Cambodia Heritage by Bicycle

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Meet in Phnom Penh

   Welcome to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s vibrant capital! At noon, you'll gather at our tour hotel near the riverside, where you'll meet your fellow travelers over lunch at a nearby restaurant. The afternoon is dedicated to a well-rounded introduction to Phnom Penh’s rich and complex history. You'll start by paying your respects at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, once an interrogation center for the Khmer Rouge regime's perceived enemies. Now, it's a carefully curated museum, offering a space for reflection for both Cambodians and international visitors.
   
   Next, you'll explore the brighter side of Phnom Penh. Riding in local cyclos (bicycle-powered rickshaws), you'll wind through the bustling backstreets, flanked by the fading facades of French colonial buildings and vibrant everyday life. Your destination is the Royal Palace, the King of Cambodia's official residence, showcasing stunning architecture and art. After touring this magnificent complex, you'll return to the hotel and later gather for dinner on the rooftop, with a view overlooking the city and the meeting point of the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers.

   • Frangipani Royal Palace
   • Lunch and Dinner
2. Day 2Phnom Penh Island Hopping

   On the serene alluvial islands within the Mekong River, you'll discover a peaceful slice of rural Cambodia, dotted with rice fields, orchards, villages, and Buddhist temples—a refreshing contrast to Phnom Penh’s bustling streets and the perfect setting for your first ride! After a short transfer from the hotel, you'll reach a pier and take a ferry across to Koh Dach, known as “Silk Island.” Here, you'll saddle up and enjoy a leisurely ride through the countryside, passing through villages famous for their traditional cottage industries, particularly silk production. At a silk-weaving center, you'll have the chance to learn about the entire process, from cocoon to scarf.
   
   Next, you'll board another ferry to reach the eastern bank of the Mekong River, where you'll cycle to a local spot for a home-cooked Khmer meal in a stilt house. After lunch, you'll take the third ferry of the day, bringing you back to Phnom Penh’s lively promenade. From there, it’s just a short cycle back to the hotel. The afternoon is yours to relax or explore as you wish. You might choose to visit the infamous “Killing Fields” or explore Cambodia’s largest collection of antiquities at the National Museum (entrance fees at your own expense).
   

   • 23.6 miles
   • -23 ft
     305.1 ft
     328.1 ft
   • Frangipani Royal Palace
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
3. Day 3Phnom Penh - Oudong - Kampong Thom

   You'll transfer out of Phnom Penh to the starting point of today’s cycling adventure at a Buddhist temple. The ride will be short but delightful, taking you along back roads through the rustic countryside, dotted with small villages, farms, and friendly locals who will cheer you on as you pass by! You'll finish the ride at Oudong, where a sprawling complex of Buddhist stupas crowns a ridge that rises from the plains. This site once served as Cambodia’s capital before it was relocated downriver to Phnom Penh. Climbing the 400-plus steps to the top will give your legs a workout, but the breathtaking views make it all worthwhile! After exploring the area, you'll enjoy lunch nearby before transferring 3-4 hours to the tranquil town of Kampong Thom, where you'll spend the night.
   

   • 16.8 miles
   • 62.3 ft
     629.9 ft
     567.6 ft
   • Sambor Village/Glorious Hotel & Spa
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
4. Day 4Kampong Thom - Siem Reap

   Starting directly from your hotel, you'll begin your ride along the winding Stueng Saen River. After 8 km, you'll cross the river either by a small wooden ferry or a makeshift bridge, depending on the water levels, and then continue north along quiet country roads that cut through the fertile floodplain. This is rural Cambodia at its best, as you cycle through charming villages, vast rice fields, and other farmlands.
   
   After covering 40 km, you'll reach the ancient site of Sambor Prei Kuk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that predates the foundation of Angkor and represents one of Cambodia’s earliest civilizations. Here, you'll find brick temples in various stages of restoration—many still entwined with tree roots—scattered throughout a forested area connected by sandy paths, perfect for some fun mountain biking. After exploring a collection of these temples, you'll take a break for lunch at a local restaurant before completing the final 15 km of the ride, ending at the main road. From there, you'll hop into the support vehicle for a 2-hour transfer to Siem Reap, the “gateway to Angkor,” where you'll spend the next two nights.
   

   • 37.9 miles
   • -3.3 ft
     961.3 ft
     964.6 ft
   • Steung Siemreap Hotel
   • Breakfast and Lunch
5. Day 5Ancient Angkor's Iconic Sites by Bike

   The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor is home to the once-glorious capital cities of the Khmer Empire, where powerful god-kings built magnificent stone temples between the 9th and 15th centuries CE. Today, you'll explore Angkor’s most iconic sites by cycling along the many paths that wind through, around, and among the temples and ruins scattered across the plain.
   
   At Ta Prohm, made famous by the film *Tomb Raider*, you'll encounter a crumbling façade of laterite and sandstone blocks, entwined with the massive roots of fig trees. At the Bayon, a temple designed as a microcosm of the heavens, you'll be captivated by the rows of divine faces carved into the temple towers, gazing serenely in all directions. Finally, at Angkor Wat—the national symbol of Cambodia and the largest religious structure in the world—you'll stroll through the inner and outer courtyards, adorned with exquisitely preserved carvings depicting Hindu myths, battles, life, and death.
   
   You'll cycle back to Siem Reap in the early afternoon for some well-deserved relaxation. Tonight, dinner will be a special experience, accompanied by a graceful Apsara dance performance, a legacy of the regal Angkorian courts.
   

   • 26.1 miles
   • 
     1,095.8 ft
     1,095.8 ft
   • Steung Siemreap Hotel
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
6. Day 6Siem Reap Countryside & Tonle Sap Sunset Cruise

   As the perfect follow-up to the previous day, today you'll venture beyond Angkor’s main sites, escaping the crowds for a more tranquil experience. Departing Siem Reap by bike, you'll head north, starting on paved roads before transitioning to quiet dirt paths that wind through vast rice fields and small villages. Along the way, you'll stop at local homes to get a closer look at rural cottage industries like basket weaving and sugar palm production.
   
   Your ride culminates at the 10th-century temple of Banteay Srey, a gem of Khmer artistry known for its intricate bas-reliefs carved into pink sandstone. After exploring the temple, you'll enjoy lunch at a nearby local restaurant before transferring back to Siem Reap.
   
   In the afternoon, you'll embark on a sunset cruise on Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake and one of Cambodia’s most essential natural resources. Relax on an open-air boat as you take in the sights of floating villages and the vast, shimmering lake at golden hour.
   
   Tonight, you'll dine at SPOONS, a social enterprise restaurant that serves authentic Khmer cuisine while supporting the professional training of marginalized youth.
   

   • 33.6 miles
   • 105 ft
     561 ft
     456 ft
   • Steung Sieamreap Hotel
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
7. Day 7Farewell Ride

   Make the most of your final morning in Siem Reap with a farewell cycling loop through the rustic Cambodian countryside. The highlight of the ride is a visit to Phnom Bakong, a majestic 9th-century sandstone pyramid and one of the oldest Angkorian temples still standing. Along the way, you'll also stop at a newer Buddhist temple for a refreshment break and immerse yourself in the local culture with a stroll through a bustling fresh market, where you'll find a variety of produce, meats, and freshwater species on sale.
   
   Returning to Siem Reap by lunchtime, you'll enjoy a final meal together before saying your goodbyes.
   

   • 23.6 miles
   • 
     383.9 ft
     383.9 ft
   • Breakfast and Lunch