VIETNAM CYCLING HOLIDAYS

CYCLE SAIGON (Vietnam) to BANGKOK (Thailand) PACKAGE

Day 1: Arrive Saigon (Hochiminh City), Vietnam

On arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. After checking-in you are free at leisure for the rest of the day. Accommodation at Rex Hotel www.rexhotelvietnam.com (4 star)

Day 2: Saigon, Cai Be, Vinh Long & Can Tho – Cruising & Cycling (max 55km) [B/L/D]

This morning you will meet your cycle guides and be fitted to your bicycles before being transferred       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. You will have lunch on the island, including a variety of freshly picked fruit. 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. On arrival in Can Tho you will check-in to your hotel [Suggested: Saigon Cantho Hotel (3 star) - www.saigoncantho.com.vn]

Day 3: Cruising & Cycling Can Tho to Chau Doc (max 125km)       [B/L/D]

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 ourself! 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 ecomes lighter. At Thot Not you will stop off at a Stork Sanctuary before having lunch in the town of Long Xuyen. After lunch 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… On arrival in Chau Doc you will check-in to your hotel [Suggested: Chau Pho Hotel (2-3 star) – no website].

            If time and energy permits you may wish to hike to the top of nearby Sam Mountain for     great             sunset views out across the rice fields of Cambodia in the distance.

Day 4: Cruising & Cycling Chau Doc to Ha Tien (max 80km)          [B/L/D]

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, and noticing the Khmer influenced pagodas as you get closer to Cambodia. By the late afternoon you arrive in Ha Tien and check-in to your hotel [Suggested: Saigon Ha Tien Hotel (2-3 star) – no website]. Coastal Ha Tien, only 8km from the Cambodian border, 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…

Day 5: Farewell Vietnam, Hello Cambodia (max 65km)      [B/L/-]

This morning you bid farewell to Vietnam as you cycle the short distance to the border crossing with             Cambodia. Once you have completed the customs formalities you will be met by your Cambodian cycling crew. For your introduction to Cambodia you will cycle 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 renowned for. After lunch you spin the final 35km to Kampot, where on arrival you will check-in to your hotel. Mea Culpa Guesthouse (3 star) – www.meaculpakampot.com 

Kampot 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 Chineseinfluenced 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…

Day 6: Kampot to Takeo : ride 45-60km

 Depart from Kampot and cycle through inspiring limestone karst scenery. See picturesque villages, including some ethnic Cham settlements, and endless rice fields. On arrival in Takeo you will check-in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. You can walk along the waterfront promenade, ideal for a pleasant late afternoon sunset stroll.

 Day 7: Cycle Takeo to Phnom Penh( ride 90km)
Visit a local orphanage managed by 'New Futures' and learn more about their great educational work in the surrounding villages, and how Asia Adventures is working with them. Visit Tonle Bati on the banks of the river, where you will have time to explore the small Angkorian temples of Ta Prohm and Yeay Peau. Your next stop is the infamous 'Killing Fields', where Khmer Rouge prisoners were forcibly marched from Toul Sleng Prison in the city center and then executed. Nowadays it is a haunting memorial site, located in a beautiful and tranquil setting. Check-in to your riverside Cambodiana Hotel in Phnom Penh and enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 8: Phnom Penh City Cyclo Tour
Today it is someone else's turn to do the cycling! Rest your legs as you are treated to a fun cyclo tour of Phnom Penh. See the city via this traditional mode of transport, and stop at the National Museum, which offers a charming setting for a comprehensive collection of Khmer artifacts. Continue to the nearby Royal Palace and the neighboring Silver Pagoda. Your cyclo driver will then take you to a local restaurant for lunch. Afterwards it is back in the cyclos as you are pedaled through Phnom Penh to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, the infamous Khmer Rouge prison. Next stop is the Russian Market, an excellent place to buy some souvenirs. Later you will be taken back to your hotel, where you are free at leisure for the rest of the evening.

Day 9:PHNOMPENH-KAMPONG CHANG(cycle 91km)(B,L,D)
You will depart early this morning by bike and head north on National road N5 via the ancient Japanese bridge and start travelling through the Cambodian countryside. You will share the road with light local traffic and get a good sense of what Cambodian transportation actually is. After 12kms you arrive at Prek Phnov and at that junction you turn left onto unpaved roads, passing local villages and rice fields. As you continue along you pass the ancient capital of Udong where the Udong Mountain is still home to many old Royal Palaces. You will pay a visit to one of the remaining stupa’s and afterwards you will ride along the paved road heading north-west to Kampong Chnang. Kampong Chnang is the provincial capital of the province of the same name. The Tonlé Sap River passes by Kampong Chnang home to a floating village located 91kms north of Phnom Penh. The area is scenic and across the river you can find several ancient temples from the Chenla period, such as Samrong Sen and Prasat Prah Srey. You will experience great views of the countryside and meet hordes of local people welcoming you with broad smiles and greetings. Overnight and dinner in Kampong Chnang.
 

Day 10: KAMPONG CHANG-SIEMREAP(cycle 70km)(B,L,D)
This morning  you will start with a boat transfer (approx 4-5hrs with pic-nic lunch on board) to Siem Reap crossing the immense Tonlé Sap Lake. The Tonlé Sap Lake is the heart of Cambodia and nearly half of the Cambodians live on the lake. It is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia and its biodiversity has put the lake amongst the ecological seven wonders of the world. Upon arrival in Siem Reap you will pass the floating village of Chhong Kneas a bustling trade centre for fish sales and tourism. You cycle 12kms into town before exploring the world largest heritage site: Angkor Wat. You will cycle towards the Angkor complex and cross the check point, from there the loop you take passes by many different styles of temples. The shady roads contribute to a pleasant ride through the complex where literally dozens of temples are scattered around. You stop at Srah Srang for refreshments and enjoy the sights of this former Royal Pool. You then cycle via the temple of Banteay Kdei which is one of the largest in the complex. Most of the massive complexes were built between the 11th-13th century. A little further along you will find yourself passing Neak Poan, a small temple located on the Grand Circuit. Not many people visit here which is great as the crowds are nowhere to be seen. You will continue another 6kms along the Grand Circuit and pass Preah Kahn and eventually the former capital of the Khmer Empire; Angkor Thom with the Bayon Temple in its heart. Finally you head towards the highlight of the day: Angkor Wat! There you celebrate your accomplishment and head back to town for dinner, a fine feast & celebration with traditional Khmer dancing and food in the Apsara Theatre. Overnight in hotel.

Day 11: SIEMREAP-Angkor(cycle around temples if you prefer)
This morning you will enjoy a sunrise visit to the temples of Angkor to give you the opportunity to see the ruins in all their splendour. Angkor Wat itself is just one of the many temples in the region but is one of the best preserved and most impressive. It is worth climbing the remarkably steep and narrow steps of the central spire for the view over the whole temple surrounded by jungle. Angkor Thom, is a fascinating ruin featuring many mysterious giant carved faces and some incredible wall carvings, and is one of the most remarkable sights in the area. Also not to be missed is the temple of Ta Prohm, which has been left to be reclaimed by nature and features incredible tree roots breaking through the stone carvings and walls, a fascinating tribute to the power of nature over man and an experience reminiscent of ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Tomb Raider.’ You will end up today’s route with a visit to Preah Kahn, which is one of the largest complexes and also left out by pretty much every tourist. After your visit, you will head back through the complex to your hotel.

Day 12: Cruise from Siem Reap to Battambang
You cycle 15 kilometers (9 miles) to the port of Tonle Sap Lake to board the boat to Battambang Province. Pass through the floating village of Chong Khneas where you witness an entire bamboo village complete with homes, gas stations, schools, hair dressers, and even karaoke bars floating on water. Traveling by boat from Siem Reap to Battambang is arguably the most fascinating river trip in Cambodia and takes around 6 - 7 hours. After arrival in Battambang you cycle the last 5 kilometers (3 miles) to your hotel. The rest of the day is free.

Day 13: Cycle from Battambang to Pailin
Leave Battambang Town and cycle to Pailin. See the imposing limestone outcrop of Phnom Sampeau with its hilltop pagoda. Then continue bicycling along endless rice paddies, small villages and shady trees. You pass through various pleasant small villages made up of wooden shacks and shady trees. Excellent places to stop for a rest and get some real interaction with the curious and friendly locals. In the evening you are free to explore and buy your own meal.


Day 14: Cycle from Pailin to Pong Nam Ron
Cycle to the quiet Cambodian/Thai border crossing into the foothills of the scenic Cardamom mountains. Immediately on crossing the border you will notice the difference in the fortunes of these neighboring countries as you leave the dirt roads of Cambodia and cycle on the tarmac roads of Thailand. On arrival in Pong Nam Ron enjoy a dip in the hotel pool and relax with a well-earned beer, overlooking the adjacent golf course with a backdrop of forested mountains.

Day 15: Cycle from Pong Nam Ron to Chaolao Beach
You bike 110 kilometers (68 miles) to the coast and Chantaburi province. As the day progresses you head to the coast and notice the scenery changing from forests and distant mountains to coastline. Pass by plantations, forests, many small local villages and taste plenty of fresh fruit in Chantaburi province. Finish the ride right on the quiet beach of Chaolao for a refreshing dip in the sea before dinner.


Day 16: Cycle from Chaolao Beach to Laem Mae Pim Beach
Cycle along the beaches and enjoy marvelous seascapes. See local fishing villages, seafood markets, and plenty of temples. The mangrove swamps and fruit plantations add a diversity to the scenery on this very picturesque of bike rides. You also take some short ferry crossings which help to save some distance by taking you directly across the estuaries. End the day at beautiful Laem Mae Phim Beach where you will have some free time to relax and take a dip in the clear warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand.

Day 17: Cycle from Laem Mae Pim Beach to Bangkok
Today you get to relax on the beach before taking a short gentle bike ride around the area. You will then transfer to Bangkok where you will have your final night and a farewell dinner.

Inclusions:
• All sightseeing tour and transfer services as detailed in the above itinerary
• Accommodation as detailed
• Private air conditioned support vehicle
• English speaking local guide
• English speaking local cycle guide / mechanic
• All entrance fees for attractions included in the above itinerary
• Daily cold drinking water, snacks and cool face towels whilst cycling
• All boats trips as detailed
• All meals as detailed in the above itinerary (B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D = Dinner)

Exclusions:
• Services not detailed in the above itinerary
• International flights to Vietnam / from Thailand
• Vietnam & Cambodia and Thailand visa fees
• Any airport taxes
• Drinks with included meals
• Bicycle, however it can be hired for USD130
• Expenditure of a personal nature
• Discretionary tips
• Travel insurance