Tonle Sap Cycling

Day 1: Siem Reap – Kampong Thom

At 8:00 AM, our guide and driver will meet you at your hotel in Siem Reap and transfer you to the starting point for our cycling adventure. After a briefing and bike fitting, we’ll begin our ride through the villages, making several stops along the way to observe the daily activities of the villagers, including farming, weaving, and visiting a local school and pagoda. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing our ride to the ancient bridge in Kampong Kdei. From there, we’ll transfer by support vehicle to Kampong Thom for an overnight stay.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 70km
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Kampong Thom Palace Hotel (superior) or a similar standard hotel

Day 2: Kampong Thom – Pursat

Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll begin our biking adventure from the hotel, riding along the red dirt roads that lead us through the expansive rice fields surrounding Tonle Sap Lake. Along the way, we will make numerous stops to observe villagers engaged in rice farming, fishing, and other cultural activities in the area. Next, we will cross the Tonle Sap River using a local ferry and enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch, we’ll cycle around the town of Kampong Chhnang to visit a local family known for their pottery craftsmanship, where you’ll see how they create clay pots, cookers, and more. Finally, we will transfer to Pursat for our overnight stay.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 70km
Transport: Private vehicle and drive
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Pursat Sanctuary Hotel (deluxe) or a similar standard hotel

Day 3: Pursat – Veal Veng

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we’ll take on the challenge of biking to the Cardamom Mountains. We won’t ride all the way to the top, but we will cover approximately 70 km on the less hilly sections of the road, with the remainder of the journey supported by our vehicle. This area is characterized by its lush jungle and mountainous terrain, and we’ll make several stops along the way to explore interesting cultural activities of the local villagers. After lunch, we’ll drive up to the hilltop where we’ll spend the night at a hotel with stunning views.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 70km
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Hidden Left Resort (superior) or a similar standard hotel

Day 4: Veal Veng – Samlout

Breakfast at the hotel. Start your day with a delightful breakfast and coffee at the resort, enjoying the fresh air and beautiful views from the hilltop. Afterward, we’ll bike down the hill to Pramouy and then continue our ride to Samlout, an area rich in local plantations featuring crops like corn, green beans, cassava, durian, and longan. Upon arrival in Samlout, we’ll check into the hotel, and you’ll have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy your leisure time.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 70km
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Happy Long Bride Resort or a similar standard hotel

Day 5: Samlout – Battambang

After breakfast at the resort, we’ll embark on a cycling journey through the villages, making several stops to visit local farms and interact with families along the way. You’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing swim in the river during our lunch break. Following lunch, we’ll continue our ride towards Battambang.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 70km
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Classy Hotel & Spa or similar

Day 6: Battambang

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we will ride 60 km through Battambang, visiting three significant sites: Phnom Banon, Phnom Sampeav, and Ang Kimping Puoy, along with a 30-minute Bamboo Train ride.

We’ll start our cycling journey from the hotel, taking the back roads through small villages as we head towards Phnom Banon. Along the way, we’ll stop to visit local families, allowing you to learn about their everyday lives, family histories, and traditions. After climbing over 350 steps to reach Phnom Banon, you’ll be rewarded with a serene setting and breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, dotted with small villages and endless rice paddies framed by sugar palm trees.

After descending, we’ll enjoy a thrilling 30-minute Bamboo Train ride before continuing our ride to Phnom Sampeau. This impressive limestone outcrop features several caves, some of which are accessible and contain poignant reminders of Cambodia’s turbulent history. Take your time to explore the grounds of this fascinating site.

Our final stop will be Ang Kimping Puoy, where we’ll break for lunch before transferring back to Battambang via support vehicle. Known as the Killing Dam, Ang Kimping Puoy was one of the Khmer Rouge’s ambitious projects aimed at reinstating the irrigation systems of ancient Angkor. Tragically, it’s believed that around 10,000 Cambodians perished during its construction due to executions, malnutrition, and disease. In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 55km
Transport: Private vehicle and driver (and boat ride)
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Classy Hotel & Spa or similar

Day 7: Battambang – Siem Reap

After enjoying breakfast at the homestay, we’ll begin our cycling journey from the hotel, making our way through the city and passing by the main market of Battambang. We’ll ride along the riverside of Stueng Sanke, making stops to visit local villagers who are making banana cake, rice whiskey, rice paper, and other traditional products.

Next, we’ll board a local boat for a ride across Tonle Sap Lake, where we’ll visit Wat Cheu Know, a temple built over 100 years ago on the sacred island of the lake. After exploring, we’ll continue our bike ride to the meeting point where we’ll meet the bus driver for our transfer back to Siem Reap. This concludes our tour, and you’ll be dropped off in Siem Reap.

Included for the day:
Cycling: 55km
Tour guide: English-speaking guide
Meals: Breakfast, lunch