Thailand & Cambodia Multisport Adventure

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Biking in Chiang Rai Thailand
Thailand Hill Tribe Villagers
Biking in Cambodia Angkor Wat
Cambodia Angkor Wat cycle trail
Thailand & Cambodia Multisport Adventure
Duration:
12
Days
Priced from:
3999.00
USD

Thailand & Cambodia Multisport Adventure

Trip Overview

(Biking, Hiking and Kayaking) This vacation tour provides a double dose of adventure, visiting both Thailand and Cambodia, two destinations bursting with spiritual and cultural flavour. Thailand is known as the ‘Land of Smiles’ and you’ll start this adventure in Bangkok, visiting temples and navigating its alleyways, rivers, canals with an expert guide. Next you’ll explore the countryside regions hiking, biking and kayaking before hopping over to Cambodia. Along this incredible journey, you’ll meet hillside tribes, various ethnic groups and monks draped in brilliant saffron robes.  Offering outdoor activities while immersing you culturally, this tour is an epic adventure trip through Thailand and Cambodia.

WOW FACTORS

  • Trek along tea and rice plantations and past hill tribe villages around Doi Mae Salong
  • Paddle along quiet Mae Kok River, passing hill tribe villages and lush fields 
  • Bike along a spectacularly scenic border road straddling the Thai-Myanmar border

Difficulty Level

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Questions?

Itinerary & Map

Day 1

Bangkok
Arrival

Upon arrival into Bangkok, you will be met at the international airport by a BikeHike Adventures representative and transferred to a comfortable hotel. After checking in, the remainder of the day is free to explore this incredible city in the “Land of Smiles.” If you have time, be sure to wander through the bustling streets or sit back, relax, enjoy a swim and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Bangkok
Meals: None

Day 2

Bangkok
City Tour

Today is when our adventure truly begins. After breakfast, we’ll head out and tick off five must-see sites, while using all forms of Bangkok’s urban transport (tuk-tuk, motorcycle, rapid train and boats). Along the way, we’ll visit the Golden Mount, the stunning Grand Palace, Wat Po (reclining Buddha), Wat Arun and the urban-canals of Bangkok Noi. The evening is at leisure to explore more of this vibrant city at our own pace.

Accommodation: Same comfortable hotel in Bangkok
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3

Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Chiang Rai
Biking & Flight
Today we dig deeper into Thailand, exploring some of its historic sites with a visit to the Siamese capital of Ayutthaya, the crowning glory of the kingdom from 1350-1767. Preserved in history, Ayutthaya remains a photographer’s paradise. We’ll first visit Bang Pa-In Royal Summer Palace and then continue by pedaling along the river on paved roads and rural trails, passing several sites. The ride is flat with no mentionable elevation gain or loss and along the way we’ll stop to enjoy a local Thai lunch. Ancient Ayutthaya provides an up-close appreciation of the Thai culture and of the moments and places that are most significant to the Thai people. Afterwards, we’ll transfer to the airport to catch an evening flight to Chiang Rai. Upon arrival in Chiang Rai, we’ll check into our hotel, set on the banks of the Mae Kok River. This evening is at leisure to enjoy the surroundings on our own.

Note: Bangkok – Chiang Rai flights depart in the evening, usually 7 – 8PM. However, the schedule is subject to change.

Biking Distance:  25 km / 15 mi
Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Chiang Rai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4

Chiang Rai
Biking & Elephant Valley Project

Today’s pedal is stunning! We’ll make our way through lush farmland, through villages and beautiful valleys, riding along some paved and dirt roads with some small, manageable hills. After lunch, we'll make our way to The Elephant Valley Project, a sanctuary where the elephants can enjoy an idyllic and stress free habitat. We will walk alongside these majestic creatures in bamboo groves, forest and grasslands.  We’ll have the opportunity to photograph and feed them. We'll return to our hotel late in the afternoon and after some time to rest, venture out for a northern feast and to experience the night market. 

Biking Distance: 20 km / 12 mi
Accommodation: Same comfortable hotel in Chiang Rai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Mae Kok River
Kayaking
Today, we’ll have time for a leisurely morning before getting ready for our  picturesque drive to Thaton, a riverside town near the Thai-Myanmar border. We’ll make a few stops en route, first in a town, Mae Salak, and then at Thaton Temple, located atop a hill at the south end of the Mae Kok River. After lunch, we’ll prepare for our day’s main event - kayaking. We'll board sit-on-top kayaks for a journey down the quiet Mae Kok River, passing hilltribe villages and lush fields. The paddling is relatively easy with low-grade river currents during most of the year and stronger currents only between August - October.
 We’ll kayak directly to our lodge, located on the bank of the river. Depending on the group’s energy level, we can end the day with a short hike to explore a hilltribe village and nearby plantation before our dinner feast.

Kayaking Duration: 2 hours
Accommodation: Comfortable riverside lodge (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6

Doi Mae Salong
Hiking
Today, we’re off to one of Thailand's most stunning destinations - Doi Mae Salong, nestled among terraced tea plantations. This is a photographer’s dream and great shots abound. The area was once opium country but is now home to Thailand's premier Oolong tea production and a Chinese population who arrived when who fleeing the Cultural Revolution. We’ll put on our hiking shoes for a day trekking along dirt footpaths through the area’s stunning rolling hillsides, terraced plantations, and hilltribe villages. Locals are sure to be as curious about us as we are about them as we pass by. We’ll also have the chance to sample local teas, visit a mountaintop temple and a local school. The evening is free to explore the area around the hotel on our own.

Hiking Distance: 15 km / 9 mi
Accommodation: Comfortable Mae Salong hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7

Golden Triangle
Biking
After an early breakfast, we’ll take an early shuttle through the mountains to one of the kingdom’s most renowned community development projects – Doi Tung. Here we’ll learn about the Mae Fah Luang Foundation’s successful eradication of the area’s opium production. Afterwards, we’ll head out for a challenging riding day. We’ll pedal to the top of Doi Chang Mub, one of the province’s highest mountains and along a spectacular road that literally straddles the Thai-Myanmar border, passing through several military checkpoints along the way. This ride is a hilly one along paved and back roads. Hang onto your handlebars as dramatic descents will bring us to the country’s northernmost city, Mae Sai. Here we’ll have lunch, stroll through colourful markets and check out the bustling border trading. Then it’s back on out bikes for a final ride through flat farmland to the infamous Golden Triangle where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. We’ll take a motorboat and cruise the Mekong to a Laotian trading port before checking into to our hotel, a fun cabin overlooking the Mekong River.

Biking Distance: 65 km / 40 mi
Accommodation: Comfortable cabin hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8

Bangkok - Siem Reap
Transfer
Early this morning, after breakfast, we’ll transfer you to the Chiang Rai airport for your flights to Siem Reap via Bangkok. Upon arrival into Siem Reap, a BikeHike Adventures representative will transfer you to a comfortable hotel in the city. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore Siem Reap, nestled between beautifully, terraced rice paddies and the Siem Reap River. In the evening be sure to catch the sunset from Phnom Bakheng, for a spectacular view of the impressive Angkor ruins.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9

Siem Reap
Biking
This morning we cycle to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Believed to be the world’s largest religious building, this temple is the source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, this is the most famous temple at Angkor. Stretching for almost one kilometre, this intricate carving is a candidate for the world’s longest unbroken piece of art. We’ll continue to the upper levels of the inner sanctuary. The final steps to the upper terrace of Angkor are quite steep, where pilgrims would stoop on their pilgrimage to encounter the Gods. Finally we see the pinnacle, the sacred heart of Angkor Wat. Late morning, we continue on to visit Angkor Thom, an immense walled city that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. At the southern end lies the Baphuon, once of the most beautiful temples at Angkor, dating back to the 11th century. Our climax is the enchanting temple of the Bayon. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion). We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch nearby the temple of the Bayon. Afterwards we set off on bicycles to Gate of the Dead and then onward to Victory Gate. We’ll then follow a road to the ‘Indiana Jones’ temple of Ta Prohm. The tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones. Ta Prohm has been abandoned by the elements, a reminder that while empires rise and fall, the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to human history. If time allows, we’ll visit Banteay Kdei or finish with a sunset drink at Srah Srang. We return to the same hotel in Siem Reap and have the rest of the evening at leisure.

Biking Distance: 18 km / 11 mi
Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10

Siem Reap - Kulen National Park
Hiking
After breakfast, we’ll be picked up at the hotel and transferred to Phnom Kulen National Park for our trek. We start at the base of Mount Kulen, first ascending stairs to a breathtaking panoramic lookout point. We then continue our trek to visit the riverbed carvings in the “Valley of 1000 Lingas” (dedicated to the God Shiva) along the Stung Kbal Spean River. We’ll visit the reclining Buddha enshrined in Preah Ang Thom temple. This enormous Buddha was carved into sandstone in the 16th century. Afterwards, we’ll visit the magnificent nearby waterfalls. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before trekking further to the bat caves, Srah Damrey and Wat Preah Kral, where we can interact with local monks. We return to the same hotel in Siem Reap and have the rest of the evening at leisure.

Hiking Distance: 25 km / 15 mi 
Accommodation:  same comfortable hotel in Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11

Kompong Phluk
Biking, Boating & Sunset Hike
This morning we are back on bikes, following small back roads through rural landscapes and picturesque villages. Our first stop is the temple of Bakong. We continue into Ruluos town to visit a very local market, virtually untouched by tourism. After a refreshment stop here, we follow the path of Ruluos River to a point where we’ll board small wooden boats to continue our trip to Kompong Phluk. Cruising down the narrow waterway, we enter a medieval floating village where the houses stand atop stilts as high as seven meters above the water. Everything lives on the water here -- pigs, dogs, crocodiles and people, all jockeying for space in this incredible floating town. We’ll explore the local wat here before boarding a larger boat and cruising through the flooded forest and across the great lake to Chong Kneas, an expansive floating village with over 1000 houseboats. This village includes everything from a floating church to a floating police station. Afterwards, we travel to the holy mountain of Phnom Krom, where we’ll have a short hike to enjoy a glorious sunset before heading back to Siem Reap. We return to the same hotel in Siem Reap and have the rest of the evening at leisure. 

Biking Distance: 20 km / 12.5 mi 
Accommodation:  same comfortable hotel in Siem Reap
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12

Siem Reap
Departure
We'll transfer you to the Siem Reap airport to catch your international flight home or onward in South East Asia. 

Meals: Breakfast

What's Included

TRIP INCLUSIONS:

All accommodation (twin shared), meals as indicated, internal transportation excluding flight from Chiang Rai - Siem Reap, all equipment (mountain bikes and kayaking gear) and English-speaking guides.

TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE:

International airfare, flight (Chiang Rai - Siem Reap), airport taxes, gratuities and items of a personal nature.

MEALS:

11 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches, 2 Dinners

ACCOMMODATION:

Hotel: 11 Nights

Trip Facts

Weather in Thailand & Cambodia

Weather in Northern Thailand (includes Bangkok and Chang Rai)

November to February: Dry and cool. Average maximum temperature is 31°C (88°F). Very little rain.

March to May: Intense heat with high humidity. Temperatures reach an average of 35°C (95°F) in the afternoons. April and May are the hottest.

June to October: Hot with high humidity. Temperatures reach 34°C (94°F) during the day. More rain than other months.

Weather in Cambodia

The climate is divided into two seasons, wet and dry. The ideal months to visit Cambodia are December and January, when the temperatures are cooler, humidity is bearable and the chance of rain is unlikely.

December to February: Dry, comparatively cool. January is the "coolest" month and humid.

March and April: Dry. Temperatures become progressively hotter. April is the hottest month of the year with average afternoon temperatures of 35°C (94°F). High humidity.

May to November: Rainy season. September and October are the wettest. Cloudy and high humidity.

Travel Documents

Thailand
Canadian and US citizens require a valid passport with an expiry date that is beyond six months from the date of exit. A visa is not required for North American citizens. Citizens of other countries should contact the Thai Embassy for specific entry requirements.

Cambodia
Citizens from Canada and the US require a valid passport and a visa. Citizens of other nations should check with their nearest Cambodian Embassy for entry requirements. You must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the conclusion of your trip in order to enter Cambodia. A visa is required for Canadian and US citizens and can be purchased upon arrival at the Siem Reap airport. At the moment, the visa fee is $36 USD. For this visa, please make sure you have a recent passport picture of yourself. This visa can also be purchased before you leave home.

FAQ

How big are BikeHike's groups?

Our adventures are built for small groups, with a maximum of 12 travellers on each guided tour. Each group is diverse, comprised of men and women of many different nationalities and ages. By travelling in small groups we leave minimal ecological impact, cause less disruption to the native life and are able to gain a better appreciation for our surroundings. Small numbers also allow greater flexibility and spontaneity: a dinner in a local home, an impromptu village wedding invite and any such experiences that can become among the most memorable experiences of your BikeHike adventure.

How fit do I need to be to join this trip?

We understand that people come in many fitness levels, so we've graded our trips accordingly. There are four difficulty levels for our trips: Easy, Moderate, Challenging, and Strenuous.

This is a “moderate” trip. These trips include 4-5 hours of physical activity throughout the day, with many breaks along the way. The biking portions of BikeHike Adventure’s trips are the most cardiovascular portions of the trips, but there are always support vehicles available on our BikeHike Vietnam trips. During the biking section, our travellers don’t have to carry anything on their backs as any packs can be carried in the support vehicle. During the hiking portions of the trip, the most you would have to carry on your back is a daypack.

How long has BikeHike been running trips like this one?

BikeHike Adventures has been operating since 1994. 

The logistics of organizing tours to remote corners of the world can be very complex. Our trip development department spends long hours researching destinations, routes, ground operations and equipment. All itineraries are screened without clients before they are added to our growing repertoire of adventures. Nothing is untested. 

Can you tell me about your typical BikeHike travellers on this trip?

Our travellers share a common love for outdoor adventure. Most are looking for a physical adventure in an unfamiliar destination. A typical trip is comprised of men and women of varied ages and nationalities. Most of our clients on this trip are regular mortals in good physical condition, who exercise regularly and are invigorated by a personal challenge. 

The age range on this trip is typically from 35-60, although we occasionally get younger and older travellers as well.

What kinds of cultural interactions can one expect travelling in Thailand and Cambodia?

There is a lot of cultural interaction possible in Thailand and Cambodia, as they are very culturally rich destinations.

Will I require vaccinations to travel to Thailand and Cambodia?

We cannot give official medical advice. We advise you to contact your nearest travel clinic for updated information on health requirements, because this information can and does change frequently. You should plan ahead for your inoculations, as some of them require 30 days to take affect. Some shots cause mild reactions (fatigue to mild fever and nausea) and may require more than one dose over a period of weeks.

A good website for current information is The Centre for Disease Control.

Do you need a visa to enter Thailand or Cambodia?

THAILAND: Canadian and US citizens require a valid passport with an expiry date that is beyond six months from the date of exit. A visa is not required for North American citizens. Citizens of other countries should contact the Thai Embassy for specific entry requirements.

CAMBODIA: Citizens from Canada and the US require a valid passport and a visa. Citizens of other nations should check with their nearest Cambodian Embassy for entry requirements. You must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the conclusion of your trip in order to enter Cambodia. A visa is required for Canadian and US citizens and can be purchased upon arrival at the Siem Reap airport for $20 USD. For this visa, please make sure you have a recent passport picture of yourself. This visa can also be purchased before you leave home.

Is it possible to use foreign cell phones or wifi while traveling in Thailand and Cambodia?

Yes, wifi and cell reception is available in some areas, mainly in the cities. However, while hiking and biking, there are perhaps a few areas where cell reception is unavailable. Most hotels are equipped with basic wifi. 

Which airports do we fly in and out of for this trip?

You need to fly into Bangkok, Thailand for this trip. You can arrive anytime on day 1. For departure, the flight is from Siem Reap, Cambodia. You can depart anytime on day 12.

Can I take this trip if...

I am a solo traveller? How does solo accommodation and costing work?

Many of our travellers (both men and women) join as singles. On average, BikeHike groups are 75% single travellers and 25% couples. Unlike many adventure travel companies, we don't charge single supplement fees to solo travellers. Instead, we pair you with another traveller of the same gender. If we can't find you a roommate, you get your own room at no additional charge. A single private room supplement fee is only required if you specifically request a confirmed private room for the duration of the trip. Learn more about solo travel with BikeHike

I have special dietary requirements?

We will do our best to accommodate special dietary requests (e.g. vegetarian, gluten free, etc.), but ask that you please discuss your request with us when signing up for a trip.

I am travelling with children? Is this trip children friendly?

While most of our trips are created with adults in mind, many of our itineraries are suitable for strong and active teenagers. This trip is generally not a family focused trip. However, we do offer many Family Focused trips, some of which are able to accommodate children as young as six.

Accommodation

Most of our trips include comfortable mid-range accommodations. This includes accommodation that provides a clean and comfortable experience in characterful surroundings that reflect the destination. To build stronger connections with the communities and support the local economies, we avoid using large international chain brands on BikeHike trips. 

This trip includes the following types of accommodation:

HOTELS 

In an effort to keep money in the communities we visit around the world, BikeHike prefers small hotels, bungalows, and haciendas that showcase the character and local flair of each destination.

Click HERE for more information about accommodation styles.

Price

(Land only, based on twin/shared room)
3999.00
USD
per person

No single supplement fees
** Guaranteed departures on four travellers

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Add-Ons

  • It's easy to add days before and after your tour. Just ask! 
Day Destination Activity
Duration
Distance Lodging Meals
1
Bangkok
Arrival
Hotel
2
Bangkok
City Tour
Hotel
b,
l
3
Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Chiang Rai
Biking & Flight
25 km
15 mi
Hotel
b,
l
4
Chiang Rai
Biking & Elephant Valley Project
20 km
12 mi
Hotel
b,
l,
d
5
Mae Kok River
Kayaking
2 hours
Hotel
b,
l,
d
6
Doi Mae Salong
Hiking
15 km
9 mi
Hotel
b,
l
7
Golden Triangle
Biking
65 km
40 mi
Cabin
b,
l
8
Bangkok - Siem Reap
Transfer
Hotel
b
9
Siem Reap
Biking
18 km
11 mi
Hotel
b,
l
10
Siem Reap - Kulen National Park
Hiking
25 km
15 mi
Hotel
b,
l
11
Kompong Phluk
Biking, Boating, Sunset Hike
20 km
12.5 mi
Hotel
b,
l
12
Siem Reap
Departure
b

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