Siem Reap to Phnom Penh via Kampot, with its salt fields, pepper farms and the optional Bokor Mountain climb.
Difficulty note: Flat riding, with some off-road sections and an optional climb up Bokor Mountain.
Also available: Cambodia · 7 days →
*per person, twin share 100 AUD deposit holds your place. Booking Terms
Eleven days from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh by way of Kampot, with seven days on the bike and about 400 km in all. It is flat riding, apart from one optional climb.
The first six days are our seven-day Cambodia ride: sunrise at Angkor Wat, a boat across the Tonle Sap wetlands, Battambang, a visit to Sustainable Cambodia in Pursat, and 75 km along the Tonle Sap into Phnom Penh. There you meet Friends International and visit the S-21 genocide museum, a hard visit that we recommend.
Then the route turns south. A flat 65 km on narrow dirt tracks brings you to Chisaur Temple, and the van carries on to Kampot on the coast. The climb up Bokor Mountain is optional: 30 km to the top, the first 10 flat, or the van takes your bike up and you ride down. There is a morning at Chumkriel Language School, set up for children of the salt field community (we visit when no children are there), and a Khmer cooking class.
The last ride is 65 km through the pepper plantations and salt lakes of Kep to the Vietnamese border at Ha Tien. From there the van brings you back to Phnom Penh.
From the Journal: Siem Reap → Battambang → Phnom Penh → Kampot →
Day by day, hotels, what's included and prices. We'll email it to you.
At the end of the ride, you choose the organisation that impacted you the most, and we'll contribute 200 AUD on your behalf.
Siem Reap is a town that has turned cosmopolitan since the country opened up to the outside world. We pick you up from the airport and take you to the hotel, and you have some time to relax or explore the city before we meet for the welcome dinner.
The restaurant is NGO-based and doubles as a training ground for marginalised youth. The menu is local, with plenty of dishes to share.
Hotel: Bayon Modern · Meals: D
The first ride starts at 4.30 am, in time for sunrise over Angkor Wat. The rest of the morning is spent at other temples in the area. In the early afternoon you have the chance to visit our first NGO of the ride, and spend time with people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. You hear their stories and learn what the real issues in the country are.
Cycling: 30 km · Hotel: Bayon Modern · Meals: B
Activities: Angkor Wat
NGO: This Life Cambodia
It is 20 km from Siem Reap to the boat port. The boat takes us across the wetlands and around the Tonle Sap river. The road soon turns to single track and gets more remote, and our support van says goodbye. From here we ride on into the rural, barren lands of Cambodia. Few villages exist out here, and the people support themselves through fishing.
After the boat it is another 20 to 30 km to Battambang, depending on the river levels. The town is good for shopping, with colonial-style streets and hidden corners full of bric-a-brac. Dinner is at Jaan Bai, another social-enterprise-based restaurant.
Cycling: 40 to 50 km · Hotel: Cambana La Riviere · Meals: B, L, D
Activities: Boat ride (4hrs)
Breakfast is early. Then we ride the dusty red back roads to the nearby Banan Temple, and cycle back to Battambang to explore a little more and have lunch at leisure. We reach Pursat by early afternoon. The hotel has a swimming pool and an on-site massage spa.
We also visit Sustainable Cambodia, an NGO. Its executives give a full presentation in their office and we tour the facilities, so you see first-hand the difference it makes.
Cycling: 50 km · Hotel: Pursat Riverside Hotel · Meals: B
Activities: Banan Temple
NGO: Sustainable Cambodia
The ride starts 75 km out from Phnom Penh and finishes at the front door of the hotel. The back roads pass through villages on Tonle Sap lake. There are coffee stops, plenty of photo chances and a couple of ferries. The evening is free.
Cycling: Up to 75 km · Hotel: Check Inn · Meals: B, L
The day starts at Friends International. We meet the people who work there and learn about what they do in the community, and about the everyday issues local people face.
Next we head towards the Russian market and on to Tuol Sleng, also known as the S-21 Genocide Museum. It covers a devastating chapter of Khmer Rouge and Cambodian history. The visit is emotionally hard, and we strongly recommend it. There is some free time in the afternoon to process the day, and we meet again for a local Khmer BBQ dinner.
Hotel: Check Inn · Meals: B, D
Activities: S-21 Genocide Museum
NGO: Friends International
The ride south of Phnom Penh ends at Chisaur Mountain Temple in rural Cambodia. At 130 m it is not much of a mountain, and the route is flat. We cycle casually along narrow dirt tracks through remote villages and waterways.
Lunch is at the temple, and there is plenty of time to explore the ruins, which are 200 years older than Angkor Wat. Then the van takes us down to Kampot, a Cambodian coastal town with good food on offer.
Cycling: 65 km · Hotel: JBreak · Meals: B
Activities: Chisaur Temple
The day starts with the optional, long Bokor Mountain cycle challenge. It is 30 km to the top. The first 10 km is flat, then it just keeps going up, and up, and up. If hill climbing isn't for you, the van can bring your bike up and you ride down. If you'd rather have time off the bike, Kampot is a good town to caffeinate, people-watch and relax.
Cycling: 60 km · Hotel: JBreak
Activities: Bokor Mountain
The morning is at Chumkriel Language School. There are no children at the school when we visit. Mr Suthy set this grassroots school up as an NGO, giving children of the salt field community access to education.
In the afternoon there is a Khmer cooking class, where we learn the best of Khmer cuisine.
Cycling: 10 km · Hotel: JBreak · Meals: D
Activities: Cooking class
NGO: Chumkriel Language School
Today we cycle to the border of Vietnam, but first comes the province of Kep. Just before the border, the town is famous for its fresh seafood, particularly crab. We spend a couple of hours on the way exploring the pepper plantations and salt lakes, then take back roads around the National Park to the border crossing at Ha Tien, Vietnam.
From Ha Tien the van takes us back to Check Inn in Phnom Penh.
Cycling: 65 km · Hotel: Check Inn
Activities: Pepper farm tour
That is about 400 km in the saddle across Cambodia. Have a final breakfast together before you head to the airport or your next adventure.
Meals: B
Flat, paved, easy
Off road, some single track, moderate
Paved roads, flat, easy
Off road, compact gravel, easy to moderate
out of 11 days cycling
Easy to moderate
Approx 400km
All flat, except day 8
Mostly off road, compact
Average pace 15-18km/h
Mixed terrain, flat, single track, moderate
10km flat, 20km up and back, paved
Paved, gravel and track, lots of breaks
This ride side by side with two others. Change either one to compare a different ride.
| Ride | Cambodia · 11 days | Cambodia · 7 days | Cambodia → Vietnam · 12 days | Cambodia → Vietnam · 16 days | Laos · 11 days | Laos → Vietnam · 12 days | Laos → Vietnam · 20 days | Mongolia · 11 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days | 11 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 11 |
| Total Distance | 400 km | 210 km | 460 km | 670 km | 403 km | 419 km | 794 km | 350 km |
| Difficulty | 2 of 5 | 2 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| From Price | 2,750 AUDper person, twin share | 2,100 AUDper person, twin share | 2,950 AUDper person, twin share | 3,850 AUDper person, twin share | 3,150 AUDper person, twin share | 3,450 AUDper person, twin share | 5,850 AUDper person, twin share | 3,950 AUDper person, twin share |
| Single Room | from 550 AUD | from 350 AUD | from 550 AUD | from 750 AUD | from 500 AUD | from 550 AUD | from 850 AUD | Ask Us |
| Group Size | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders | Up to 10 riders |
| E-Bikes | Available (350 AUD) | Available (220 AUD) | Available (300 AUD) | Available (450 AUD) | Available (290 AUD) | Available (290 AUD) | Available (580 AUD) | Ask Us |
| Route | Siem Reap → Phnom Penh via Kampot | Siem Reap → Phnom Penh | Phnom Penh → Saigon | Siem Reap → Saigon | Vientiane → Luang Prabang | Luang Prabang → Hanoi | Vientiane → Hanoi | Ulaanbaatar return |
| Next Departure | 12 Nov 2026 Guaranteed | 12 Nov 2026 Open | 16 Nov 2026 Open | 15 Oct 2026 Guaranteed | 2 Nov 2026 Open | 10 Nov 2026 Open | 2 Nov 2026 Open | 9 May 2027 Open |
| Ride Page | View Ride | View Ride | View Ride | View Ride | View Ride | View Ride | View Ride | View Ride |
A flat-bar mountain bike with flat pedals and a unisex saddle, in frame sizes from small to XL. The make varies from country to country. Bike hire is included in the price of every ride. You are welcome to bring your own saddle or pedals.
One of our standard bikes.
A mountain bike with a motor that helps as you pedal. You still ride; the hills and the long days get easier. Available on this ride for an extra 350 AUD. Ask for one when you book. We hire our e-bikes from different suppliers, so the model varies.
One of our e-bikes.
Bikes shown are examples. The make and model on your ride may differ. Helmets are compulsory: we have some on hand, but bring your own if you can, so you know it fits.
Bringing your own saddle, pedals or bike: see FAQ & Travel Info →
Practical details for every ride, visas to bikes: FAQ & Travel Info →
“An epic and inspiring adventure that will stay in our hearts forever! A life changing experience that took us to places we would have never travelled, meeting locals we would have never have met. We learnt so much along the way - loved every day of the trip.
We appreciate the Social Cycles team took a risk allowing our 9 & 11 year old kids to join the trip - Brett, Hoem and Tree were the most incredible hosts and kept us all safe, cared for and entertained! Can’t thank you all enough, we’ll be back!”
“Wonderful mixture of bicycling and meeting people of Cambodia. The guides are really know what there are doing. Meeting the NGOS opened the eyes about the problems in Cambodia. I am already thinking about next year to di it again!”
“Such an incredible cycling tour. So and Hoem were the best tour guides, very caring and they brought us to wonderful places and people. We got so many impressions about cambodian living and the NGO‘s. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful moments with us. Esther and Christoph / Switzerland”
Fifteen minutes on the phone with Brett answers most questions about Cambodia · 11 days.