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Day 1 |
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Arrival in Siem Reap, the city located at the Angkor’s doors. Welcoming at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Meeting with the crew: your guide, your driver and the biking guide. This crew will be with you all along the tour. Then you will choose your bicycle and have it fitted to your size.
This day starts with one-hour visit of the city and then you will recover from your flight with one hour massage in a spa. Dinner in town and night in the hotel
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Day 2 |
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Archaeological park of Angkor Vat
Dirt track and tarred road
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Archaeological park of Angkor Vat
Dirt track and tarred road
You ride your bike on this first day of discovery of the main Angkor Vat temples, you reach them rapidly via tracks across the woods. You will have the chance to see the temples of Prah Khan, Neak Poah and Mebon Est as few saw them away from the main touristic flows. You enjoy the sunset from the Pre Rup temple. Night in the hotel in Siem Reap.
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Day 3 |
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Visit of the royal city of Angkor Thorn
Dirt track and tarred road
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Visit of the royal city of Angkor Thorn
Dirt track and tarred road
You continue to discover the different paths in the archaeological park by visiting the royal city of Angkor Thorn, especially the renowned Bayon, temple sited in the center of a three kilometers side square. You may either bike or trek, so you’ll discover many minor or isolated temples in the woods. Dinner and show of the traditional Khmer Apsara dances. Night at the hotel in Siem Reap.
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Day 4 |
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Siem Reap - Phnom Kulen
Asphalt and laterite roads
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Siem Reap - Phnom Kulen
Asphalt and laterite roads
You ride to Phnom Kulen, the Khmer sacred mountain. You cross the countryside and the villages in a pastoral landscape of rice fields and sugar palm trees. PM program: bath in a waterfall, visit of the "Thousand lingas river" sculpted with gods’ symbols and visit of the pagoda at the top of the mountain. You enjoy the overview of the plains. Stay with the locals or by the pagoda at the top of the mountain.
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Day 5 |
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Discovery of Phnom Kulen area
laterite road, karstic rock, dirt and sand
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Discovery of Phnom Kulen area
laterite road, karstic rock, dirt and sand
Ride in the jungle, plains and tall grass to discover the exceptional Srah Dumrei site. A huge 6 meter high sandstone monolith erected in the 10th century showing elephants and lions lost in the middle of the jungle. Stop for lunch in the village of Prehan Thom, then you ride on the South path at the top of the mountain through jungle and savannah to reach the village of Ta Penh. Night by the Wat Thmei pagoda.
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Day 6 |
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Svay Leu and the Beng Mealea temple
laterite road and tarred road
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Svay Leu and the Beng Mealea temple
laterite road and tarred road
Ride down the hillsides to Svay Leu, a former Red Khmer City. Transfer by car (1-3 hours) to a lost temple named Beng Mealea, still set in the middle of a lush jungle. After lunch, you ride along the royal path to the temple Wat Trach. Night in hotel in Siem Reap.
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Day 7 |
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Visit of Vat Chedey
dirt and laterite path
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Visit of Vat Chedey
dirt and laterite path
You ride along the river to the Phnom Krom until Vat Chedey. You have free afternoon to visit the city all at your own pace. Overnight at hotel in Siem Reap.
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Day 8 |
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Departure from Siem Reap by minibus (7 to 8 hours drive) to the capital Phnom Penh. In the evening, take the time to stroll along the docks before taking a boat ride on the river Mekong. A magical moment to admire the sunset and the illuminated Cambodian capital.
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Day 9 |
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Today, you are going to visit the royal capital of Cambodia. You take a tuk-tuk in the morning (1h) to enjoy the vibrant neighbourhoods of the city. Discover the beautiful heritage of the country by visiting the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the National Museum of Phnom Penh. If you have time, you can easily walk across the Russian market well-known for its antiques. Night at the hotel.
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Day 10 |
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Departure from Phnom Penh
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Departure from Phnom Penh
Day free : transfer to the international airport
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The bikes
VTT bikes adjusted to your size.
Luggage and documents
On this tour, you are followed all along trip by a car with driver which allows to adapt cycling distances depending on your wishes and the weather and to carry your luggage.
You are also accompanied by a cycling guide. The guides are English-speaking.
When to leave ?
• As many Asian countries, Cambodia is a touristic destination dependent of its climate and different seasons (fresh, dry, wet).
• The best period for cyclists still remains the fresh season which spreads from mid-November to January. Indeed, the precipitations are limited and the humidity is
bearable.
• From February, the temperature in Cambodia rises to reach its maximum in April-May (35°C), not very comfortable for biking tours.
• Don't leave during the wet season in Cambodia! Even if tourists are fewer, the period from June to October is marked by the rainy season (heavy and sudden rain) and high temperatures.
=> Vélo Voyageur's advice: prefer winter to extend summer!
Country:
• Cambodia is one the South-East Asian countries bordered from one side to another by Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. The country has been during many years subjected to the Khmer Rouge
leaders and the civil war. The economy in Cambodia has long been based on the rice growing and the textile industry and still remains like that nowadays. Today, the
country experiences an economic boom thanks to the touristic development of the region.
• Conservative and traditional country, the most common religion in Cambodia is the Buddhism Theravada. Attracting the sovereigns of Angkor, this religion has been introduced in the
territory during the XIIIth century after a long presence of the Hinduism religion. The religious hope to have a better life without pains thanks to priests and offerings.
Formalities:
• A visa is compulsory to go to Cambodia. A simple visa of tourism is necessary if you stay a maximum of 30 days in the country. The visa must be
effective three months after the emission date. You can get it at the Embassy of your own country or by internet from the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
(http://www.mfaic.gov.kh/default.aspx). Do not miss to consult the required documents to obtain the visa. You can also get it at the international airports of Cambodia (US$20).
• You must also have a passport effective six months after the return date for French, Belgian and Swiss people. Concerning the other nationalities, please ask for more
information at the embassy of your country.
Your flight to Cambodia:
• The most suitable period to visit the country remains the fresh season, but it is also the most expensive one for international flights. Consequently, we advise you to book earlier your
flight (we are not able to book the flight for you). The price ranges from 950€ to 1200€ (e.g.: flight with return Paris - Siem Reap and Phnom Penh - Paris).
• Cambodia has got two international airports: Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (situated near Angkor temples). To join Cambodia from Paris, the journey lasts
between 10 and 15 hours of flight (including the time difference) with at least one correspondence in Asia in Guangzhou, Bangkok or Shanghai.
Health and safety precautions:
• Compulsory vaccines are not necessary for Europeans. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended for tourists to be vaccinated against typhoid, tetanus,
pertussis and hepatitis A and B.
• Prevention measures against malaria are highly recommended if you are going to stay in rural areas during your holidays but are not necessary in the heart of the
main touristic destinations.
Practical life:
• Cambodia is part of the Indochina time zone (ICT). Consequently, the local hour of the main neighbouring countries (Vietnam, Laos, Thailand) doesn't change. Nevertheless, the jet
lag in relation to the Greenwich Meridian is 7 hours and 6 hours in summer in Europe. When it is midday in France, it is 5pm (in summer) or 6pm (in winter)
in Phnom Penh.
• Khmer is the official language in Cambodia. Don't worry, English is usually used by the inhabitants. In fact, numerous translations are visible in the streets. As
it was also an ancient French colony, French is officially the second language of the country (numerous ancient exiles are called the « Franco-Khmers »).
• The Cambodian Riel (KHR) is the official currency of the country. Nevertheless, most of the payments are made in USD (dollars). The payment by credit card
(Visa, MasterCard) is more and more used in shops, hotels and restaurants.
• Depending on the regions, the quality of the water changes and is more and less vector of diseases. We highly misadvise you to drink tap water. You can easily buy bottles of water
for less than 1$.
• The country has got an electrical system of 220 volts. French plugs as well as European ones can be easily adapted to Cambodian plugs.