Ho Chi Minh City to Angkor Wat Cycling Tour

Xin chào and welcome to Vietnam!

Upon landing at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, you will be greeted with warm hospitality and transferred to your hotel in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. Once known as Saigon, this vibrant metropolis is a fascinating blend of timeless heritage and cosmopolitan flair. Take a moment to unwind, then step outside to feel the city’s lively pulse, boulevards lined with French architecture, buzzing markets, and hidden cafés. In the late afternoon, gather in the hotel lobby to meet your guide for a friendly trip briefing. As the sun sets, indulge in a sumptuous welcome dinner, setting the tone for your cycling adventure ahead. 

Overnight in Hotel des Arts Saigon Ho Chi Minh City

Cycling: ±25km | Driving: ±70km 

After breakfast, leave the city behind with a short drive to Hoc Mon town. Here, begin a gentle cycling journey through emerald rice fields and rubber plantations, immersing yourself in the quiet rhythms of rural life. Your destination is the legendary Cu Chi Tunnels, an intricate underground network that once sheltered soldiers during the Vietnam War. Explore the passages, hear stories of resilience, and glimpse what life was like beneath the earth.

Following a traditional lunch, return to Ho Chi Minh City for an afternoon of discovery. Visit the historic Reunification Palace, admire the neo-Romanesque beauty of Notre Dame Cathedral, and step inside the elegant Saigon Post Office. End the day wandering Ben Thanh Market, alive with color, flavor, and local energy.

Overnight in Hotel des Arts Saigon Ho Chi Minh City

Cycling: ±60km | Driving: ±70km 

Leave behind the urban bustle with a two-hour drive into the fertile Mekong Delta. Here, begin your cycling journey along peaceful rural paths shaded by coconut palms and fruit orchards. The Delta is a world of timeless charm, where farmers tend rice fields and artisans keep age-old traditions alive. After covering around 20km, pause at a delightful garden café for a light picnic lunch, surrounded by lush greenery. In the afternoon, continue your ride south, cycling another 40km across small islands linked by ferries, each crossing offering sweeping views of the mighty Mekong. By late afternoon, you’ll arrive at a welcoming local guesthouse, where warm hospitality and simple comforts invite you to relax after an inspiring day of adventure.

Overnight in a Vinh Long guesthouse

Cycling: ±60km 

After a hearty breakfast, continue your cycling journey deeper into the Mekong Delta, pedaling along peaceful backroads through the Tam Binh region. The ride is unhurried, allowing you to savor the charm of daily life, villagers offering warm smiles, quiet tea breaks, and delightful local snacks. Around midday, pause for a traditional lunch at a family home, an intimate window into the authentic rhythms of rural living. In Tra On, board a boat for a serene 1.5-hour cruise along the Hau River, gliding upstream toward Can Tho, the vibrant heart of the Delta. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Note: If river conditions prevent the boat from operating, a short vehicle transfer will take you to Can Tho.

Overnight in Victoria Can Tho Resort, Can Tho 

Cycling: ±60km 

Begin the day with an early visit to Cai Rang Floating Market, where wooden boats piled high with tropical fruits and vegetables create a colorful, bustling scene on the river. After returning to your hotel for breakfast, set off cycling along quiet riverside roads tracing the Hau River’s path. The journey northwest toward Long Xuyen offers a glimpse of timeless delta life, farmers in rice paddies, children waving from the roadside, and the tranquil beauty of waterways. Midway, pause at Bang Lang Stork Garden, a sanctuary where thousands of storks and egrets gather, filling the treetops in a dazzling display of nature. By late afternoon, arrive in Long Xuyen, a thriving market town, and check in at your hotel for a restful evening.

Overnight in Long Xuyen

Cycling: ±50km 

After breakfast, a short vehicle transfer takes you west toward the Cambodian border, where today’s cycling adventure begins. Pedal through serene countryside landscapes on your 50km ride to Chau Doc, pausing en route at the Ba Chuc Memorial. This solemn site honors the lives lost during the Khmer Rouge massacre of 1978, offering a moment of quiet reflection. Continuing along peaceful backroads, arrive at Tra Su Cajuput Forest, a lush sanctuary teeming with birdlife and emerald waterways, a true haven of natural beauty. By late afternoon, reach Chau Doc and settle into your hotel.

In the evening, gather for a memorable farewell dinner with your Vietnamese tour guide celebrating the remarkable journey you have shared across the Mekong Delta.

Overnight in Victoria Nui Sam Lodge, Chau Doc

Speedboat: ±4.5hrs 

This morning, trade your bike for a boat as you journey across the border into Cambodia. Cruising along the Mekong, you’ll arrive in Phnom Penh, once celebrated as the “Pearl of Asia.” Despite its turbulent past, the city is once again thriving, alive with café culture, vibrant markets, and a flourishing culinary scene. After checking into your hotel, set out by tuk-tuk to uncover its many contrasts. Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a powerful reminder of the Khmer Rouge era, before exploring the Royal Palace and its dazzling Silver Pagoda, where precious Buddha statues shimmer beneath a silver-tiled floor. As the day draws to a close, return by tuk-tuk and enjoy a relaxed evening at leisure in this captivating capital.

Overnight in Shangri-la Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh

Drive: ±6hrs | Cycling: ±15km 

After breakfast, embark on a scenic drive north toward Siem Reap, where the landscapes unfold in a patchwork of rice fields, villages, and rural life. Midway, stop at Sambor Prei Kuk, an extraordinary complex of 7th-century temples that once marked the capital of the Chenla Kingdom.

Here, a home-cooked lunch with a local family invites you into their warm hospitality.

Afterwards, climb onto simple village bicycles for a gentle ride through shady trails and temple ruins, where time seems to stand still. Continue your journey by road and arrive in Siem Reap by late afternoon. The evening is free for you to explore, perhaps strolling the lively old quarter, where colorful markets, narrow lanes, and vibrant cafés welcome you to Cambodia’s most enchanting town.

Overnight Anantara Angkor Resort, Siem Reap

Cycling: ± 40km / 25mi
Driving: ± 30km / 19mi

Today is dedicated to exploring the crown jewel of Cambodia, the Angkor Archaeological Park, by mountain bike, a truly immersive way to experience its timeless grandeur. To avoid the crowds, you’ll begin early with a short transfer to the park’s outskirts, then set off on a 40-kilometre cycling route along quiet backroads and shaded trails.

Your journey takes you to three of Angkor’s most iconic temples:

• Bayon: Renowned for its magnificent bas-reliefs and the 54 towers bearing 216 serene faces.
• Ta Prohm: A hauntingly beautiful site where colossal trees entwine the ruins, offering a magical, otherworldly scene.
• Angkor Wat: The world’s largest religious monument, an awe-inspiring symbol of Khmer genius and devotion.

You’ll also cycle along the top of Angkor Thom’s ancient city walls, stop for photos, and discover hidden temples tucked away in the forest. A scenic outdoor lunch inside the park provides a welcome break.

In the evening, enjoy a captivating performance by Phare, The Cambodian Circus, a dynamic non-profit ensemble blending theatre, dance, acrobatics, and music to tell moving stories of Cambodian life and tradition.

Important: Please dress respectfully when visiting temples (shoulders and knees covered).

Overnight in Anantara Angkor Resort, Siem Reap

Cycling: ± 70km / 43mi
Driving: ± 70km / 43mi

After an early breakfast, begin your day with a ride out to the Roluos Group, the ancient city of Hariharalaya and the first capital of the Angkor-era Khmer Empire. Dating back to the late ninth century, these temples mark the dawn of the ‘classic period’ of Khmer architecture and offer fascinating insight into the empire’s early glory.

From here, you’ll continue cycling along peaceful backroads, passing through rural villages, rice fields, and charming countryside scenes as you make your way to the mysterious Beng Mealea Temple. Sprawling across more than one square kilometre, this vast complex lies largely reclaimed by the jungle, with massive trees and roots intertwining with the ruins. Still relatively untouched by mass tourism, it offers a raw, atmospheric glimpse into Cambodia’s past, perfect for capturing those iconic “tree in temple” photos.

After time to explore, enjoy a traditional Khmer lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Siem Reap by support vehicle. The rest of the afternoon is free for relaxation or independent discovery.

Overnight in Anantara Angkor Resort, Siem Reap

Cycling: ± 60km / 37mi
Driving: ± 60km / 37mi

This morning, set out on a scenic ride toward the vast wetlands surrounding Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. Pedalling along quiet backroads, you’ll be greeted by friendly locals and pass through rural landscapes that reveal a slice of authentic Cambodian life.

Tonle Sap is a natural wonder whose size and depth swell with the monsoon rains, expanding up to six times its dry-season size. Along its shores lies Kompong Kleang, a remarkable stilted village home to more than 20,000 people. With houses rising up to ten metres above the water, the community has adapted ingeniously to this ever-changing environment. Here, you’ll gain insight into the daily rhythms of subsistence fishing families who depend on the lake for their livelihood.

In the afternoon, transfer back to Siem Reap by support vehicle. This evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance performance, a graceful art form that celebrates Cambodia’s cultural heritage.

Overnight in Anatara Angkor Resort, Siem Reap

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Siem Reap, with time for some last-minute shopping, a stroll through the old town, or simply relaxing at the hotel. At the appropriate time, a private transfer will take you to the airport for your outbound flight. Your incredible journey through Vietnam and Cambodia concludes here taking with you unforgettable memories of cycling adventures, ancient wonders, vibrant cultures, and the warm hospitality of Southeast Asia.