiful coast. The route is mostly paved with a few small climbs. We stop for lunch on the way. We reach our beach hotel in the late afternoon. Relax by the hotel pool or go to the sandy beach.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 50 Km (31 miles)
Accommodations: Princess Beach Resort & Spa

Chantaburi is considered the garden province of Thailand and is an important trading center for precious stones from all over the world. It is wrongly one of the least visited provinces in the country. Chanthaburi is also the province of deserted beaches and a paradise for cyclists. In addition to the diverse range of fruits that grows there, the region is characterized by lush greenery and a rather mild climate for Thai conditions. Chanthaburi also offers variety in terms of landscape: While the coast is still largely covered by mangrove forests, wooded hills towards the Cambodian border form the horizon, some of which are protected as a national park from clear-cutting. The special location between the hilly hinterland and mangrove swamp landscape is a cyclist’s paradise. The path leads along side roads through the mangrove swamps along the coast. On the way, we visit the Mangrove Forest Educational Park at Hat Laem Sadet. The wooden footbridge, which leads through a beautiful mangrove landscape, is around 1.5 kilometers long. The park is part of the research area of ​​the Thai Office for Agricultural Economics and also contains a large public aquarium and various plant gardens that provide an overview of the local flora.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 60 Km (37 miles)
Accommodations: Maneechan Resort

Transfer by vehicle to Pong Nam Ron. From here we cycle to the Cambodian border (27 km). After completing the entry formalities, we have lunch in a local restaurant. Then we drive another 20 km to the city of Pailin at the foothills of the picturesque Cardamom Mountains. Pailin was a former Khmer Rouge stronghold and a gem trading center. After the Khmer Rouge made a commitment in 1998 to stay out of the political clashes, the city was completely at peace. The city is now home to some former Khmer Rouge leaders who are waiting in the local prison for trial before the International Criminal Court. After driving along a dirty bumpy road, we reach the small town of Pailin. In the evening, watch the sunset at the Buddha statue on Phnom Yat hill, which overlooks the city. We look forward to a well-deserved shower and a welcome dinner at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 44 Km (27 miles)
Accommodations: Memoria Palace & Resort

After we drove out of the city, the route leads over a few slopes and down the hills again. Cows that have been pegged may also cross the road. Therefore, not only look at the animals but also pay attention to the rope, which could be a trip hazard. We cycle along the Cardamon Mountains, past rice fields and bright children greet and wave. The road between Pailin and Battambang has recently been improved. We take a break under the shade of a tree to fortify ourselves with drinks and snacks. Then we drive another 20 km to Sneung, where we take our lunch break. There is an old temple nearby that we can see. Or would you prefer a little nap? Then it goes another 20 km to Phnom Sampov. There are 700 steps to get to the 154 meter high mountain with the many sacred buildings and cave systems. From the mountain, there is a wonderful view of the vast landscape around Battambang. Now it is not far to Battambang and we drive to the city center to avoid the heavy traffic. Battambang is on the banks of the Sangker River and has many French colonial buildings and traditional Cambodian houses. It is worth taking a trip on the bamboo train to the countryside to avoid heavy traffic.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 85 Km (53 miles)
Accommodations: Maisons Wat Kor

After an early breakfast, we cycle to the ship landing stage, where we board a boat with which we continue to Siem Reap (if the water level is sufficient). The boat trip on the Sangker River takes about 6 – 7 hours. The river finally flows into Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Every year in June a unique natural phenomenon can be observed there. At that time, the Mekong River carried up to four times more water than in the dry months due to the monsoon rains. Since Cambodia is largely a very flat country, the water of the Mekong flows into the Tonle Sap River, which then changes its direction of flow. The lake plays an important role in the rural population as well as for the animal world. About an hour before we reach our destination, we pass the Prek Toal bird sanctuary, a breeding area for a few thousand water birds. After crossing Tonle Sap Lake we reach the floating village of Chong Kneas. Most residents live in houseboats or floating houses to compensate for the large fluctuations in the lake. After arriving at the landing stage, we ride our bikes about 15 km to our hotel in Siem Reap. we come by boat past the Prek Toal bird sanctuary, a breeding area for several thousand water birds. After crossing Tonle Sap Lake we reach the floating village of Chong Kneas. Most residents live in houseboats or floating houses to compensate for the large fluctuations in the lake. After arriving at the landing stage, we ride our bikes about 15 km to our hotel in Siem Reap.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 18 Km (11 miles)
Accommodations: Viroth’s Hotel

Today we explore the mysterious temple complex of Angkor on a bike tour. We cycle along a small shady street. We start with the Kravan Temple, one of the last large brick buildings. Then it goes to the monastery complex Banteay Kdei and the famous Ta Phrom, which is embraced by the roots of huge strangler figs and gigantic lianas. Ta Prohm was built in the 12th century as a Buddhist religious building. The archaeologists decided to leave the vegetation at Ta Phrom untouched to show how the original discoverers found the Angkor temple ruins. Our further bike tour leads past the temples Ta Keo, and Chao Say Tevoda before we reach Angkor Thom. There you see the terrace of the leper king, the terrace of the elephants, the overwhelmingly large Temple Mount Baphoun and the steep temple pyramid of Phimeanakas. We visit the impressive Bayon Temple, the real fascination of which is only revealed on the upper temple level. The temple is famous for its towers with face-high carved stone faces. Angkor Thom was built at the behest of King Jayavarman VII as the new capital of Angkor.

Then, we’ll pay our visit to the Angkor Wat temple, the largest religious monument ever built, and wander through the city’s mystical courtyards and jungle-covered temples, the best known and most breathtaking of all the sights and a highlight of any visit to Angkor complex. Spend the time exploring the ruins of Angkor Wat, the magnificent 12th-century capital of the Khmer Empire with our expert guide. After our visits to these magnificent temples, we cycle back to Siem Reap.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 30 Km (18 miles)
Accommodations: Viroth’s Hotel

Today the way leads us over the bridge at the old market to take the direction of the Roluos group. Roluos is a village with a group of monuments older than that in Angkor. The Roluos group is what has been preserved from the historic Hariharalaya, the first major Khmer capital of the Angkorian era. Passing rice fields and beautiful villages, we reach the boat dock at Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The boat takes us to the floating village with its meter-high stilt houses, as well as its own fish farm and school. Back in Siem Reap, you can relax with a 30-minute Khmer massage from the efforts of the past few days. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 40 Km (25 miles)
Accommodations: Viroth’s Hotel

After breakfast, we get on our bikes and explore the surroundings. Today we get an authentic insight into everyday life in Cambodia and its way of life. After driving through the area lined with palm trees, we reach the village center. We are already expected by a local here. Get to know the different steps of the rice growing process right from the start. Maybe they try their hand at rice harvesting? (depending on the season). In addition to tourism and the textile industry, travel export is one of the country’s main sources of income. Stroll through the village and go to school. After the visit, we stop for lunch in one of the food stalls near the legendary Beng Mealea Temple. The Beng Mealea temple complex was once one of the most dazzling centers of the former Khmer empire. As one of the most mysterious temples of Angkor, it is a spectacular sight, because nature goes crazy here. Until a few decades ago, it was completely taken over by the jungle landscape, dense jungle still dominates the scene. Plants grow out of cracks in the wall, and stones of sandstone several meters high are clasped by roots. The temple site is bathed in dim light through the evergreen canopy of leaves and is still an insider tip.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 60 Km (37 miles)
Accommodations: Viroth’s Hotel

After a good breakfast, our support vehicle takes us to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, and we move into our hotel there. On the way (approx. 5-6h) we stop Skun, where grilled spiders and barbecues are offered. The rest of the day we can explore the capital on your own.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Accommodations: Palace Gate Hotel & Residence

Today we’re going on a sightseeing tour of this vibrant city. We will explore the main sights by bike, including Wat Phnom and Choeung Ek. Phnom Penh has more than 1 million inhabitants and there is a lot of traffic. There is also the possibility to take the sightseeing tour in the van. We visit the Independence Monument, the Tuol Sleng Museum and the Russian market. Visiting the Killing Fields memorial reveals Cambodia’s cruel past. Today’s Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum once served the Khmer Rouge as a torture center. Choeung Ek is the best known of the so-called “killing fields”, on which the Khmer Rouge regime executed around 17,000 people between 1975 and 1979. Today Choeung Ek is a memorial which is marked by a Buddhist stupa. The stupa has acrylic glass walls and is filled with more than 8,000 human skulls.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 35 Km (22 miles)
Accommodations: Palace Gate Hotel & Residence

This morning we take a short transfer away from the early morning hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh to Killing Fields, an extermination camp for political prisoners during the terror reign of the Khmer Rouge. We then start our ride through Takeo province where we will have time to explore the small yet picturesque Angkorian temples of Ta Prohm and Yeay Peau. Enjoy lunch there before continuing south towards Takeo, en-route, visit Chiso Mountain, where you can climb a 180-step to the top of the mountain to explore the well-preserved ruins of a 10th-century Angkorian temple. Enjoy a panoramic view of the countryside, then we transfer to Takeo to our overnight there.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 87 Km (54 miles)
Accommodations: Alice Villa Hotel

Today we leave Cambodia and travel across the border to Vietnam. We start early in the morning and cycle 53 km to the border crossing at Phnom Den. After completing the entry formalities, we say goodbye to our Cambodian driver. Lunch at a local restaurant on the border. After lunch, we cycle along the main road into the beautiful green landscape of the Mekong Delta. Along the way, you will see rice fields and water buffaloes near the road. Arrive in Chau Doc in the late afternoon. If you still have enough energy, you can climb Sam Mountain – a great place for the sunset!

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 75 Km (47 miles)
Accommodations: Victoria Nui Sam Lodge

After breakfast, we take a boat tour to the floating houses on the upper Mekong River. Because of the seasonal floods, the Cham villages are built on stilts three meters high. There are also fish farms with catfish, red snapper and much more directly under the houses. What an amazing life! In a village, we visit a weaving mill for sarongs and hats, which are handcrafted here according to old traditions. Then we start our bike tour along beautiful country roads from Chau Doc to Ba Chuc, always along the border. We visit the Vietnamese Killing Fields – the sad scene of a massacre under the Pol Pot regime. The tour takes us past several temples. We continue to Can Tho and notice the changing landscape.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 50 Km (31 miles)
Accommodations: Victoria Can Tho Resort

After breakfast, there is the possibility to explore some of the small paths and side paths by bike, because our stage today is not very long. This gives a good first impression of the “heart of the Mekong”. We first take a short boat trip to Vinh Long (depending on water level), a famous fruit city in the Mekong Delta. Then you cycle on narrow country roads and easy dirt roads. This bike tour is almost unbeatable in terms of scenic beauty. We drive past tiny orchards, watch the colorful life along the river, pass picturesque houses and countless wooden bridges. Now it is only a few kilometers to the very pretty town of Tra Vinh. The city is very inviting with colonial facades and friendly people.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accomplished: 80 Km (50 miles)
Accommodations: Tra Vinh Lodge

After breakfast, we go on the last stage of our cycle tour from Bangkok to Saigon. We take a dirt road that leads us over water channels and through quiet dense vegetation. We enjoy wonderful views of the landscape of the delta. Past banana plantations, sugar cane fields and through the lush green landscape of the delta, the further journey leads us straight into the heart of rural Mekong. We reach My Tho – the gate of the Mekong Delta – the end point of our bike tour for us. Here we change to the vehicle and are driven to Ho Chi Minh City. Our bike tour ends on arrival in the city.

Meals: Breakfast