Cycling from Vietnam to Cambodia

I'm considering joining an organised cycling trip from HCMC to Siem Reap via Phnom Penh. I'm wondering about the hilliness of the route! If anybody has done this journey by bike would you consider it a challenging cycle or a relatively easy one. I know that is subjective depending on ones fitness and ability. I'm a city cyclist, i.e I cycle to get from A to B rather than go out for day long cycles though I am fairly fit (for 60).

I can't comment on your particular route, but on the assumption that you be cycling relatively long distances each day - I'm guessing at least 50-60km a day, then that is a considerable step up from a stop, start type of short distance cycling in a town or city. I would suggest you do some ^practise rides^ first where you live (Ireland I believe?) , maybe starting with 20km or so and build it up from there just to see how it goes before you commit yourself to a long distance ride.

Well, I haven't biked long distance in the region. But I have traveled through much of that route using different minibus transports. You might find a hill somewhere, I guess. But mostly it's flat everywhere.

In theory the route would be flat but that of course depends on what route they are using.

I would ask these questions of the company who know exactly what the trip is about rather than people like most here who can only theorise. I have seen many of these groups in Cambodia and they usually have transport you can use if the cycling is too much or you get hurt/injured

Thanks, I will be asking the questions but it's always useful to get a second , independent, opinion. They do warn of a "mentally challenging part of the tour as the long road stretches out ahead of you" on one of the days. I don't mind long roads, it's the hills I'd be more worried about! They do have backup transport also. Each trip I set myself a challenge. Spring 2017 was the Kalaw Inle trek which I was very pleased with. Spring 2018 was 3 days ziplining with the gibbons in Laos which was magic. I think the cycle will do for Spring 2019. Love this planning time. Love never having to keep to it either.

I'm sure there are more than enough hills in Ireland that you can practise on !
One serious word of advice- invest in decent padded cycling shorts, you will regret it if you don't!
I get there point about the ^mentally challenging part^. Many moons ago- 1990 something, I cycled across Laos. One days ride was about 130km and long stretches of it were on a straight, seemingly never ending stretch of road which sort of scrambles your head a bit, because you don't seem to be going anywhere and wherever you look, evetything seems the same For hours on end.

I've been over that route a few times in cars/buses and I remember it as pretty flat but Google says otherwise!
If you go to Google maps and ask for the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap then select "walking" it shows you that it will take 92 hours and gives you the elevation changes along the way. Strangely they have NO cycling information!

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.