Wilds of Cambodia

Day 1 Phnom Penh – Kep

Meet in Phnom Penh and be picked up from your hotel to transfer directly to Takeo Province. We stop for a sombre visit to the Killing Fields, an extermination camp for political prisoners during the terror reign of the Khmer Rouge. The remains of 8,985 people were exhumed from mass graves and are kept in a memorial here. We drive on to Banteay Meas, where we have a picnic lunch before we start our 48-km bicycle adventure on quiet country roads to Kep, Cambodia’s prestigious beach resort of the 1960s that is reawakening to its former glory. The cycling is flat and on tarmac roads, so we'll quickly find ourselves at Kep, riding past villas that have fallen on hard times since their heyday. We have a wonderful view of the bay and outlying Rabbit Island from our eco lodge.

Veranda Natural Resort
Lunch, Dinner
Ride 46km
+137m
-103m

Day 2 Kep – Kampot

We cycle directly from the hotel, riding to Phnom Chhngok to visit a temple built in a cave between the 7th and 8th centuries. We will also stop at a crab farm and learn about the strong aquaculture industry in the region. The Kampot area is also renowned for the quality of its pepper, so we will also pass by a plantation on the way. Our route continues through picturesque fishing villages, leading us to Kampot, where we will have lunch at a restaurant on the riverside. This picturesque colonial town was once the most important port in the region, and the streets are rich in character and history. Spend the afternoon exploring the town or relaxing at our comfortable hotel. This evening, we will meet for dinner in the town centre.

Pippali Boutique Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 64km
+418m
-428m

Day 3 Kampot - Bokor Mountain – Chi Phat

We leave our Kampot hotel for a ride on Bokor Mountain. Your guide will select the best parts of the route to ride, and the van is always nearby in case you’d like a lift partway up this large climb! Bokor is part of a sacred mountain range. In the 1920s, the French built a hill station here to give their troops relief from the tropical heat of the lowlands, complete with a hotel and church that are still standing today. The site was also a last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge until the 1990s. After exploring the mountaintop park, we will ride back down for lunch. In the afternoon, we have a 4-hour transfer to our next overnight in Chi Phat, a community-based eco-tourism initiative in the Cardamom Mountains. Once the centre of illegal logging and poaching, Chi Phat is now working to preserve the natural environment and give the community an alternative form of income. We will spend two nights here.

Chi Phat Homestay
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 20-42km
+500m
-50m

Day 4 Chi Phat Loop

Today we have a full day of riding ahead of us! We will be on dirt trails all day, as we explore where nomadic indigenous tribes once roamed the jungle and visit one of their sacred burial sites wedged into a cliff face. The cycling will be through rivers and over fallen logs, with the trail varying from soft and sandy to wet and muddy – the perfect playground for any biking enthusiast of any level. We stop at waterfalls to cool off. We won't have a support vehicle today, but we will carry extra water and lunch. When we're back in the village, we have a group dinner provided by the local community made from fresh local ingredients, and then it's time to retire to your simple, but clean bed for the night..

Chi Phat Homestay
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 35km
+325m
-303m

Day 5 Chi Phat – Tatai

After waking to the village sounds, there is the option to give back to the community by planting a tree. We then cross back over the river and transfer to Trapeang Rung, the start of today's hilly ride. We cycle on a tarmac road that undulates and is flanked on either side by the Cardamom rainforest. The hills will be a big change after all the flat riding we have done. We stop for a picnic lunch en route to Tatai Waterfall, the end of our riding for the day. Here we grab our swim suits and spend some cooling off time at the waterfall. Once all feels normal again, we take a boat directly from the waterfall up the Kep River to our eco lodge. Here you can go for another swim in the tidal river, go for a kayak ride, take a short hike, or just relax.

Rainbow Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 64km
+810m
-974m

Day 6 Rest Day

Today is free for exploring the river by kayak, going on a hike organised by the lodge, or spend the day touring the waterfalls by boat. The other option is to relax by the river and let life slow down.

Rainbow Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 Tatai – Trat

After waking to the sounds of the jungle coming to life we have a relaxing breakfast before taking a short boat transfer to our waiting bikes. We have a fairly long journey ahead of us today. We ride on a gently undulating tarmac road before descending to the plain. We ride on to the border town of Koh Khong where there's one last hill before we see Thailand. Here we say goodbye to our Cambodian crew and be met by our Thai guides. We will transfer by van to Ban Tha Ranae, a mangrove conservation forest, where we will learn about the Eco-tourism project that the locals are involved in. You will be able to take part in restoration activities such as planting of palm tree saplings. We will have lunch here. If there is time, we might ride south to the pier before heading to the hotel and have our dinner. The hotel is quite unique as it is located within a mangrove forest and boasts both scenic lake and sea views.

Banpu Trat Resort
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 31km
+207m
-329m

Day 8 Trat – Chanthaburi

After a good breakfast, we start our journey towards Chanthaburi province. First, we ride to Ban Nam Chiao, a community village steeped in Eco-tourism projects. The community is famous for making multi-purpose hats, called Ngop Nam Chiao, which are made from atap palm leaves. Can you see where the community gets their name from? Here we also observe how the Muslims and Buddhists live in harmony and learn about the wisdom they have attained over generations. From the village, we ride towards the coast and then swing back up north through undulating hills, surrounded by lush vegetation and forest areas. There are a couple of steep, challenging climbs but nothing too difficult. It will be a fun ride for about 10 kilometers before we reach a relatively flat road. We ride for about 35 km till we reach the highway where we transfer all the way to our beachside hotel in Chanthaburi. If we have time, we may ride to a Buddhist temple nearby before having our dinner.

Chaolao Tosang Beach Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 62km
+446m
-446m

Day 9 Chantaburi - Rayong / Departure

Today we make our final ride as we pedal our way to the outskirts of Rayong. We will cycle to Hat Mae Phim where we will have a delicious seafood lunch. Along the way, you will encounter the coast, lush vegetations, rice paddies, small towns and quaint villages. At lunch, we will look back on our journey, share stories and say our goodbyes before being transferred to your Bangkok hotel or the airport. Those looking to extend their trip can explore more of Thailand’s capital city Bangkok, or visit one of the other culturally rich countries in Southeast Asia!

Breakfast, Lunch
Ride 53km
+247m
-242m

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.