Cycle Bangkok to Saigon - 14 DAYS

Cycle Bangkok to Saigon - 14 DAYS

TOUR OPERATES: Cycle Bangkok to Saigon

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Combining Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in two weeks, this exciting trip is a great opportunity to experience the diversity of Indochina. Each country has a unique feel and history, and cycling is the best way to experience every aspect of the people, landscapes, sights, colors and smells of this fascinating culture.

 

TOUR SUMMARY

Day 1: Bangkok - Khao Yai national park

Day 2: Khao Yai national park - Prachinburi

Day 3: Prachinburi - Sa Kaew

Day 4: Sa Kaew - Aranyaprathet

Day 5: Aranyaprathet - Siem Reap

Day 6: Siem Reap

Day 7: Siem Reap

Day 8: Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

Day 9: Phnom Penh

Day 10: Phnom Penh - Chau Doc

Day 11: Chau Doc - Mekong Delta

Day 12: Mekong Delta - Saigon

Day 13: Saigon

Day 14: Saigon

 

DAY 1: BANGKOK - KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK

On arrival at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, your guide will pick you up and bring you to your hotel near Khao Yai National Park (approximately 3 hour drive). In the afternoon, we have a short warm-up ride through the nearby rural villages. We stay tonight in a pleasant resort with a swimming pool. The rest of the day is free at leisure and you can adjust yourself to your new environment and go out and explore. 

Overnight at KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK. Hotel Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 2: KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK - PRACHINBURI

Our cycle route today is 90 km in total, but we suggest you do not attempt to cycle the full distance unless you are well acclimatized to the heat. The support vehicle follows us throughout the day, and you can cycle as much or as little as you like. Our route follows minor roads, byways and the occasional dirt trail as we skirt Khao Yai, which translates as the ‘Big Mountain’. We will pass through small rural villages, Buddhist monasteries and rice paddy fields. Continuing the ride along country back roads, we arrive at our rustic resort in the late afternoon with time to relax before heading out for dinner and sampling some of the delicious local dishes (at own expense). 

Overnight in PRACHINBURI. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 3: PRACHINBURI - SA KAEW

Riding directly from the resort, we follow minor roads through Thai rural landscapes including rubber and eucalyptus plantations as well as tapioca and rice fields. Today, there are a few easy rolling hills, but the route is mostly flat. There will be plenty of opportunities to stop for taking photos or chatting with the friendly Thai locals. The ride ends with a short section on a busier road as we enter the town of Sa Keaw where we will stay for the night. Once we arrive, you are free at leisure for the rest of the day. 

Overnight in SA KAEW. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 4: SA KAEW - ARANYAPRATHET

Leaving our hotel early in the morning, we ride towards the beautiful Pang Sida National Park, where we can stop by a reservoir for a refreshing swim and a view of the unspoiled picturesque jungle on the other side. The afternoon ride follows very quiet, but well-maintained scenic roads on the way to Aranyaprathet, a town located just 10km from the Cambodian border. There we will stay for the night. 

Overnight in ARANYAPRATHET. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 5: ARANYAPRATHET - SIEM REAP

After breakfast, we cycle to the border and complete customs formalities as we cross the border into Cambodia. On arrival in Poipet, we cycle to the town of Sisophon where we have lunch together. After that we hop on the bus for our drive to Siem Reap. The magnificent Angkor complex of temples is without doubt one of the most astounding archaeological sites in the world and declared a UNESO World Heritage Site with justice. Scattered over an area of 200 square kilometers, only Egypt’s Nile Valley can compare to this vast array of ancient monuments. The ancient city of Angkor served as the royal center from which a dynasty of Khmer Kings ruled one of the largest, most prosperous and sophisticated kingdoms in the history of South East Asia. With a history covering over 600 years from 802 A.D. to 1432 A.D., at the height of their power, the Kings of Angkor ruled over a territory that extended from the tip of the Indochina peninsula, northward to Yunnan and from Vietnam, westward to the Bay of Bengal. We cycle today about 40 km. 

Overnight in SIEM REAP. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 6: SIEM REAP

Today, we choose to have an early start to avoid the inevitable crowds drawn to the wonders of Angkor. The various temples are spread over a wide area, and are linked by shady avenues: meandering our way between them by bike gives us a unique perspective. Our cycle tour will include visits to Ta Prohm, the jungle-covered temple with amazing tree roots clinging to the ancient stones, the Bayon, with its 37 pagodas (originally there were 49) topped with the four faces of the king, South Gate of Angkor Thom, the Elephant Terrace, Baphoun, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Terrace of the Leper King and, of course, the fabulous Angkor Wat – with its huge moat, long causeway and massive towers – it is the largest temple complex in Asia. Today we cycle about 30 km. 

Overnight in SIEM REAP. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 7: SIEM REAP

Today, we cycle outside the main Angkor complex to the outlying temple of Banteay Srei, 28 km from Siem Reap town. Our route takes us past paddy fields, and through pretty villages. Banteay Srei was built in the 10th century and, although it is not a big temple, it is famous for its detailed and intricate stone carvings. It has been sometimes referred to as ‘the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art’. After visiting Banteay Srei, you have the choice to either continue cycling around and exploring more temples independently or driving back to Siem Reap. Siem Reap town is pleasant to wander around and do not forget the Night Market for some great souvenir shopping or perhaps a “Dr. Fish” massage. Pub Street (and the surrounding alleys) in the evening, offer a wide variety of restaurants and bars to choose from – so you will not go hungry (or thirsty) during your three nights in Siem Reap. Today we cycle about 30 km. 

Overnight in SIEM REAP. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 8: SIEM REAP - PHNOM PENH

We leave Siem Reap this morning heading south by bus and make our way to Phnom Penh. We roughly travel around the Tônlé Sap River which flows into the shallow Tônlé Sap Lake, the largest of South East Asia’s lakes. Numerous streams feed the lake and then it drains by the Tônlé Sap River west to the Mekong River. During the wet monsoon season of June to November, the high waters of the Mekong River reverse the flow of the Tônlé Sap River and increase the size of the lake from about 2,600 to 10,400 square kilometers. As it begins to recede again, the lake’s huge stocks of fish are easily trapped in nets and bamboo traps or simply caught in the branches of trees. Before reaching Phnom Penh, we will stop at the town of Skuon, where the local delicacy is fried spiders! In the 1950s and 1960s, Phnom Penh was one of the finest cities in South East Asia. Despite the wide scale destruction that took place after the Khmer Rouge emptied the city in 1975, Phnom Penh still manages to exude some colonial charm from a bygone era. Particularly down on the palm-fringed riverfront where a number of French-era shops and villas still exist and the spires of the Royal Palace pierce the skyline. 

Overnight in PHNOM PENH. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 9: PHNOM PENH

This morning, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of Phnom Penh to include the Royal Palace (home to current Cambodian monarch – King Sihamoni) and the infamous Tuol Sleng Prison. Also known as Security Prison 21 (S21), Tuol Sleng Prison is a former high school that was transformed into a detention and interrogation center. An estimated 14,000 to 20,000 Cambodians accused of being traitors were tortured to death or sent to their execution from here. We join our bus to visit another reminder of the Khmer Rouge atrocities. Just as horrifying, the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek are situated 15 kilometers southwest of Phnom Penh and an estimated 17,000 people met their death at the hands of the Khmer Rouge here, most clubbed to death to save ammunition. A stupa-like tower of skulls was erected here in 1988 as a reminder of the atrocities that took place. After this sobering morning, we visit the Russian Market – a good place to look for clothing or sarongs before having the rest of the day exploring Phnom Penh city by ourselves. There is plenty to see including the temple of Wat Phnom, the National Museum and the French Quarter. There are also ‘bargains galore’ waiting to be picked up at another of the city’s most popular markets – the Central Market is where you will find the cities best gold and silver jewelry merchants. 

Overnight in PHNOM PENH. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 10: PHNOM PENH - CHAU DOC

This morning, we drive south along National Road 2 through the town of Takeo. Here, the road becomes quieter and we mount our bikes for the 50 km ride to the Phnom Den/Tinh Bien border. Please note that a Vietnamese visa must be obtained prior to joining this tour as it is impossible to obtain one at the border. Once border formalities have been completed, we meet our Vietnamese leader and cycle approximately 20 km around the base of Sam Mountain and on to our final destination, Chau Doc – an active trading town due to its proximity with the border. The market area runs along the riverfront and sells black market goods smuggled in from Cambodia. Being on the water allows us to see the interesting lifestyle of many of the local people. Homes are built over metal netting and their inhabitants are kept busy producing enormous amounts of food to feed the thousands of fish being bred here.

Overnight in CHAU DOC. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 11: CHAU DOC - MEKONG DELTA

This morning, we transfer by road to Long Xuyen, where we take a public ferry across the river. From here, we begin cycling along a scenic quiet road, lined with small villages and dwellings, towards Vinh Long. Leaving the bikes on the mainland, we take another boat (20 min) to reach our homestay on an island in the Mekong delta. After settling in, we can explore the area on foot. The rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta form an amazing network of waterways. The area is famous for its abundant rice production, but in many areas farmers are now moving to more profitable fish-farming, and fruit and vegetable growing. We sleep in a communal purpose built room, with bedding provided. The experience is simple but unique and offers us an insight into the way that the local people live. 

Overnight in the MEKONG DELTA. Homestay Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 12: MEKONG DELTA - SAIGON

We leave by boat, stopping en route for a look at the Cai Be floating market. Here, large boats moor up in the Mekong River, weighed down with fruit and vegetable produce. Local traders and shop owners buy in bulk in this strictly ‘wholesale’ market. A little further on, we make a short stop to see local cottage industries producing such items as popped rice, popcorn and other homemade products. We continue by bus to Cai Lay where we begin a scenic ride through fruit orchards and along the Mekong riverbank. Back on the bus in My Tho, we drive on to Saigon. Officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after reunification in 1975, most people here still prefer to use the old name, Saigon. Once referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Saigon, with its unofficial population of around 8-9 million, is Vietnam’s largest city and stands in stark contrast to the capital, Hanoi. Perhaps Saigon lacks the same colonial charm of its northern cousin but it still has a certain tropical ambience and general hustle and bustle that makes it a distinctly modern South East Asian city. 

Overnight in SAIGON. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 13: SAIGON

On a city tour this morning, we will visit the Reunification Palace (formerly South Vietnam’s Presidential Palace), War Remnants Museum (with its graphic depiction of the horrors of war), the French built Notre Dame Cathedral and the Gustav Eiffel designed Central Post Office. The afternoon is free for you to explore on your own – maybe take a cyclo ride through the city, boat trip along the Saigon River or pamper yourself at one of the many spas around the city. 

Overnight in SAIGON. Accommodation is included in this package.

 

DAY 14: SAIGON

Today is the last day of your tour. You can use your hotel room in Saigon until check out time (most times at 12 pm noon). We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Asia.When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any post-tour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (Day 14) is not included. 

We hope you had a great time traveling with us and exploring the natural and cultural wonders of Nepal.

Please keep in mind that for Day 14 no accommodation is included.Please let us know if you wish to have post tour accommodation or any other transfers to make your holiday most enjoyable.

 

Note: Any above mentioned journey times are of course approximate.

* Hotel check-out times are midday. Late check-out is not included.*Please note that you have to be at the Airport 02 – 03 hours prior to the departure Flight.

PRIVATE TOUR

BASED ON TWIN SHARE  
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
Price per person  
USD 2,499.00 PRICE PENDING!

 *Accommodation & Transportation is subject to availability at booking moment & Tour price is subject to seasonal fluctuations 

 

Included:

  • Accommodation in hotels/resorts 1 night stay at the Mekong Homestay
  • Airport transfers upon Arrival in Bangkok and departure in Saigon
  • Daily breakfast & all other meals mentioned in the itinerary
  • Local English speaking tour leader
  • Bicycles and helmets as per tour program
  • Accompanying van for the cycle tours
  • Van driver

 

Excluded:

  • Visa charges
  • Insurance coverage / Personal accident and health insurance
  • Expense of personal nature like tipping, laundry, and telephone/fax calls, alcoholic beverages, camera/video camera fee at monuments, medical expenses, airport departure tax etc
  • Any other services the is not mentioned above

 

Supplements (Optional)

 Price

Tour Extensions

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Other Optional Activities      

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Pre-Tour / Post-Tour accommodation   

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Hotel Upgrade

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