Want to experience three of South East Asia's most fascinating countries? This southeast asian bicycle tour introduces the best of three extraordinary cultures and countries: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Journey from the iconic Mekong Delta to the spiritual temples of Angkor Wat. Ride along quiet backroads, and cross mighty rivers. From shining capitals and colonial relics to tribal trails and humble homesteads. Your next incredible bike touring journey awaits.
Great itinerary to maximize our time and cycling experience.
Every need is met! I could not ask for more. My guides, the cycling, the food! Everything was more than I expected!!! My guide Nak in Cambodia went ABOVE and BEYOND to make our experience special. It was Christmas- he bought everyone Santa hats and arranged a special dinner! He was AMAZING- his pride for Cambodia overflowed in our direction. He really made our trip special- including SAL our sweep, and Nan our support driver- so much help!!! It was truly wonderful!!!
View more: Touring
Tours in: CambodiaMulti-CountryThailandVietnam
DestinationsVietnam, Cambodia, Thailand
Tour MeetsSaigon
Fly in toTan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)
Group Size2-16 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)AccommodationSnacks and drinks
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upAirport drop offVisa feesAlcoholTips
The road surfaces on this tour are mixed. We ride a combination of good quality tarmac, wide dirt tracks, and broken roads that are sometimes badly potholed but easily navigable by bike. The terrain is predominantly flat. Only on a few days do we cover longer distances (90-95 km), so experienced riders will find the distances long enough to challenge them, while less experienced riders are easily able to travel at a more relaxed pace.
On this trip, there is a lot to see as we ride alongside rivers, villages, orchards, and rice fields. We have three days when we travel by boat, adding variety and a chance for weary legs to recover.
Suitability: This trip is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. This trip is not too arduous, and so riders with less experience are more than welcome, although the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it.
Biking Conditions: This tour follows a mixture of good condition tarmac road to pot-holed or broken ones and vehicle-width dirt paths. No off-road riding experience required. A support truck is almost always available to help when required, except on some parts of the very narrow paths of the Vietnam Delta. But you will always have your guides with you at all times.
We start our adventure through southeast Asia meeting at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (please contact us if you need rooms or flights from Bangkok). You are free to explore the city on your own today, discovering the sites, smells, and sounds of Vietnam’s former capital. In the evening, we dine at one of Ho Chi Minh City’s finest restaurants!
Northern Hotel
DinnerAfter breakfast, we transfer a couple of hours out of Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre - the gateway to the Mekong Delta. We start our bike tour in Vietnam cycling into the heart of rural Mekong, pedaling down narrow roads and lanes, past banana plantations and fields of sugarcane. A section of biking takes us off road onto gravel and dirt lanes, weaving through hamlets, across rivers, and through quite thick vegetation; this makes for superb biking. A final ferry crossing takes to Tra Vinh, a pretty tree-lined town home to many ethnic Khmers.
Tra Vinh Provincial GuesthouseBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 65km
+249m
-254mThe route today is peaceful, and the road is scenic all the way to our destination of Can Tho. There is plenty to see along the way from contrasting architectural styles of Khmer homes and temples to the rich and colourful river scenes when crossing many small bridges.
Ninh Kieu 2 HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 92km+341m-339mA morning visit to Cai Rang Floating market sets the mood for our cycle through the Mekong Delta. We ride through quaint countryside, under useful Thot Not, or toddy palms. All parts of the Thot Not can be used, from the stem to leaves and the fruit. Once reaching Thoi Lai, we transfer to lunch. We can relax after lunch as we have a one-hour transfer to Ba Chuc, where we will have a sombre visit to the Killing Fields of Vietnam, where Pol Pot’s regime massacred over 3,000 Vietnamese in 1978. We then loop around Ba Chuc along the Cambodian border and ride the rest of the way to Chau Doc, along incredible country roads. We cycle directly to Sam Mountain, which is more of a hill, where we arrive in time for sundowners and take in the setting sun over the rice fields. A very short transfer takes us to our hotel
Chau Po HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 70km+365m-367mCruise up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh from our overnight stop at Chau Doc. We get a chance to rest our legs as we see many scenes of local daily life along one of Asia’s great rivers. As we head into Cambodia, we stop at the capital Phnom Penh before heading north to cycle among 1,000 years of Khmer history. In the afternoon, we visit Tuol Sleng Prison (S21) and the Killing Fields to learn about Cambodia's turbulent past under the Khmer Rouge regime.
Frangipani Royal Palace HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerWe have a late start to give you time to explore Phnom Penh. We then transfer out of Cambodia's capital, stopping for lunch. Afterwards, we start cycling toward Phnom Pra Reach, or Oudong Mountain, the former capital of Cambodia. The 400-plus steps to the top will get the legs working over-time, but the view is worth it! This ride gives us a chance to see rural Cambodia - stilted houses, ox carts, waving children, and, of course, the friendly Khmer people. After our visit, we transfer 3-4 hours to Kampong Thom, where we will overnight.
Sambor VillageBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 25km+83m-77mWe start the day with a short transfer to the ancient temple site of Sambor Prey Kuk. This temple site was constructed in the 7th century and functioned as the capital of the Chenla Empire. After our guided tour through the temples, we have a short transfer to the small town of Damdek, where we offload the bikes and begin cycling toward Siem Reap for 65 km.
Steung Siem Reap HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 65km+197m-194mThis morning, we start our bike ride to the entrance of Angkor Wat and head to Ta Prohm, famous from the film “Tomb Raider”, deliberately left by French conservationists in the same condition as it was discovered: overgrown by strangler fig and silk-cotton trees, giving it a mystical and romantic appeal. We continue to Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, and the Terrace of the Elephants.We enjoy lunch at Sala Suessey Lakeside Restaurant before we explore the biggest religious Hindu edifice in the world - Angkor Wat. Considered the masterpiece of Khmer architecture, this Vishnuite temple is the king’s funerary temple, which is why the temple faces west. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. After our visit to these magnificent temples, we cycle back the 7 km to Siem Reap.
Steung Siem Reap HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 30km+190m-190mAfter breakfast, we head onwards to Banteay Srei temple. We cycle through rural countryside to this famous temple which has the best-preserved bas-reliefs and stone carvings in Cambodia. The temple is small in size, but of huge significance in understanding the Angkor Era. From here, we continue cycling on rural roads, taking a break for a restaurant lunch before we reach Kbal Spean, also known as the Valley of 1,000 Lingas. We put the bikes aside for a moderate 3-km trek uphill through jungle to a river bed with submersed carvings and a beautiful waterfall (in rainy season only). After our visit, we return to Siem Reap by vehicle. Dinner is at your leisure.
Steung Siem Reap HotelBreakfast, Lunch
Ride 56km+239m-184mWe take a rest from cycling and transfer across Tonle Sap by boat. Along the way, we’ll see the local people going about their daily lives, and if we’re lucky, we can spot some wildlife on the banks. During the end of the dry season, lake levels may be too low to allow boat passage to Battambang. In this case, we’ll transfer by van to Battambang. But don’t worry, once we arrive, we’ll have some time to explore the city and surrounding countryside.
Steung Sangke HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerWe depart for Pailin, cycling directly from our hotel. This is the toughest day as some sections of the road is in poor condition and bumpy (in dry season, can get dusty), but the scenery is the most impressive as we head towards Thailand. The road undulates as we get closer to Pailin, but there is nothing too steep or long. We cycle through stunning countryside, where farms and local villages can be seen along the way, and really get a feeling of riding into unchartered territory. This used to be bandit country, but don’t worry, the area is now completely safe!
Memoria PalaceBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 95km+625m-433mA short pleasant ride on the quiet scenic roads to the border crossing. This quiet rural crossing used mainly by local traders makes for a pleasant stop while we complete all the immigration formalities. Once completed, we start our bike tour in Thailand with a ride through the Thai countryside till we reach the main road and transfer with a change of guides, vehicle, and bikes to the beach, with lunch in Chantaburi.
Chanchalao Beach ResortBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 44km+376m-365mWe have a flat and easy ride through mangroves, shrimp farms, and along the coast. We overnight at a very local Thai beach and have the afternoon free to go for a swim or a walk on the sand.
Grande Blue ResortBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 65km+251m-245mWe have the morning to enjoy the beach before we head back to Bangkok. We arrive in the city around 3 pm. IF you'd like to extend your time in Thailand we can help you to plan extra days at the beach or a nearby island.
BreakfastDisclaimer: 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.
Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section. The bikes are well-known makes of mountain bikes with lightweight alloy frames, 24- to 27-speed gearing, v-brakes, and Shimano components and front suspension. If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike, preferably with front suspension, in good mechanical order.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
We recommend that you visit a travel medical doctor and ask about the following vaccinations: typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days.
Cambodia has two distinct seasons - wet and dry. The dry season usually lasts from October to April. The wet season starts in May until September. Within each season there are variations in temperature. The coolest being 24C around November/December and hottest hitting 35C around April/May.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are local and feature noodles, rice, curries, and soups. Cambodian cuisine is a mixture of Thai, French and Chinese dishes and we make sure you can sample a wide variety. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit, and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere but is NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$20, for incidentals.
Thai baht and US dollars are widely used in Cambodia, especially in larger cities and towns. In smaller towns and villages, Cambodian riels are usually preferred. There are ATMs in most areas, however, machines dispense US dollars. The guides will be able to show you where the ATMs are. Spend riel before departing as no one will exchange them for you once you leave.
If your nationality is not on the list for e-visa eligibility, or you need options for longer stays or multiple entries, then you may consider Visa on Arrival. The process for this is more complicated than e-visa and requires the acquisition of a visa letter prior to arrival. Please see here for a detailed overview.
If you are joining our "Saigon to Bangkok" or "Saigon to Siem Reap" tour, when you are applying for your e-visa, please select Song Tien Landport as the exit point. This refers to the river crossing at Chao Doc.
Recommended vaccinations are typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days. Vietnam is a malarial area and you will need to take anti-malarial tablets. Please speak to your doctor for the most up to date information.
Weather in Vietnam is divided into 4 main regions - the far north, north, central and south.
The far north can get very cold in December and January while the dry season runs from October to late March and the wet season between April to September.
In Hanoi & the north, it is hot, wet and humid from May to October while November to April is cooler and dry.
Central Vietnam experiences hot, dry weather between January & August with temperatures ranging in the mid 30°C. High levels of rainfall are during September - November.
Southern Vietnam is dry and hot from November to April, and warm and wet between May & October, with the highest rainfall in June, July & August.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are Vietnamese food and features noodles, rice curries and soups. Vietnamese cuisine is world famous and we make sure you sample as much variety as possible. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit, and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere in Vietnam but is NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$10, for incidentals. It is customary to tip local tour guides and drivers, however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive. As a general guide, we suggest US$ 3-4 per person per day is appropriate.
The official national currency is the Vietnam dong (d), but the US dollar is widely accepted in tourist centers. However, in smaller towns and villages the dong is preferred. ATMs are available in all major tourist destinations and big cities. Vietcombank has the best network with a single withdrawal limit of 2,000,000d (about US$125). Most major currencies can be exchanged at leading banks in Vietnam, but the US dollar is preferred away from the tourist centers. Changing US$100 will make you an instant millionaire! You cannot legally take the dong out of Vietnam but you can reconvert reasonable amounts of it into US dollars on departure.
We recommend that you visit a travel medical doctor and ask about the following vaccinations: typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days.
Thailand generally has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. The North and Central region have a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. Northeast Thailand has a humid hot and dry weather alternatively with medium rain while the coastal areas of the east is humid and hot with intermittent rain. The South of Thailand has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity.
There are three seasons: from March to June it is hot and dry, with temperatures between 27˚C/80 F and 40˚C/104 F, with night temperatures in the 20s. The rainy season is from July to October, but temperatures are slightly lower, because of the effect of the rain. During this time it will not rain continuously, but in sharp bursts, and the sun can come out quickly. The cooler season is from October to February, with average temperatures between 20˚C/68 F and 30˚C/86 F.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are local and feature noodles, rice, curries, and soups. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit, and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere but is NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we cannot match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$20 per day, for incidentals.
The Thai currency is the baht. ATMs, which are abundant, are the easiest ways to get Thai baht. Have a supply of US dollars in cash on hand, just in case your card doesn’t work. Banks or the rarer private moneychangers offer the best foreign-exchange rates. Credit cards are accepted in big cities and resort hotels but you’ll need baht for family-run guesthouses or restaurants.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary
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Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for helping us on the front end of our recent Saigon to Bangkok trip. Your logistical support was invaluable. I also wanted to mention how great our guides, Mr. Do Cong Tinh, Mr. Han POV (Huy), and Mr. Nai were. As well as their respective drivers, Mr. Yang, Mr. Ramone, and Mr. Chin. All totally professional and fun to be with. Thank you again. Hope to work with you in the future.