Saigon to Angkor Wat

Depart early for the boat journey up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh (take water, food, book etc… for your journey). Once arriving at the pier at Chau Doc you will say goodbye to your Vietnamese guide and bikes and cruise up the Bassac river for approximately 1,5 hours to the Cambodian border. At the Cambodian border the boat crew will obtain your visas on your behalf (you will need 02 spare passport photo, fill in a form and pay the $30 visa fee). This process will take about half an hour. The boat will then continue to take you upstream to Phnom Penh, where your new Cambodian team will be ready to greet you. You will then continue your journey into Cambodia & Phnom Penh. This capital city was once considered one of the most beautiful in the orient, and despite its recent turbulent history, it still retains a colonial charm.

We arrive in the Cambodian capital for lunch. In the afternoon we may have time to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or one of the killing fields of Cambodia at Choeung Ek – sad but important reminders of the beautiful countries troubled past.

Today is an early morning start by transfer to north of Phnom Penh and we then start our ride passing local villages and head towards the ancient capital of Oudong, where Oudong Mountain is still home to many of the old Royal Palaces. The 400-plus steps to the top will get the legs a good workout but the view is worth it! This ride gives you the chance to see rural Cambodia, stilted houses, rice paddies, ox carts, waving children, and of course the friendly Khmer people.

After exploring the area, you have lunch and then drive to Kampong Thom, the route takes you past a cashew nut plantation before arriving at the bustling town of Skoun, lying at the crossroads between the north and east of the country.

Skoun’s local delicacy is tasty sauté garlic tarantula! You are surrounded once more by paddy fields and huge open plains, the scenery broken only by sugar palms, wooden huts and pagodas. We arrive in Kampong Thom, a small but energetic town with a fascinating market.

After breakfast, we will have a beautiful ride to the ancient temple of Sambor Preikuk through the paddy fields and small villages. Sambor Preikuk temple is the lesser visited pre-Angkorian temple complex. Most temples in the complex brick between the years 615 and 650. Cycle through these magnificent ruins, which are connected by shady dirt paths. Stop for lunch at a local community.

After lunch, we transfer 2 hours to Tonle Sap, the largest in South East Asia, where you will have the opportunity to learn about life on the lake. Board a local boat and visit the village of Chong Khneas, witnessing the residents going about their daily life. It is quite a sight to see a whole bamboo village complete with homes, petrol stations, schools, hair dressers and even karaoke bars, floating on a lake. We then transfer to your hotel.

(Note: Due to low water levels during the dry season, the boat trip is only possible from July to March)

Begin your cycling exploration of the incredible Angkor temples, focusing on the Small Circuit featuring the pyramid of Takeo, the jungle-clad Ta Prohm, Sras Srang known as the King’s bathing pond; and the impressive Royal City of Angkor Thom where you will find the Bayon, a temple famed for its many gigantic carved smiling faces. You will also visit other important sites in this immense walled city, including the pyramid of Baphuon, Phimeanakas and the royal viewing stands known as the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.  After lunch, visit the incredible and majestic Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious building. In the late afternoon, you cycle to an excellent spot to experience a magnificent Angkor sunset. Return to your hotel, then you are free to experience Siem Reap’s nightlife.

You might want to include one of the following options in your package:

Optional 1: Apsara Performance with dinner
Let yourself be captivated by the rhythms of Apsara: spend an unforgettable evening enjoying a performance of the Traditional Cambodian Apsara Dance Show with dinner.

Optional 2: Phare the Cambodian Circus
Phare, the Cambodian Circus, is a modern take on ancient Khmer performance forms, with an artistic direction that rivals Cirque du Soleil. You can expect a combination of high-flying acrobatics, dance, music and theatre combined with an inspirational storyline embedded in Cambodian history and culture. An authentic and moving artistic piece of entertainment that’s more than just a circus