Cultural Road From Hoi An To Siem Reap

Vietnam and Cambodia are inextricably linked and yet starkly different, divided by the rugged Annamite Mountain range in the north and the Mekong River basin in the south. Both offer distinctive cuisine, arts, religious practices, and traditions, and they are home to a remarkable variety of ethnic minority groups, many of whose ancestral lands straddle the border that we will cross. On this 14-day tour, we will trace rivers and coastline of the Vietnamese East Sea, ascend to the Central Highlands, enter Cambodia across the mountainous jungle frontier, follow the Mekong River and its tributaries, and finally arrive in Siem Reap to explore the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor. Along the way, we will see four UNESCO World Heritage sites from different historical periods, and every day will bring us new cultural and natural riches in these vibrant countries.

Our tour begins in the historic port of Hoi An. We ride up up the Thu Bon River to My Son, capital of the Hindu Cham empire that once ruled this region, then along pleasant rural and coastal roads to a remote fishing village. We also visit My Lai, memorial site to a wartime massacre. We leave the coast and climb into the diverse Central Highlands to the town of Kon Tum, followed by a valley ride through the villages of Jarai and Bhanar people to Pleiku. Entering Cambodia, we ride to Banlung, a well-preserved market town with a crater lake nearby. We take a day to appreciate this natural beauty with hikes, walks through town, or a rest at our elegant lodge. Back on the bikes, we explore agricultural regions where Muslim and Buddhist communities live side by side, and delve into the ecosystem of the Mekong River on longer rides with boat cruises where we may spot dolphins and other wildlife. We pedal through the Tonle Sap Lake biosphere to the pre-Angkorian temple complex of Prasat Sambor, then arrive in Siem Reap, the land of Cambodia’s most famous temples. Our final day of cycling immerses us in the ancient Khmer kingdom with time to explore its many marvels, including the temples of Ta Prohm, Bayon, and Angkor Wat.