This epic 14-day bike tour will take us from Saigon to Bangkok, and we’ll see the best of three South East Asia’s countries: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. When we’re not crossing mighty rivers, pedaling down scenic roads, and meeting friendly locals, we’ll be eating at floating markets and restaurants, taking in the stunning scenery, and riding next to beautiful Buddhist temples. At night, we’ll stay at comfy hotels and resorts, and by day, our experienced guides and a support van will provide all the info and comfort we might need. This amazing, fun-filled bike tour awaits—two wheels and a thirst for adventure is all that we need.
For starters, we’ll meet in our hotel in Saigon. The afternoon is free for wandering around town and exploring the sights and sounds of Ho Chi Minh. Later on, we’ll have dinner at one of Ho Chi Minh City’s finest restaurants where we’ll explore the amazing flavors of Vietnamese cuisine.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Northern Hotel
After breakfast, we’re going on a trip from Ho Chi Minh to Ben Tre. Our bike tour in Vietnam starts in rural Mekong, where we’ll pedal down narrow roads with sugarcane fields and banana plantations on the side. Amazing biking ensues as we ride on gravel and dirt lanes, through hamlets, thick vegetation, and across rivers. In the end, we’ll take a ferry to Tra Vinh, a beautiful tree-lined town where many ethnic Khmers reside.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 40.4 miles (65 km)
Elevation: +820 ft / -820 ft (+250 m / -250 m)
Accommodation: Tra Vinh Provincial Guesthouse
On day 3, we’ll ride on a peaceful, scenic road to Can Tho. Expect to cross many small bridges with picturesque river scenes and exquisite architecture of numerous Khmer homes and temples on the side. Later on, we’ll be staying in a comfy hotel overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 57.2 miles (92 km)
Elevation: +1115 ft / -1115 ft (+340 m, -340 m)
Accommodation: Ninh Kieu 2 Hotel
The fourth day begins with breakfast, after which we’ll visit the Cai Rang floating market, and then bike through the Mekong Delta. We’ll ride through the countryside under the shade of toddy palms, and once we reach Thoi Lai, lunch awaits. After some post-lunch relaxation, our journey takes us to Ba Chuc, where we’ll learn about the Killing Fields of Vietnam, a disastrous result of Pol Pot’s regime. Later on, we’ll go along the Cambodian border and ride the rest of the way to Chau Doc. Our bikes will take us to Sam Mountain, which is really more of a hill, and once there, we can take in the beautiful vistas of the sun setting over rice fields. The day ends with a short transfer to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 43.5 miles (70 km)
Elevation: +1197 ft / -1197 ft (+365 m, -365 m)
Accommodation: Chau Po Hotel
On day 5, we’ll take a thrilling speedboat ride up the Mekong River early in the morning. Once we reach Cambodia and pass through immigration formalities, a comfy, scenic cruise upstream may begin. After 5 to 6 hours, we’ll arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital city. After lunch, we’ll spend the rest of the day visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and after that, the Royal Palace, where the King of Cambodia resides and we have the chance to feast our eyes on exquisite architecture and art.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Frangipani Royal Palace Hotel
We’re going from Phnom Penh to the suburbs, where our first Cambodian ride begins. We’ll ride through rustic Cambodian villages, filled with stilt-houses and friendly locals. Our ride finishes at Oudong, where we’ll encounter a huge complex of Buddhist stupas sitting atop a ridge. To see this spectacular view, we’ll have to make it through 400-plus steps to the top, but the end result will be well worth the effort. After that, we’re off to lunch, and then we’ll travel for a few hours to the town of Kampong Thom where we’ll spend the night.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 16.8 miles (27 km)
Elevation: +623 ft / -558 ft (+190 m, -170 m)
Accommodation: Sambor Village
After breakfast, we’ll ride along the meandering Stueng Saen River and continue our tour of rural Cambodia by crossing the river either by a wooden ferry or a makeshift bridge (whichever the water levels allow). We’ll ride through picturesque villages and majestic rice fields for about 40 km, and then we’ll arrive at Sambor Prei Kuk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fun mountain biking ensues along ancient brick temples and through sandy paths. After lunch in a local restaurant, there’s the final 15 km of biking until we reach the main road and jump in the support vehicle which will take us to Siem Reap in just 2 hours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 39.8 miles (64 km)
Elevation: +1115 ft / -1115 ft (+340 m, -340 m)
Accommodation: Steung Siem Reap
On day 8, we’ll discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor’s iconic sites by cycling along paths that twist around many temples and ruins scattered across the plain. At Ta Prohm, made famous by the film “Tomb Raider,” we’ll encounter laterite and sandstone blocks draped by fig tree roots. At the Bayon, an intricately-designed temple, we’ll see rows of faces carved into the temple’s towers, and at Angkor Wat, the national symbol of Cambodia, we’ll be mesmerized by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu myths. In the afternoon, our return to Siem Reap awaits.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 29.2 miles (47 km)
Elevation: +460 ft / -460 ft (+140 m, -140 m)
Accommodation: Steung Siem Reap
On day 9, we’ll depart Siem Reap by bike and head north over paved roads and dirt roads. On our way, we’ll visit local homes and learn about rural industries such as basket weaving and sugar palm production. The ride comes to a halt at the 10th-century temple of Banteay Srey, which is considered a jewel of Khmer artistry due to its bas-reliefs carved into pink sandstone. We’ll fill our hungry bellies at a nearby restaurant, and then transfer to Siem Reap for a free afternoon. Poolside leisure? Massage? City exploration? There’s enough time to do it all.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Biking: 33.5 miles (54 km)
Elevation: +558 ft / -460 ft (+170 m, -140 m)
Accommodation: Steung Siem Reap
Today, we’ll take a short break from biking, but still fill the day with action and thrills. The morning provides an opportunity to visit the Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. We’ll cruise on a comfy boat and visit a floating village. Once back on the shore, a support vehicle will take us to Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city with a chill vibe and interesting French colonial architecture. After lunch and some rest, we’ll take a thrilling ride on the bamboo train. When dusk comes, we’re off to Phnom Sampov to watch millions of bats exit their cave and swirl into the twilight sky. Iconic Cambodian tuk-tuks will transfer us wherever we need to go.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Classy Hotel & Spa
Day 11 is reserved for the longest ride of our tour. We’ll cycle along busy roads into the heart of Battambang Province, filled with plantations, farms, and rice paddies. Although most of our ride is flat and paved, for the last 30 km we might have some undulations as we climb into the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains. Finally, we’ll arrive at Memoria Palace Resort, our hotel located on the outskirts of Pailin. During the day, we’ll also learn about Pailin’s position as a hub for gemstone trading.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 60.9 miles (98 km)
Elevation: +1804 ft / -1148 ft (+550 m, -350 m)
Accommodation: Memoria Palace Resort
On day 12, we’ll hop on our bikes for a short and sweet ride to the border crossing. Once we finish with the immigration formalities, we’re off to start our Thai bike tour with a ride through the countryside until we reach the main road and transfer to the beach. Along the way, we’ll enjoy local delicacies in Chantaburi.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 27.3 miles (44 km)
Elevation: +1247 ft / -1181 ft (+380 m, – 360 m)
Accommodation: Chanchalao Beach Resort
Today we’ll enjoy a flat ride through shrimp farms, mangroves, and along the coast. Once we settle on a local Thai beach, the rest of the afternoon will remain free for swimming, sunbathing, or walking on sand. At night, we’re staying in a comfy beach resort to rest some more.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Biking: 40.4 miles (65 km)
Elevation: +820 ft / -820 ft (+250 m, -250 m)
Accommodation: Grande Blue Resort
The morning is ours to enjoy the beach and do whatever we want to do before heading to Bangkok. We expect to be in the city around 3 pm, and that’s when our epic biking tour comes to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
On this Saigon to Bangkok cycling tour, you’ll cover the total cycling distance of 607 km (377 miles) in 14 days, with an average distance of 61 km per day. You can find day-by-day distances and elevation changes in the itinerary. The tour is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. The trip is not too arduous, so riders with less experience are more than welcome. However, the fitter a person is, the more they will enjoy it. Only on a few days will we cover longer distances (90-95 km / 56-59 miles), so experienced riders will find the distances long enough to be challenging, while those less experienced can travel at a more relaxed pace.
No off-road riding experience is required, and the tour follows a combination of good condition tarmac roads to pot-holed or broken ones, as well as vehicle-width dirt paths. The guides are always there, and there is also a support truck, which is almost always available to help, except on parts of very narrow paths of the Vietnam Delta.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
You will receive a more detailed packing list upon booking.
Bikes
Because some people can’t imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, there are no bikes provided as part of this tour. However, you can add a bike rental to your booking upon checkout.. If you choose to bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike, preferably with front suspension in good mechanical order.
E-bikes
For those a bit less fit or with a need for even more comfort, E-bikes are also available for hire, but they are limited in number & size—please let us know upon booking if you’re interested in renting an e-bike.
Bike Repairs
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though spares are not guaranteed for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Safety
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.
Group sizes and pricing
Saigon to Bangkok cycling tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
The starting point of your biking tour from Saigon to Bangkok is Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). To get there, most people fly into Tan Son Nhat (SGN) International Airport. From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach Saigon (35 minutes / 7 km / 4.35 miles).
Once you’re there, you will meet your guide at a predetermined time and place in Saigon. More information will be provided upon booking.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!