Biking Bangkok to Angkor Wat

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1 Bangkok – Rayong – Chanthaburi

   You'll begin with a morning pick-up from your accommodation in Bangkok and transfer around 3.5 hours to the coast of Rayong Province. During lunch with an ocean view, the bikes will be assembled, and you’ll start the adventure with a gentle warm-up ride along the Gulf of Thailand. Cycling on well-paved secondary roads, you'll pass shrimp farms with their patchwork of ponds, rubber plantations with neatly spaced trees, and fishing communities with colorful boats and wooden houses. The highlight of the ride is a loop around a rugged cape, offering stunning views over winding roads next to the ocean. You’ll then transfer for an hour to Chanthaburi, where you'll spend the night. Chanthaburi is renowned for its historic riverside buildings and charming Old-World ambiance – ideal for a late afternoon stroll and sampling local Thai delicacies.
   

   • 29.8 miles
   • -49.2 ft
     902.2 ft
     951.4 ft
   • Maneechan Resort
   • Lunch and Dinner

   • 

     Maneechan Resort

     Enjoy a lovely resort as your first stop for the night, with welcoming staff and wonderful facilities

   • 

     Maneechan Resort

     Enjoy a lovely resort as your first stop for the night, with welcoming staff and wonderful facilities

2. Day 2Chanthaburi – Cambodian Border – Battambang

   Today you'll switch kingdoms from Thailand to Cambodia! Starting with a one-hour transfer from Chanthaburi town to the cycling start point, you’ll embark on a 35 km journey toward the Cambodian border. The ride is mostly on well-paved, undulating roads lined by expansive orchards and fields, with a few sections on gravelly and sandy tractor paths through longan and durian plantations.

   After reaching the Ban Pakkad border checkpoint and completing immigration procedures, the Cambodia team will welcome you to the “Kingdom of Wonders.” You’ll first head to a nearby restaurant for lunch before continuing with a 2-hour drive to Battambang. Just outside the city, you’ll stop at Phnom Sampov, a rocky outcrop with a hilltop temple complex overlooking the vast, rice-paddy-covered Cambodian plains. This site is also home to the “Killing Caves,” a somber memorial to the victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Afterward, you’ll return to the base of the hill to experience the day’s grand finale: the mesmerizing exodus of millions of bats swirling into the twilight sky from a cave. You’ll take a seat, grab a drink, and enjoy the show! After dusk, you’ll drive to the hotel in Battambang City.
   

   • 21.7 miles
   • -249.3 ft
     836.6 ft
     1,086 ft
   • Classy Hotel & Spa
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Classy Hotel and Spa

     Stay in a clean and comfy hotel situated in a great position

   • 

     Classy Hotel and Spa

     Stay in a clean and comfy hotel situated in a great position

3. Day 3Battambang Exploration

   The countryside around Battambang bursts with vibrant rural scenes, reflections of Cambodia’s history, and some unexpected fun. You’ll start with a 25 km ride along the banks of the Sangker River and its surrounding roads, passing traditional cottage industries where local favorites like banana chips, rice wine, bamboo sticky rice, and prahok (a pungent fermented fish paste) are made. You’ll also explore Wat Phnom Eak, an 11th-century Angkorian ruin, and pay your respects at the Samrong Knong Killing Field, a genocide memorial within the grounds of a Buddhist temple.

   The second half of your ride takes you through lush rice paddies and roadside markets, culminating in a quintessential and somewhat comical Battambang experience: a ride on the bamboo train, clattering along train tracks on bamboo platforms powered by a small motor. Before riding back to the city, you’ll cross a hanging bridge that feels straight out of an Indiana Jones movie and visit the Cambodian Peace Gallery, a thought-provoking exhibition on war and reconciliation. After some free time in the afternoon, you’ll gather for dinner at Jaan Bai, a social enterprise restaurant serving fresh local cuisine and providing employment for Cambodian youth.
   

   • 33.6 miles
   • 65.6 ft
     944.9 ft
     879.3 ft
   • Classy Hotel & Spa
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Classy Hotel and Spa

     Stay in a clean and comfy hotel situated in a great position

   • 

     Classy Hotel and Spa

     Stay in a clean and comfy hotel situated in a great position

4. Day 4Battambang – Siem Reap

   Today’s schedule is dependent on the water levels of the Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake and one of Cambodia’s most treasured life-sustaining natural resources. The Tonle Sap swells and shrinks with the coming and going of the yearly monsoon period. When the water levels are sufficiently high (August to December tends to be the sweet spot) then you'll cruise from Battambang to Siem Reap via an open-air boat, enjoying a 6-7 hour journey along the Sangker River which then feeds into the shimmering Tonle Sap Lake. Throughout the journey you'll be surrounded by a photo reel of stilt houses, fishing contraptions, floating villages, marshes, and sunken forests. When the water levels are too low to permit a comfortable boat ride (generally March to August, but it varies year to year), then you'll transfer to Siem Reap by support vehicle.

   After some free time in the early afternoon you’ll regroup for a sunset cruise on the Tonle Sap and one of its floating villages which is possible year round.
   

   • Steung Siem Reap Hotel
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Steung Siem Reap Hotel

     Spend the last few days in this lovely spot

   • 

     Steung Siem Reap Hotel

     Spend the last few days in this lovely spot

5. Day 5Ancient Angkor’s Iconic Sites by Bike

   The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor is home to the once-glorious capital cities of the Khmer Empire, whose powerful god-kings built lavish stone temples between the 9th and 15th centuries CE. Today, you'll discover Angkor’s most iconic sites by cycling along the manifold paths that pass by, lead to, and twist around the temples and ruins scattered across the plain. At Ta Prohm - brought to fame by the film “Tomb Raider” - you'll stumble across a tumbling façade of laterite and sandstone blocks draped by the massive roots of fig trees. At the Bayon - a temple built as a microcosm of the heavens - you'll marvel at the rows of godly faces carved into the temple towers and peering sublimely in all cardinal directions. And at Angkor Wat - the national symbol of Cambodia and the largest religious structure in the world - you'll stroll through the inner and outer courtyards decorated with excellently conserved carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu myths, wars, life and death. You'll have a short vehicle transfer to get to the entrance of Angkor Wat and then return to Siem Reap by bike. With plenty of options to choose from, dinner is on your own tonight.
   

   • 26.1 miles
   • 
     1,095.8 ft
     1,095.8 ft
   • Steung Siem Reap Hotel
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Steung Siem Reap Hotel

     Spend the last few days in this lovely spot

   • 

     Steung Siem Reap Hotel

     Spend the last few days in this lovely spot

6. Day 6Siem Reap Countryside

   As the ideal sequel to the previous day, today’s focus will be getting further afield from the main sites at Angkor and leaving the touring masses behind. Departing Siem Reap by bike, you'll head north, initially on paved roads but soon transitioning to quiet dirt roads cutting through an expanse of rice fields and small villages. Along the way, you’ll pop into local houses for a close up look at some rural cottage industries, such as basket weaving and sugar palm production. 

   The ride ends at the 10th-century temple of Banteay Srey. Considered a jewel of Khmer artistry, Banteay Srey is renowned for its exquisite bas-reliefs carved into delicate, pink sandstone. You’ll have lunch at a local restaurant near the temple and then transfer back to Siem Reap, giving you the afternoon at leisure to relax by the pool, enjoy a massage, or explore the town of Siem Reap. For anyone with extra energy, you are welcome to skip the transfer and cycle back to Siem Reap instead (it is around 40 km along the main road). Tonight you'll dine at SPOONS, a social enterprise restaurant serving up authentic Khmer food and supporting the professional training of marginalized youth.
   

   • 33.6 miles
   • 105 ft
     561 ft
     456 ft
   • Steung Siem Reap Hotel
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Steung Siem Reap Hotel

     Spend the last few days in this lovely spot

   • 

     Steung Siem Reap Hotel

     Spend the last few days in this lovely spot

7. Day 7Farewell Ride

   You’ll make the most of your final morning in Siem Reap with a farewell cycling loop through the rustic Cambodian countryside. The highlight of the ride is a visit to Phnom Bakong, a majestic 9th-century sandstone pyramid and one of the oldest Angkorian temples still standing. You’ll also stop at a newer Buddhist temple for a refreshment break and stimulate your senses with a stroll through a local fresh market, where a variety of produce, meats, and freshwater species are on sale. Back in Siem Reap by lunchtime, you’ll enjoy a final meal together and say your goodbyes. If you need assistance with post-tour hotel bookings in Siem Reap or airport transfers, please let us know.
   

   • 23.6 miles
   • 
     383.9 ft
     383.9 ft
   • Breakfast and Lunch