Day 1 - HCM - Ben Tre - Tra Vinh -ride 70km - L/D
Pick up at your hotel at 7:30 am in Ho Chi Minh City followed by a transfer to the Mekong of approximately 2 hours. Arriving at one of our favorite local coffee shops, all of the cycling machines for this journey will be ready to ride. Together, we will perform a quick A-B-C [air, brakes and chain] check the bikes, ensure that they are adjusted for your needs and discuss cycling etiquette. From here, we will set off together on our cycling adventure!
70% of today’s riding will be through the largest area in the Mekong for coconut production. The pleasure of riding in this area is that more than half of our journey today will be spent shaded by the Mekong sun. The irrigation system of this region is a vast network and we will traverse numerous small canal bridges.
After lunch and with our cycling energies recharged, about 10km out of town, we will have an opportunity to stop and visit a traditional coconut-byproducts factory. Here, you will see firsthand how the residents of the Mekong convert the unused coconut husks into a sturdy rope through an artisanal weaving method as well as how the shells are made into coal for cooking. No part of the coconut goes to waste!
On this brief stop, Mr Biker Saigon’s expert cycling adventure guides will facilitate a dialogue between our riding family and the local population in order to further understand of how coconuts are essential to the livelihoods of the Mekong residents.
Back on your bikes, we will witness colourful scenes along the riverside while pedalling past charming delta homes and villages with coconut at the core of their economy. As we progress, we will continue on routes that are generally flat and paved, but there will be some opportunities to challenge ourselves on narrow sections through the coconut plantations.
After crossing one of the Mekong’s tributaries, we have only 5km left of cycling to our overnight residence in Tra Vinh City center where we will shower and relax before enjoying a community dinner and an evening of exploration.
Overnight in Tra Vinh City.
Day 2 - Tra Vinh - Can Tho -ride 80km - B/L
After breakfast, we will head out at 7 AM for what many members of our cycling family have described as the most beautiful landscapes of their multi-country adventures. Today will be unique because of the natural beauty and our opportunity to explore Khmer architecture and culture. This region is mostly populated by Khmer people, one of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.
Leaving Tra Vinh City, we will cycle a short distance to Ba Om Pond, an 800-year-old Khmer architectural beauty, to see its famous seasonal lotus flower. Whereas the first day of the journey was spent in the Coconut Kingdom, today we will see rice paddies take prominence in our landscape views. We will see rice paddies interspersed along the route and coconut trees fill the horizon. This is quite spectacular to behold and definitely worth stopping for a picture. This region is renowned for being the second largest producer of rice in Vietnam.
In the afternoon We will leave our cycling machines behind and spend 1 hour in a comfortable A/C equipped vehicle for transfer to a hotel in Can Tho where we will have the opportunity to relax with nightlife and rooftop views from restaurants in the city center. Be sure not to miss out on its well-known night markets!
Overnight in Can Tho
Day 3 - Can Tho - Rach Gia - ride 80km - B/L/D
After breakfast before 7am, more adventure awaits!
The excursion will be divided into two parts; The morning on the water and the afternoon on land. Departing Can Tho, we will take a boat to head towards the famous Cai Rang floating market.
The first part of the day’s adventure begins with a boat exploration of the canal system of the Mekong where we will see some of the canals that were used to transport boats during the Vietnam War. This segment of our adventures for the day will take about 60 minutes. Arriving at the Cai Rang floating market, we will take time to explore the area and make purchases from the vendors.
As soon as everyone is ready to depart, we will head off along the river on paved and isolated roads where we will be treated to views of the region’s fruit gardens growing alongside the countryside trails. Shortly thereafter, we will have our first water stop of the day, where there will be healthy snacks like watermelon and banana as well as a chance to rehydrate and fill our water bottles for the next segment.
Heading off again, our next segment runs alongside another scarcely-transited canal where the countryside begins to give way to another large area of rice cultivation. As we ride through this area, we often are the only people within view for kilometres at a time. It is peaceful, tranquil and a great chance to meditate on the value of solitude and community.
For those who opt to complete the cycling at this point, there will be an A/C-equipped van awaiting their arrival which will whisk them 40 minutes away to our day’s final destination in Rach Gia beach city.
Overnight in Rach gia.
Day 4 -Rach Gia - Chau Doc -ride 80km - B/L/D
After another filling and delicious local breakfast, we will transfer 40 minutes via our private shuttle to the seat of the Southern Kingdom of Vietnam as it was recognized 2000 years ago. Upon arriving, we will visit a local museum dedicated to the history of the region and specifically the cultural importance of the region’s jewel production. For many in this area, pride in their family history as rulers of the South is still evident today.
After a fully immersive cultural experience facilitated by Mr Biker Saigon’s expert cycling adventure guides, we will depart toward Chau Doc. As this region floods annually, compared to our previous days of cycling, there are few local routes through the rice paddies. Those that we do encounter along the way will be raised and reinforced to withstand the flooding.
After 55km of riding, at Tra Su National Reserve and Bird Sanctuary.
We have designed our adventure route to deliver us to the National Reserve in the early afternoon, when the majority of the tourists have departed. We will have the opportunity to walk along a floating bridge that extends for a distance of 3 kilometers within the Biosphere. From here, you will see tea trees growing in vibrantly colored algae-covered waters. There will be guided boat tours available through the shaded canals of the reserve.
Lunch will be served after this relaxing experience before getting back on your bikes for a 25km segment to our overnight location in Chau Doc City. Chau Doc is known for its floating villages and for its multi-cultural identities combining the Vietnamese, Cham, Khmer and Chinese communities as well as mosques, temples and churches.
Day 5 - Chau Doc - Phnom Penh by Speed Boat- B
For this last day, your legs will get a well-deserved rest. You will check out of your accommodation and have breakfast at 6:30 am; you will then board on a comfortable speed boat heading to Cambodia at 6:45 am.
You will say goodbye to our team before boarding.
The ride will take about 4 hours and 30 minutes where you will be able to enjoy some snacks. Visa at the border will be arranged by the crew. Please prepare 2x ID photos (with a white background) as well as 35 USD in cash for the border (must be undamaged, no writing on them or torn or taped edges). Enjoy the remainder of your travels in Cambodia!
