Cambodia Lara Bespoke

Overview

Another in PaintedRoads' growing portfolio of gravel rides, this off the beaten track journey on dusty byways and hard packed lanes is a classic Asian adventure seeing a country from a seldom viewed perspective. In between and beyond Southeast Asia's tourist highlight at Siem Reap, and the nation's capital Phnom Penh, we will be exploring a rural land of oxen-drawn carts where buffalo wallow in the shallow waters of the riverbank. We pass through villages of wooden stilted houses, beneath which shelter white cattle so tall as to look alien, and on through scenes of white egrets fishing in emerald paddies stretching to a distant horizon, and on to the Gulf of Thailand.

Highlights

We begin the tour in one of SE Asia’s most prominent attractions - the temples of Siem Reap, including Angkor Wat. We move on to the nation’s capital, Phnom Penh. From the there we head to the Gulf of Thailand, and end the trip at the characterful town of Kampot.
As with all PaintedRoads cycling tours, the real highlight is cycling through a beautiful land, and getting a real glimpse, beyond the usual tourist trail, by travelling the path less travelled - in this case, gravel.

Included In This Tour

All accommodation, local guide, meals on cycling days*, snacks during cycling days, drinking water whilst cycling, entrance to Siem Reap temples.
We will be accompanied by one or two support vehicles capable of carrying bikes, luggage, and those who need a break from pedalling.

*Please note: with the abundance and variety of restaurants in Siem Reap, dinner on Days 1 & 2 is not included as people may wish to wander off for Indian, French, Thai, Mexican, pizza, or burger and craft beer, to name but a few options.

Accommodation

All accommodation has A/C rooms, wifi (a little slow and unreliable at times), en-suite bathroom, and in several cases a swimming pool. In Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, we use good quality 3 or 4-star hotels, elsewhere we use the best in town.

Joining instructions

The tour begins in the town of Siem Reap (airport code REP). You will be met at the airport on arrival and taken to our joining hotel where you will be met by your tour leader.

The tour ends at the Koh Rong ferry terminal.

Difficulty

This tour is flat as a nine-day tour can be. The highest elevation is just 70 metres, and there are just a few undulating sections. The average daily distance is 77 kilometres, with the longest day being 110kms and the shortest just 35kms. With nearly 70% of the ride on unsealed roads, this is the factor that will add an extra element of challenge. However, it is not rough mountain bike terrain, it is for the most part reasonably well maintained, and fairly smooth gravel roads.

Bicycle Advice

At PaintedRoads we hold firmly to the opinion that using your own bike, the bike upon which you feel at home and comfortable, is the finest way to enjoy a cycling adventure. PaintedRoads tours have always been explored on and designed around what are now known as adventure and gravel bikes, and such bikes are absolutely ideal for this tour. Cross country mountain bikes and touring bikes are also suitable. With so much riding on unsealed roads, we do not recommend tyres any less than 35mm on 700c wheels, 45mm on 650b wheels, and 2" on 26" wheels. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.

ESSENTIAL! Please be sure that your bicycle is in perfect condition before you leave home. Please be sure to bring bike specific spares such as a few spokes, a couple of inner tubes, a spare tyre, brake pads, and derailleur hanger. If in any doubt please consult your local bike shop. 

Rental Bicycles

If you wish to hire a bicycle we can provide Cannondale hardtail mountain-bikes. Although our hire bikes come equipped with a saddle and flat pedals, if you have a saddle you use and are happy with it is strongly recommended that you use it on tour. If you use SPD type shoes please bring your own matching pedals. We are happy to fit these for you. 

E-bikes PaintedRoads tours are not designed with the use of e-bikes in mind. Indeed, an e-bike in the wrong hands when on tour with regular bikes may present unwanted issues, and so, as a rule, they are not encouraged. However, we do have regular guests who, as the years pass, may find their knees are not up to scratch, or they may need a helping hand at times, and in such circumstances, we are able to provide an e-bike in Cambodia. If you feel such a machine is suitable for you, then please get in touch to discuss the merits and use of e-bikes.

Print Itinerary

Meals Key

(meals key: B = breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner)

Day 1: Siem Reap

A driver will great you at Siem Reap international airport and drive you to our joining hotel where your tour leader will be waiting for you in the lobby. This evening the group will meet up for a tour briefing, before heading into town for our first meal together.

Cycling: 0KMS

Unsealed: NA

Meals: D

 

Day 2: Siem Reap. Angkor Temple Tour

One of Southeast Asia’s premier attractions is the archaeological zone of ancient temples around Siem Reap, often simply referred to by the name of the most famous temple, Angkor Wat. Our journey through Cambodia begins today with a tour of some of the more impressive of these temples including, but by no means limited to, the dramatic Ta Phrom, which remains entangled in jungle undergrowth, the richly decorated Bayon with its intricate stone carvings, and of course Angkor Wat itself. 

Cycling: ~35KMS

Unsealed: ~10%

Meals: BL

 

Day 3: Siem Reap to Kampong Thom. Cycle and Transfer

Today we leave Siem Reap and set out on our adventure, exploring rural Cambodia. Our route will introduce us to the unsealed roads and lanes that are to make up a large proportion of our journey ahead. We ride today will end at the 12th century Sambor Prei Kyle bridge at Kampong Kdei. 

Due to the unavoidable 80kms of straight and busy national highway ahead, at the 12th century Sambor Prei Kyle bridge at Kampong Kdei we will pack our bikes into our support vehicle and transfer for 80kms to a quiet and characterful resort, where one can relax on their bungalow’s veranda, take a dip in the pool, or enjoy a drink at the poolside bar. 

 

Cycling: 85KMS

Unsealed: 90%

Meals: BLD

 

Day 4: Kampong Thom to Kampong Thma

Our ride today is 80% red gravel roads, with the lions share being smooth and fast flowing.  The views are at times of open land dotted with palm trees and grazing cattle, and elsewhere we follow tree-lined boulevards. Our first break is the pre-Angkorian Sambor Prek Kul temple, where our guide will give us a brief history of the area. Back on the bikes, we pass homesteads and rural communities, as we make our way east through beautiful countryside. The final stretch of the day is on wide, super smooth, red gravel roads following some of the huge irrigation canals that water the nation’s rice fields. 

Cycling: 100KMS

Unsealed: 80%

Meals: BLD

 

Day 5: Kampong Thmor To Kampong Cham

Today’s ride is 85% unsealed on primarily red gravel roads which at first across take is across open grassland and rice fields. Following lunch, despite being to all intent and purpose a flat ride, we undulate a little with views of distant low hills. The agriculture now is more fruit and nut, with many orchards of mango, and cashew, as well as tapioca plantations. We end the day in the riverside town of Kampong Cham where we overnight on the bank of the Mekong. 

Cycling: 90KMS

Unsealed:85%

Meals: BLD

 

Day 6: Kampong Cham to Phnom Penh 

Our ride today follows the course of the Mekong River, on byways that are for the most part sealed, as we head towards Cambodia’s capital. There are however some unsealed sections passing through small villages of wooden houses on stilts, beneath which the giant white cattle of the region often shade from the tropical sun. Despite our close proximity to the nation’s capital, our rural route means that foreigners on bicycles remain a rarity in these parts, and our presence always assures a warm welcome from the locals. 

The day’s ride ends with a ferry across the Mekong, where a two-kilometre ride along Phnom Penh’s Mekong boulevard takes us to our well-located rest-day hotel.

Cycling: 100KMS

Unsealed: 10%

Meals: BLD

 

Day 7: Phnom Penh To Takeo

Avoiding the hectic traffic of Phnom Penh can never be seen as a bad thing, so this morning we will transfer 12 kilometres to Choeung Ek, better know in the West as the Killing Fields. Here our cycling trip will recommence, but first, we have time to look around the site and to learn a little of the history of this venue of appalling genocide. 

Back on the bikes, we have before us a lovely day cycling through small villages and crossing rural Cambodia on a route of around 70% unsealed roads. We lunch beside Tonle Bati lake and end the day at the small lakeside town of Takeo. 

Cycling: 80KMS

Unsealed:70%

Meals: BLD

 

Day 8: Cycle Takeo to Kep

The final full day on the road, and arguably the toughest with nearly 110 kilometres ahead or riding, 85% of which is on red gravel, white dust, and some stony surfaces. The route takes us through small villages, past rice fields and palm trees, ponds and rivers where water buffaloes wallow, and rough grassland where cattle graze. 

Come day’s end we can relax with a cold beer at our hotel’s poolside bar, and watch the sun dip down behind the horizon of the Gulf of Thailand. Dinner tonight will be with a sea view, and the sound of waves lapping upon the shore.

Cycling 110kms

Unsealed: 85%

Meals: BLD

 

Day 9: Transfer to Koh Rong Ferry: Tour Ends.

This morning we transfer to the Koh Rong Ferry, from where you will take the one hour voyage to Koh Rong. The tour ends here.

Cycling: 0kms

Unsealed: NA

Meals: B

Key

Markers below are clickable as are the markers on the map itself.

Check trip dates and availablility below. Click the Book This Date button to go ahead and make a booking, alternatively you can make a no-obligation request for us to keep you informed about the status of a trip or changes to a trip by clicking the Register Interest button against a date.

£ Pound Sterling Payment Option

Our prices are all in US dollars but we can offer you the option of paying in GBP (£) based on the exchange rate at the time of booking. You can choose on the booking form, adjusted prices will be shown there.

Dates	Price	Availability
2025: 31 Dec - 08 Jan	$2570.00 *Single Suppl.: $350.00	Spaces	Book This Date	Register Interest

Bicycle Hire

If you wish to hire a bicycle we can arrange for the hire of Cannondale hard-tail MTBs from our in-country agent; rental fee is US$170
E-bikes are available for those who need a little assistance with their pedaling. If you are interested in an e-bike, please contact us to discuss your requirements. E-bike rental fee is US$340

*Single Supplement.

The prices quoted above are for a twin room share basis. If you are travelling alone you will be paired up with another lone traveler of the same gender to share with. Single room occupancy can be arranged, the single supplement rate shown is per person.