Cambodia – Holiday/Cycle tour? Yay or nay?

So folks, I find myself with 3 weeks off in August as I will be between jobs.

I fancy a bit of adventure so I’m thinking of flying to Thailand (been once before and loved it), then heading over to Cambodia or Vietnam and doing a bit of cycle touring – most likely with some kind of organised group for a week to 10 days. I probably will hire a bike over there rather than lug my own around…

Any recommendations on or off the bike?

Cheers.

Never cycled in SE Asia but travelled a lot in Asia and Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam… Loved them all great people and sites…
Did Cambodia ankor wat on a moped, roads ok but drivers are terrible.
I don’t really like Thailand anymore because the others are so much more fun.
Enjoy

Fascinating country with Angkor Wat and the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge. Personally I wouldn’t risk cycling there unless it was on the backroads – one coach trip I went on was one of the scariest passenger journeys I have ever experienced.

Did a little bit of cycling in Vietnam. On mountain bikes on the road generally. Organised stuff. Down in the South it was was quite warm and humid (40C) Which was fine while moving but as soon as you stopped you were saturated.

It was a bit busy. I enjoyed it but others didn’t. It is a bit like riding in a mad peloton. There are rules but not the same as the ones we have and you have to figure them out to avoid getting squashed. Still once you do you can draft all the mopeds and then makes some really good progress.

I’d love to go back but at the minute all the organised trips I’ve seen seem a bit easy in terms of cycling. I’d rather go further and see more.

Amazing place, Cambodia. Definitely recommend going. Stupidly hot and humid in the wet season and it barely cools down at night at all.

Roads are mental. As above, they have their own rules, and if you think you’re at the bottom of the food chain on a bike over here, think again… They’ll give you the courtesy of letting you know their coming before running you over though. I’ve never actually cycled there, so I don’t know what it’s like really, but I reckon it’d be a great way to see the place, rather than being airlifted into the tourist hotspots.

Vietnam was a good bit more civilised than Cambodia when I went about ten years ago. Closer to Thailand. The people were wiser to tourists, and you could see the dollar signs light up in their eyes when they seen you. It didn’t have the same sincerity to me. Kinda like visiting Blackpool. But still a beautiful place. Still mental roads. Cambodia was mesmerising. I’m still utterly fascinated by the place.

Some brilliant insights there! I’m still on two minds about the whole cycle tour option, the roads don’t sound like much fun (at least the busier ones) but I think there are backroad tours that would be more my scene. I’m not looking for anything too serious either…50k a day would be fine I think, especially in the humidity.

To me it’s way more interesting than sitting on a beach for a couple of weeks (but hey I’ll be doing my share of that regardless). Plus the more I hear about Angkor Wat, the more it fascinates me.

Thoughts on Laos/Vietnam also more than welcome. Thank you all.

The people were wiser to tourists, and you could see the dollar signs light up in their eyes when they seen you.

Same in Sri Lanka, the touts are merciless and unrelenting. Main downer on the trip in what was otherwise an amazing country.

…but I think there are backroad tours that would be more my scene.

I can’t say much really because I only spent time in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh (as well as travelling the length of the country by bus), but I don’t think it’s a massively populated country. And the main method of transport is a moped. So off the beaten track, it shouldn’t be too bad.

But they are mental. To the point that it might actually be enjoyable, in a Dukes of Hazard kinda way.

Vietnam probably has more traffic, due to the increased wealth of the nation. Certainly around the cities…but it’s still mostly mopeds (I think they get taxed massively on cars or something?) Neither country is probably as bad as Thailand where there’s more cars and a faster pace of traffic. In my limited experience anyway.

Just back from Cambodia. Did some riding in Battanbang for a day. Roads are interesting and traffic is alien to any westerners. Took a while to get realise that the traffic either stops to let you pass (even big 4×4!) or goes around you. Roads/tracks in the countryside are very quiet. Most of the country is very flat and managed an amazing 50m of climbing in a full day of riding….. Flattest ride ever. Full week of riding in Cambodia may be rather boring as the landscape does not change much and is just so flat.

*Is beyond jealous*
All places I really need to get my arse onto gear and go and see..
Have an amazing trip!

A holiday in Cambodia? Where people dress in black?

I’ve heard that there ain’t no coming back?

Where you’ll kiss ass or crack…

I’ve been a few times to Siem Reap – and both bike and motor rickshaw to Angkor Wat. Bicycle is a great way to explore Angkor Wat, if you haven’t been. It’s an easy enough ride from Siem Reap to the site, and a nice way to get between the temples. You can easily spend 3 days or so before getting templed-out.

As stated above, roads/drivers are a bit crazy across Asia, but in my experience no worse really than cycling in any major cities – I’ve had more close calls from crazy drivers in Singapore than anywhere else in the world.

For Thailand, I know some people who have used these folks and been pleased: http://www.spiceroads.com/%5B/url%5D

Also as above, lots of good cycling in Thailand (Chiang Mai is becoming quite the downhill scene) and Vietnam as well.

northern highlands of vietnam,last year cycled 10 days with backyard travel. through beautiful country, beautiful people away from the tourist trail.
hire bikes are basic trek mountain bike, some decent climbs on mainly quiet roads, mopeds the main traffic and a few rickety old lorries. some dirt track roads
an absolutely brilliant holiday and recommend backyard travel highly

Brilliant – thanks for all insight! Looking at topography, I think Vietnam might be a better bet than Cambodia, in particular this little adventure, so I’ve dropped Backyard Travel a line to see what they have to offer in the dates I’m looking at.

Cheers.

Lucky you. have a great time! I’m budget limited to wales / scotland for now. but I can dream!

Harvey – are you the guy who said he had a spare mavic brake adaptor? pm me.

We took the tandem over to Vietnam last year and rode Saigon to Hanoi independently. It’s hot, hilly and humid especially as we took the route via the highlands rather than highway 1.

There’s loads to do and on the cusp of becoming yet another cheap tourist destination. It still has its charm but this will no doubt change over the next few years. The roads are nuts but just do as the locals do (I.e. ride every direction/which way and forget any road discipline learned to date) and you’ll be reet.

More detail off line if you want it to avoid boring everyone else.