With so many travel opportunities these days the only difficulty is choosing where to go and what to do. You can travel by plane, train, bus or boat but what about by bike? More and more people are choosing to do bike tours as you get to see the country from the ground level and you can meet many interesting locals along the way. There are many countries suitable for bike tours but one of the easiest places to explore by bike is Cambodia.

Bike Tours in Cambodia

Cycling in a foreign country is not always easy and you can face many mishaps along the way but this just adds to the adventure. BBC Travel wrote about some of these mishaps in a recent article:

Her recent four-day trip to the Cardamom Mountains turned into a litany of mishaps – from impassable rivers and unrideable tracks to broken bikes and – ultimately – bodies. Her four-person guided tour survived trips over the handlebars, kinked chains and gear cables so clogged with mud they had to be replaced. They dangled themselves and their bikes from zip-wires to cross fast-flowing water and, with the rainy season arriving early, battled the leeches to string up tarpaulins and hammocks between trees in the forest. The undulating, cratered terrain proved too much for the suspension on one of the bikes, causing one rider to pull out. And another had to be evacuated after cutting his foot to the bone while crossing a waterfall.

Ok so that doesn’t sound too appealing but this isn’t the norm when cycling. Cambodia is mostly flat so if you choose the right route is actually makes for an enjoyable ride.

It is possible to ride fifteen minutes from the bustle of Phnom Penh and find yourself pedalling through small villages, surrounded by shimmering rice paddies. Local children rush from their homes to shout hello at the passing riders, often adding “What is your name?” as they laugh and wave.

That sounds much more appealing. If you don’t want to go it alone you can join one of the many bike tours offered by companies specialising in touring the region.

“You can do leisure rides, family trips, a soft adventure or up to 14 days’ cycling through Cambodia. You can combine it with journeys through Thailand and Vietnam. But for a short ride I like to go to Kirirom National Park – it’s a wonderful track, 960 metres elevation, with a pine tree jungle providing shade for the riders.”

Cooler winter months are also a good time to cycle around the ancient temples of Angkor, whether that means a leisurely exploration or entry in the annual December bike race for a more rapid “grand tour” of the monuments.

Cycling around the temples in Angkor would be a dream come true for many people, including me. Have you done a bike tour in Cambodia? Would you recommend it as a way to visit the country?

Photo credit: ethan.crowley