Mekong Delta to Angkor Wat Cycling Tour

Welcome to Vietnam! Meet your group and tour at the hotel for a quick discussion of the tour itinerary. Settle into your room, then meet your group again to take a walking tour of Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon. Get your introduction to this fascinating city by visiting landmarks such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the old Saigon Central Post Office, and the Ben Thanh Market. Vietnamese food is one of the highlights of this tour, and you’ll indulge in a big feast at a group dinner where your guide will tell you more about the days to come.

Prepare for your first day of cycling with a hearty breakfast. Pack up and follow your guide on a fragrant and informative journey near the Mekong Delta. Meet local artisans who will show you how they craft their own paper and make coconut candy and popped rice. As you make your way to your final destination, you’ll take a small ferry, which is a chance to give your legs a rest and to observe the surrounding of abundant fruit and vegetable plantations that fuel your morning fruit salad. Cruise through the murky waters of the Mekong Delta, surrounded by palm fronds and lush vegetation, to reach An Binh Island where a homestay awaits you for the night. If you still have the energy, take your bike for a ride around the island, or stash it and explore on foot.

After breakfast and a delicious Vietnamese iced coffee, ca phe sua da, you’ll be ready for today’s ride on canal paths and narrow countryside lanes. Take a ferry to leave An Binh island; then, you’ll enter into beautiful lush fields and ride alongside small villages. Travelling through Vietnam on a bicycle is one of the best ways to see this country. Take your time pedaling past the many rice paddies with water buffalo grazing. You’ll cross rivers, see the sun shining on coconut palms, and pass by photogenic village homes in the Delta. Tra Vinh, a small Khmer town, awaits at the end of today’s route. Settle into your hotel when you arrive, then take some time to explore the charming town before hitting the hay.

Once you fill up on breakfast, hop on your bike to the beautiful Ba Om Lotus Pond, a serene lake covered with lotus flowers with an adjacent Khmer pagoda. Today’s route covers a lot of distance, but you’ll be pleased to pedal these flat roads lined with coconut palms and rice fields for hours. End the route in the Mekong Delta town of Can Tho to stay for the night.

Today starts with a boat trip to visit Cai Rang Market, the floating market in Can Tho. You can explore on your bike, or opt to ride in the support vehicle if you need to give your legs a rest. Today, the route also includes a visit to Can Tho’s Stork Sanctuary, comprised of grass and bamboo fields that sit among charming villages in the Delta. Continue cycling through the stunning rural settings to reach Long Xuyen for a good night’s sleep.

Get a transfer to your starting point today after breakfast. You’ll ride a long, flat route along several river channels as you make your way across the Mekong Delta towards the Cambodian border. Midday, enjoy a visit to the vibrant Tra Su Nature Reserve replete with flooded mangrove forests and about 70 different bird species, among other impressive flora and fauna. End the day in Chau Doc, and take time to check out its floating market if you’re up for it. Otherwise, enjoy your last night in Vietnam. Off to Cambodia tomorrow!

After almost a week of riding, you probably want a rest! After breakfast, embark on a speedboat to cross the Cambodian border and arrive in Phnom Penh, where a Cambodian guide will accompany you to your hotel. Settle in, then meet your group for an afternoon tour of Phnom Penh by tuk. Visit several historical and cultural monuments, temples, and markets to get a glimpse of Cambodian life. Return to the hotel in Phnom Penh to get some sleep.

Today you’ll get an early start to kick off the Cambodian portion of this tour. Starting with a ferry across the Mekong River, you start cycling from the east bank towards a local weaving house. Stop here for a brief workshop on the production of krama, gorgeous Cambodian silk scarves. Continue riding along the rural backroads, passing through small villages, noting the differences in culture between Vietnam and Cambodia. Cross the Mekong River again on another ferry, then continue to Kampong Cham where you’ll settle in for the night.

Get an early start today as you’ll spend some time exploring the magnificent Sambor Prei Kuk Archaeological site, which might soon become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site comprises temples built between the 6th and 9th centuries—you will feel the mystical atmosphere as you explore the grounds. Surrounding this visit to the park, you will pedal past many small villages where you can stop to taste some Khmer delicacies from food stands lining the streets. Keep riding on flat dirt roads among picturesque scenery until you reach Kampong Thom to find your hotel for the night.

Today’s route includes a lengthy stop at Beng Mealea Temple, deep in the Cambodian forests. Built by the same person who constructed Angkor Wat, this temple is less-visited but nonetheless spiritual and mystical. Enjoy a lunch break next to Troav Kot lake, then continue the journey to Siem Reap, where you’ll spend the next few nights as a home base to explore the enchanting Angkor Wat complex.

The world’s largest religious monument awaits you today. Starting super early, you’ll watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat, marking the beginning of what will surely be a dreamlike day. Hit some of the highlights of this massive complex of temples, feeling the undeniably spiritual ambiance as you admire ancient temples from the 6th century and the encroaching jungle upon them. Continue to Srah Srang for an incredible sunset view before heading back to your hotel in Siem Reap for the night.

For your last full day of the tour, you will ride through enchanting small villages around Siem Reap until you reach Tonle Sap lake. Enjoy a picnic lunch in a stilt house, then set out on a boat to explore Kompong Kleang floating village. If you haven’t taken enough pictures already, now is certainly the time! The lake stretches as far as the eye can see, and you’ll be fascinated by the floating village and all the locals at work in the market. Ride some easy roads to return to Siem Reap for your final night.

Enjoy your final breakfast, and recall some of your favourite highlights from the tour. Say goodbye to your group and tour guide and head home or continue your adventure from here!