CYCLING TRIP IN INDOCHINA FOR 18 DAY 17 NIGHTS

•The cost:USD 2.499 per person
•Countries visited:Vietnam-Cambodia-ThaiLand
•Total cycling distance:Approx 995 km
•Destinations: Sai Gon - Cu Chi Tunel- Mekong delta ( Cai be - Can tho - Long xuyen - Chau doc- Ha tien) - Kamport - Ta keo - Phnom phenh -Kampong cham - Siem riep- Angkor wat - Battembong - Pailin - Kos chang (Thailand ) - Bangkok

 Tour Itinerary: INDOCHINA BIKING TRIP SAI GON - MEKONG DELTA - CAMBODIA - ANGKOR - BANGKOK

Day 1: Saigon-Cu Chi Tunnel

Pick up at your hotel and transfer with bikes for an hour to the outskirts of Saigon. Cycle on single track trails through a village where farmers of Cu Chi doing their daily life such as, making bamboo baskets, bamboo furniture, and collecting rubber latex. You will also see big rural family rice-paper workshops. This land was not only the hidden area but also fighting and living area of Viet Cong during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1975. Have a picnic lunch after visiting the tunnel, then transfer back Sai Gon. over night in Sai gon.
Activities:
• 25km biking.
• Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Saigon, Cai Be, Vinh Long & Can Tho – Cruising & Cycling

After breakfast then check out transferre to Cai Be which is a bustling river market and here you will enjoy a cruise along the Mekong Delta and visit the colourful floating market as well as visiting nearby Dong Phu Island. Here you will explore the shady surroundings as you spin through orchards and witness the daily life of the farmers. After leaving the island you head to Vinh Long and then continue cycling through the heart of the Mekong Delta crossing countless canals and rivers that irrigate this vivid, arable landscape. After a few ferry crossings, always a good opportunity to interact with the friendly locals, you arrive in Can Tho, the unofficial capital of the Mekong Delta. It is a friendly lively city with rice husking mills being a major source of employment.
Activities:
• 55km biking.
• Meals: breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Cruising & Cycling Can Tho Long Xuyen

An early start as you take a boat trip along the Hau River to the Cai Rang floating market, one of the biggest in Vietnam, here you will witness a mass of wooden boats of all sizes converging to sell their wares. Your small boat allows you to weave in-between these waterborne traders getting up close and personal, great for photo opportunities and buying some produce yourself! Afterwards it is back on the bicycles as you pedal amongst vivid greens and friendly faces. You are now heading deeper into the delta and the roads narrow and the traffic becomes lighter. Absorb the sights as you cycle past endless cottage industries, timber merchants, coconut shredders, small docks loading/unloading rice, and tiny vibrant markets. In the afternoon you enjoy a gentle coast through one of the most scenic parts of the delta as you follow the Mekong through traditional villages and past fish farms, over small bridges, a more rural feel… arrival Long xuyen. Over night in Long Xuyen
Activities:
• 80km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Cruising & Cycling from long xuyen – Chau Doc

Once more, the scenery is completely different. After a short transfer to Triton, the cyclingstarts to gently undulate and mountains begin to loom as you ride closer and closer to Chaudoc. The presence of Thotnot trees indicates the growing proximity to Cambodia and the local people speak Vietnamese as their second language. This afternoon you will cycle to the killing fields of Vietnam at Bachuc, where Polpot’s regime massacred over 3,000 Vietnamese in 1978. The route loops round to Chaudoc from Bachuc along the border, or re-trace back to triton (depending on road conditions) and ride the rest of the way to Chaudoc along incredible country roads. Those with energy to spare can climb Sam Mountain for sunset (if the time and the wether is available)! Dinner and overnight in hotel
Activities:
• 60km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Cruising & Cycling from Chau Doc to Ha Tien

Another early start as you board a boat and explore the amazing riverside market with all its bustling activity and smorgasbord of sounds, colours, and smells. The boat continues through fish farm villages where tons and tons of fish are bred in cages beneath floating homes, to an ethnic Cham village with its famous Mubarak Mosque. Here you will also witness women weaving using traditional methods. You then cycle along a pleasant road, passing vibrant green rice fields, crossing many bridges, seeing towering limestone formations in the distance. There is plenty along the way to see, from the contrasting architectural styles of ethnic Khmer homes, to the numerous colourful Khmer pagodas now you are getting closer to Cambodia. By the late afternoon you arrive in Ha Tien which has a forgotten feel but still retains a certain charm with its shuttered terraces, crumbling colonial buildings and mats of seafood drying in the sun…
Activities:
• 80km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Farewell Vietnam, Hello Cambodia

This morning you bid farewell to Vietnam as you cycle the short distance to the border crossing with Cambodia. Your introduction to Cambodia will be cycling along quiet coastal dirt roads passing through salt flats and small villages. Your first port of call will be the coastal resort of Kep which is now undergoing a revival after years of neglect. You will have lunch here and perhaps try the tasty seafood the area is renown for. After lunch you spin the final 35km to Kampot. The town has an undeniable charm, being a sleepy, quaint place with a relaxed ambience and friendly locals, the streets are quiet and there is a lot of French colonial and Chinese influenced architecture still surviving, and it all that wasn’t enough there is a wonderful riverfront where you will experience possibly the most beautiful sunset in Cambodia as the sun slips down behind the nearby mountains…
Activities:
• 65km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Cycle Kampot to Takeo (85km)

As you leave Kampot you cycle through some inspiring limestone karst scenery, picturesque villages including some ethnic Cham settlements, and endless rice fields. Takeo does not have a lot to boast about being a small provincial capital made up of many local government department buildings. However, around the market area there are some old colonial villas in differing states, and the waterfront promenade makes for a pleasant late afternoon sunset stroll. A real taste of small-town Cambodia well off the tourist trail!
Activities:
• 85km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Cycle Takeo to Phnom Penh

After breakfast this morning you have the opportunity to visit a local orphanage managed by ‘New Futures’. Here you will learn more about the great educational work they are doing in the surrounding poor villages, and how Asia Adventures is working together with them through its \\\'Pedal2Empower\\\' cycle donation project. As you leave Takeo you spin north passing through more endless rice paddies. After some time you turn off the main road to visit Tonle Bati, a riverside location where you have time to explore the small, yet picturesque Angkorian temples of Ta Prohm and Yeay Peau. You will then avoid the ‘main’ road as much as possible and upon reaching the outskirts of Phnom Penh you will stop-off at the \\\'Killing Fields\\\'. This is where Khmer Rouge prisoners were forcibly marched from the Toul Sleng prison in the city centre and then executed; it is now a memorial site located in a beautiful tranquil setting. After some contemplation you can either negotiate the rush-hour traffic into the heart of Phnom Penh, Cambodia\\\'s capital city, or opt for taking the support vehicle.
Activities:
• 85km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Phnom Penh City Cyclo Tour

On your first morning in charming Phnom Penh you will may be pleased to discover that today it is someone else’s turn to do the pedalling as you are treated to a fun cyclo tour, a traditional mode of transport. Your first stop will be the terracotta red National Museum which offers a charming setting for a comprehensive collection of Khmer artefacts. After this you will visit the nearby Royal Palace, on the banks of the mighty Mekong river. Inside the Palace walls you will be treated to the Throne Hall, the Chan Chaya Pavilion, and the King’s residential quarters. You will then move onto the neighbouring Silver Pagoda, so named as it is claimed its floor is made up of over 4,000 silver tiles! After lunch it is back in the cyclos as you are pedalled through the streets of Phnom Penh to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S21), ironically a former school, located in a quiet Phnom Penh suburb, this was the infamous Khmer Rouge prison / torture centre. You will then visit the Russian Market an excellent place for picking up souvenirs.
Activities:
• cyclo tour
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Phnom Penh to Kompong Cham

This morning you leave the busy streets of Phnom Penh and after 40km turn off the main road and enjoy a shady ride following the course of the Mekong River along a mostly unpaved, and at times bumpy road toward the town of Kompong Cham. Foreigners are rare through these parts so expect a few surprised faces as you cycle through the many traditional villages where you will witness people busy with their everyday lives: cooking, cleaning, playing, leading the cows to the river, cycling school kids, pagodas & monks, and the sun-drying of bright red chillies, pepper, rice, and fish by the side of the road, and of course the river life on the mighty Mekong which keeps coming and going from view. There are plenty of cool, shady, scenic spots for rest breaks where the curious locals are sure to want to say ‘Hello’. Kompong Cham retains a number of French influenced buildings and trader shop fronts - while often badly dilapidated they retain an austere grace so totally lacking from the more modern concoctions that invariably flank them. Given its small size its easy to explore by foot, which you are free to do after you have checked-in to your hotel.
Activities:
• 65-105km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: Kompong Cham, Beng Mealea & Siem Reap

An early start this morning as you leave Kompong Cham and soon turn off the main highway and follow a road which gradually climbs and passes through shady rubber plantations. After 75km you reach the small town of Prey Thom Tratrav and rejoin the main highway. From here you will travel in the support vehicle for the 150km drive to the market town of Dom Dek. From here you will re-mount your bikes and cycle the 30km to the temple remains of Beng Mealea, a truly atmospheric experience. Only recently re-discovered the temple has been consumed by the voracious appetite of nature and is largely overrun by vegetation, the trees that have forced their way through the stone towers and galleries make it a shady and cool place to relax. As you explore you feel like a true adventurer! Afterwards you drive to Siem Reap and check-in to your hotel
Activities:
• 105km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12: Exploring the Magnificent Angkor Temples by Bike

This morning you begin your cycle exploration of the incredible Angkor temples. Today focusing on the Small Circuit which features temple greats such as: the pyramid of Takeo, the jungle-clad Ta Prohm made famous by the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Tomb Raider’; Sras Srang known as the King\\\'s bathing pond; and the impressive Royal City of Angkor Thom, where you will find the Bayon, a temple famed for its many gigantic carved faces smiling beguilingly down at you. You will also visit other important sites in this immense walled city. After lunch it is time to take on the majestic Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious building. After being initially inspired by its overall size you will explore in more detail, getting up close and personal to fully appreciate its architecture and intricately detailed bas-reliefs. After returning to the hotel you are free at leisure to experience Siem Reap’s nightlife which includes many fine restaurants and lively bars.
Activities:
• 40km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: Cycling to Beautiful Banteay Srei Temple

Today you pedal north towards Banteay Srei. This cycle ride is a real delight as you pass through pleasant Cambodian countryside and its friendly villagers. On route we will stop off at a couple of villages to get a closer look at the wooden stilted homes and every day life. One thing you will notice for sure is large black pots in people’s gardens containing a thick light brown bubbling mixture - this area is famed for its sugar palm tree sweets, sure to give any cyclist a much needed energy boost! On arrival at Banteay Srei you will be struck by its delicate beauty. It is an elaborately decorated temple, embellished with floral motifs and scenes from the Ramayana, all carved from pink sandstone. It is said the carvings must have been done by women as the detail is too fine for the hands of a man. You will have lunch at a local restaurant, after which you cycle back towards Siem Reap, and depending on the time explore some of the temples on the Grand Circuit such as: Preah Khan or ‘Sacred Sword’, one of the largest temples at Angkor; Neak Pean surrounded by fountains and ponds; and Banteay Kdei. This evening you will enjoy dinner and a mesmerising Apsara dance performance.
Activities:
• 80km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14: Siem Reap – Battembang

Today we have another break from riding and visit the floating village before heading across the lake to Battembang, Cambodia's second capital, a sleepy city full of faded colonial charm. Overnight in Battembang.
Activities:
• 65km biking.
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15: Battembang – Pailin

We saddle up and ride south to Pailin. The road in sections is in poor condition but the scenery is the most impressive as we head towards Thailand. The road undulates as we get closer to Pailin but there is nothing to step or long. We will cross streams and bridges and really get a feeling of riding into uncharted territory. This used to be bandit country, but don't worry the area is now completely safe.
Activities:
• 89km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 16: Pailin Border - Baan Pakad - Koh Chang (Cross border to Thailand)

Our guide and driver will meet you at Baan Pakad border. After that you can ride through the Thai countryside before take a break with lunch at local restaurant. Then, transfer by air conditioned vehicle to Ferry Pier in Trad province and get on board to Koh Chang , transfer by land to hotel in Koh Chang.Dinner at hotel.
Activities:
• 30km biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17: Free day Koh Chang (Thailand)

Free day at the beach to relax in this quite secluded part of Thailand - a must for anyone wanting to see some off the beaten track beaches.

Activities:
• No biking.
• Meals: Breafast

Day 18: Morning Free. Afternoon transfer to Bangkok(Thailand)

Upon arrival by boat from Chang Island, your guide will meet you at Ferry Pier and accompany you during the transfer by air-conditioned car to your hotel in Bangkok or transfer to Suvanabhumi Airport and assist you with the check-in at the airport for your departure flight. End of tour and welcome back.

Activities:
• No biking.
• Meals: Breafast, Lunch

Note for Accommodation

Note: Prices are based per person, double occupancy, with a separate cost for solo travelers. If you are traveling in a group but prefer single accommodations, a single supplement fee applies. Triple accommodations are not available in many of the destinations we visit.