Day 1: Arrive in Siem Reap & Cycle the Siem Reap Backroad
Upon arrival, please look out for the Siem Reaper welcome sign at the arrivals gate. We will transfer you to your hotel, where you can take your time and relax by the pool or venture out for your first exploration of this ancient city. Your guide will meet you at the hotel reception at 2:00 pm for a trip briefing before embarking on your first exploration of the Siem Reap backroads.
We'll leave Siem Reap's busy streets behind and ride along dirt roads and country lanes, past rural villages and lush rice paddies. Stop along the way to meet the locals in a traditional village and learn about Cambodian daily life. You'll see rice fields, the local market, mushroom farms, rice wine distillation, Buddhist temples, lotus farms, and village handicrafts along the way.
Afterward, we return to the hotel, and we will enjoy dinner this evening. Serving authentic and creative Cambodian cuisine, we are certain that you will enjoy our dishes.
Day 2: Cycle to the Angkor Temples
After breakfast at the hotel, you start biking for the morning temple exploration at the most illustrious temple with the smallest crowds. First, you will visit Ta Prohm, which is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes the so-called Tomb Raider Temple, as it was used during the filming of the movie, one of the most picturesque and memorable temples in the Angkor complex.
You will then head out to the ancient city of Angkor Thom and enter the city through the ancient Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with elephants and four giant faces. From here, continue to Bayon Temple, located in the center of the city and famed as the enigmatic faces representing the 54 provinces of the Great Khmer Empire. The Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate bas-reliefs. You will take a break at lunch and stop at the local restaurant to enjoy tasteful Cambodian dishes.
Lastly, you will bike to the gem of the Angkor complex, Angkor Wat. Following your tour leader, you will be mesmerized by the rich history and symbolism of this unique ancient temple. Afterward, you will return to your hotel.
Day 3: Cycle to Banteay Samre & Banteay Srei
Today, our bike tour takes us on unpaved roads through rural villages. We cycle on a flat road to the temple of Banteay Samre. From there it goes back on unpaved roads through attractive villages, along with rice fields, and to the temple of Banteay Srei, which is located outside the actual temple city and is made of pink sandstone.
The roads are peaceful, narrow, and very pretty all the way to Bantey Srei. There are plenty of beautiful and real country views to see along the way as you cycle past the local markets, schools, villages, and Buddhist temples. Taking a water break under the shade of the tree before we reach Bantey Srei, which is known as the Citadel of Women, this red sandstone temple is one of Angkor’s most significant structures as its walls are decorated with elaborate carvings, which have been preserved remarkably well.
Day 4: Pedal the Floating Village & Sunset Cruise
Today, we explore the great landscape of the Tonle Sap lake by bike and boat. This is a unique experience offering a great outdoor adventure in Siem Reap’s countryside by exploring a floating village and enjoying a sunset cruise along the river.
This tour will take you to charming backroads in order to explore the local ways of life in Siem Reap. You will be greeted by friendly locals and get a deeper understanding of their lives and traditions. The journey will end at the Tonle Sap lake, where you will experience the livelihoods of Cambodian people living in the floating villages, offering you the opportunity to see how families adapt their lives to living on the water.
At the end of the day, we will watch the sunset on the lake with some snacks and cold beverages. You will return back to the city by private vehicle in the late evening.
Day 5: Trip Concludes
Your tour comes to an end this morning. There are no activities on your final day, and you are free to leave at any time. Your time is at leisure until your transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for your onward flight and you say goodbye to your tour guide.
