Saigon to Bangkok by Bicycle

We start our adventure through southeast Asia meeting at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (please contact us if you need rooms or flights from Bangkok). You are free to explore the city on your own today, discovering the sites, smells, and sounds of Vietnam’s former capital. In the evening, we dine at one of Ho Chi Minh City’s finest restaurants!

After breakfast, we transfer a couple of hours out of Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre - the gateway to the Mekong Delta. We start our bike tour in Vietnam cycling into the heart of rural Mekong, pedaling down narrow roads and lanes, past banana plantations and fields of sugarcane. A section of biking takes us off road onto gravel and dirt lanes, weaving through hamlets, across rivers, and through quite thick vegetation; this makes for superb biking. A final ferry crossing takes to Tra Vinh, a pretty tree-lined town home to many ethnic Khmers.



Ride: 65km

Elevation: +249m

Descent: -254m

The route today is peaceful, and the road is scenic all the way to our destination of Can Tho. There is plenty to see along the way from contrasting architectural styles of Khmer homes and temples to the rich and colourful river scenes when crossing many small bridges.



Ride: 92km

Elevation: +341m

Descent: -339m

A morning visit to Cai Rang Floating market sets the mood for our cycle through the Mekong Delta. We ride through quaint countryside, under useful Thot Not, or toddy palms. All parts of the Thot Not can be used, from the stem to leaves and the fruit. Once reaching Thoi Lai, we transfer to lunch. We can relax after lunch as we have a one-hour transfer to Ba Chuc, where we will have a sombre visit to the Killing Fields of Vietnam, where Pol Pot’s regime massacred over 3,000 Vietnamese in 1978. We then loop around Ba Chuc along the Cambodian border and ride the rest of the way to Chau Doc, along incredible country roads. We cycle directly to Sam Mountain, which is more of a hill, where we arrive in time for sundowners and take in the setting sun over the rice fields. A very short transfer takes us to our hotel.



Ride: 70km

Elevation: +365m

Descent:-367m

Cruise up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh from our overnight stop at Chau Doc. We get a chance to rest our legs as we see many scenes of local daily life along one of Asia’s great rivers. As we head into Cambodia, we stop at the capital Phnom Penh before heading north to cycle among 1,000 years of Khmer history. In the afternoon, we visit Tuol Sleng Prison (S21) and the Killing Fields to learn about Cambodia's turbulent past under the Khmer Rouge regime.

We have a late start to give you time to explore Phnom Penh. We then transfer out of Cambodia's capital, stopping for lunch. Afterwards, we start cycling toward Phnom Pra Reach, or Oudong Mountain, the former capital of Cambodia. The 400-plus steps to the top will get the legs working over-time, but the view is worth it! This ride gives us a chance to see rural Cambodia - stilted houses, ox carts, waving children, and, of course, the friendly Khmer people. After our visit, we transfer 3-4 hours to Kampong Thom, where we will overnight.



Ride: 25km

Elevation: +83m

Descent: -77m

We start the day with a short transfer to the ancient temple site of Sambor Prey Kuk. This temple site was constructed in the 7th century and functioned as the capital of the Chenla Empire. After our guided tour through the temples, we have a short transfer to the small town of Damdek, where we offload the bikes and begin cycling toward Siem Reap for 65 km.



Ride: 65km

Elevation: +197m

Descent: -194m

This morning, we start our bike ride to the entrance of Angkor Wat and head to Ta Prohm, famous from the film “Tomb Raider”, deliberately left by French conservationists in the same condition as it was discovered: overgrown by strangler fig and silk-cotton trees, giving it a mystical and romantic appeal. We continue to Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, and the Terrace of the Elephants.We enjoy lunch at Sala Suessey Lakeside Restaurant before we explore the biggest religious Hindu edifice in the world - Angkor Wat. Considered the masterpiece of Khmer architecture, this Vishnuite temple is the king’s funerary temple, which is why the temple faces west. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. After our visit to these magnificent temples, we cycle back the 7 km to Siem Reap.



Ride: 30km

Elevation: +190m

Descent: -190m

After breakfast, we head onwards to Banteay Srei temple. We cycle through rural countryside to this famous temple which has the best-preserved bas-reliefs and stone carvings in Cambodia. The temple is small in size, but of huge significance in understanding the Angkor Era. From here, we continue cycling on rural roads, taking a break for a restaurant lunch before we reach Kbal Spean, also known as the Valley of 1,000 Lingas. We put the bikes aside for a moderate 3-km trek uphill through jungle to a river bed with submersed carvings and a beautiful waterfall (in rainy season only). After our visit, we return to Siem Reap by vehicle. Dinner is at your leisure.



Ride: 56km

Elevation: +239m

Descent: -184m

We take a rest from cycling and transfer across Tonle Sap by boat. Along the way, we’ll see the local people going about their daily lives, and if we’re lucky, we can spot some wildlife on the banks. During the end of the dry season, lake levels may be too low to allow boat passage to Battambang. In this case, we’ll transfer by van to Battambang. But don’t worry, once we arrive, we’ll have some time to explore the city and surrounding countryside.

We depart for Pailin, cycling directly from our hotel. This is the toughest day as some sections of the road is in poor condition and bumpy (in dry season, can get dusty), 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 too steep or long. We cycle through stunning countryside, where farms and local villages can be seen along the way, and really get a feeling of riding into unchartered territory. This used to be bandit country, but don’t worry, the area is now completely safe!



Ride: 95km

Elevation: +625m

Descent: -433m

A short pleasant ride on the quiet scenic roads to the border crossing. This quiet rural crossing used mainly by local traders makes for a pleasant stop while we complete all the immigration formalities. Once completed, we start our bike tour in Thailand with a ride through the Thai countryside till we reach the main road and transfer with a change of guides, vehicle, and bikes to the beach, with lunch in Chantaburi.



Ride: 44km

Elevation: +376m

Descent: -365m

We have a flat and easy ride through mangroves, shrimp farms, and along the coast. We overnight at a very local Thai beach and have the afternoon free to go for a swim or a walk on the sand.



Ride: 65km

Elevation: +251m

Descent: -245m

We have the morning to enjoy the beach before we head back to Bangkok. We arrive in the city around 3 pm. IF you'd like to extend your time in Thailand we can help you to plan extra days at the beach or a nearby island.