As the Cambodian Office has bought 10 new bicycles, we would like to highlight some of the finest routes around Siem Reap that take up to one day of cycling. The distances are limited to a maximum of 50km in one day for the more experienced people but are about 20-25km on average. We make many stops when cycling and meet with local farmers and villagers. We could include visiting a local school or orphanage where people could meet with the local children. Snacks and drinks (cookies, fruit, soft drinks, and water) will be brought to the backup vehicle and served every 10km of biking. We have also highlighted some routes in Phnom Penh as we can rent quality bikes there for short trips.
SIEM REAP
Roulous Group Temple
A 15km dirt road in good condition, leaves Siem Reap near the bus station. The route leads
through small rural villages and green paddy fields (between July and January). In
the dry season (between February and June), the sights of the paddy fields are
not as appealing. However, the route covers a great deal of interest as on the
way stops can be made to see farmers at work, meet local villagers and visit
a local house, or visit one of the schools or an orphanage (Chris Orphanage).
The trip will be crowned with a visit to Bakong, Lolei, and Preah Ko temples
from where a car or van will bring people back to town over Highway 6. The flat
roads and solid dirt trails are an easy cycle that leads mainly over non-shaded roads. There is minimal traffic and mostly only bicycles and motorbikes
will pass. Therefore, an early morning start is recommended. It is recommended to
cycle to Roulous and transfer back to Siem Reap.
Total km: 15km (one way)
Total trip time: 4 hours
Preferred time: Morning
Level of experience: beginner
Need to know: Angkor pass is needed, wet
season some flooding may occur. Possible to link with an extra 8km
with a cycle to Kampong Phluck.
Phnom Bok Hill
Located in one of the most
beautiful areas that surrounds Siem Reap, Phnom Bok is surrounded by small
villages and paddy fields. Between July and January, it is a real treat to cycle
over the dirt trails that lead to the small hill. The starting point could be
Siem Reap and the same route to Roulous can be followed. Road 6 should be
crossed and onwards cycling to Phnom Bok from there. A more appealing route
would be to enter the Angkor Wat area and cycle over small backroads towards
Banteay Samre and onwards to Phnom Bok (a mere 3km from Banteay Samre). Once you arrive at the hill, people may opt to climb the stairs and enjoy the view from
above (perfect for sunset) or enjoy some drinks at the bottom near the Pagoda.
Some war relics can be viewed on the way and on top of the
mountain, where also a 12th-century temple is located. On the way, we
will visit local villagers and a local school.
Total km: 20km
Total trip time: 4 hours
Preferred time: Afternoon
Level of experience: Beginner
Need to know: Angkor pass not yet required
for Phnom Bok visit. If PAX wants to visit Angkor temples, a day pass is required.
Wat Athvea and Phnom Kroum Hill
The small temple of
Wat Athvea is beautifully located on the way to Phnom Kroum, in a small village
with a modern-style pagoda next to it. The site currently can be visited with the Angkor Pass. The cycling
route leaves Siem Reap and passes Psar Kroum before arriving at Wat Athvea, a
stop there of 30 minutes and continuing to Phnom Kroum. The route passes the Siem
Reap River through small villages over a decent dirt road. About 5km before
Phnom Kroum unpaved road will be followed that passes the flood plains of the
Tonle Sap Lake. Upon arriving at Phnom Kroum, stall the bike and climb up the
stairs to the top of the hill to admire the temple atop and a beautiful sunset
over the Tonle Sap Lake. Return to Siem Reap after sunset by private
transportation or by bike.
Total km: 12km
Total trip time: 3 hours
Preferred time: Late afternoon (3 PM – 6 PM)
Level of experience: Beginner
Need to know: Angkor pass is needed.
Angkor Wat and Other Temples
Some people like to
take the bicycle to Angkor Wat and combine the visits to the other temples by bicycle, some backroads that crisscross the area. Well-experienced guides know
their way around and will link some of the most famous temples over small roads
to each other and make sure that people visit each temple during a preferred time. The temples to be included are Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Angkor Thom, and
Preah Kahn. Although the total riding distance is limited, the day is very
strenuous with temple visits and cycling short distances from one temple to
another. There is an option to transfer the first 7km from town to the main
entrance of Angkor Wat I instead of cycling that distance.
Total km: 18km
Total trip time: Full day
Preferred time: start at 8 AM
Level of experience: Beginner
Need to know: Angkor pas is needed. All roads cycled are mostly
shaded. Guides will always aim to ride backroads.
Banteay Srei Temple
Located 35km from Siem
Reap, Banteay Srei can be reached using several backroads. It is recommended to
leave early morning to avoid the heat as most routes are non-shaded. The route
passes small villages and a mix of paved and dirt roads. Depending on the
preference of the client we can cycle quiet new main roads, backroads, or the
busier main road that leads from Angkor to Banteay Srei. On the way, there are
possibilities to visit the landmine museum and combine the visit with Kbal Spean (Thousand Lingars River).
Total km: 35km
Total trip time: 5 hours
Preferred time: early morning (7-8 AM)
Level of experience: Beginner/intermediate
Need to know: Angkor pass is needed. There are plenty of stops possible on the way.
Beng Mealea Temple
Siem Reap’s most
favorite outlaying temple is located 65km away from Siem Reap. There are
several ways to get to the temple, including the more appealing but longer way
that uses the old logging road and bypasses the Kulen Mountains, a total of
75km. It is possible to drop off or pick up anywhere along the way to reduce
the amount of km to 20-30km for the day. The recommended route is to cycle
from Phnom Bok to Beng Mealea, about 30km in total. The route passes mostly
paved roads and is for the most part not shaded. The view of paddy fields and
local villages is the main attraction. For the diehard bikers using the
logging route that goes parallel along the Kulen mountain range is much recommended. The
route is long and uses a road not well maintained but good enough for cycling
and offers stunning views of the countryside and the Phnom Kulen landscape. Plenty of
stops can be made including picnic lunches.
Total km: 20-30km (depending on
drop-off point) or 75km
Total trip time: 5 hours or a full day
Preferred time: leave REP at 6:00 AM
Level of experience: Beginner/intermediate
Need to know: Angkor pass is needed. Picnic lunch at Beng Mealea
should be included.
Western Baray
An interesting route
that is never cycled leaves Siem Reap over backroads starting from Wat Athvea. It
leads towards the small village of Puok and passes many rural villages where
people are working in the fields and at home processing different kinds of materials.
Plenty of stops can be made to learn more about the local industries. Children
and cattle will be encountered on many occasions, and the kids will sometimes
greet you with much excitement. From Puok a short ride over the main road will
lead to the Angkor Silk Farm where people can learn anything and everything
there is to know about Silk. It is possible to continue to cycle to the Western
Baray and even onwards along the Baray to the abandoned west gate of Angkor
Thom. Enter Angkor Thom through the abandoned west gate and cycle through the
Angkor complex back to Siem Reap. Of course, the route can also end at the
Silk Farm or start at the Silk Farm while people cycle back to Siem Reap.
Total km: 22km one way
Total trip time: 4 hours
Preferred time: 8 AM
Level of experience: Beginner
Need to know: The route can be extended up
to 50km. No Angkor pass is needed.
Phnom Kulen
Total km: 45km
Total trip time: Full day
Preferred time: 6:00 AM
Level of experience: intermediate/amateur
Need to know: There is a USD 20 entrance fee
to Phnom Kulen, no Angkor pass is needed. The climb up can
also be done by car by leaving the bikes at the foot of the mountain.
