Leading Halal Tour Package and Travel Guide in Cambodia
Halal Tourism (Cambodia)
Phnom Penh, April 26th, 2023 —
- Explore Angkor Wat by bicycle with a licensed guide
- Engage with local NGOs to learn about community development and social impact
- Enjoy a casual cycle ride from Siem Reap to Kampot, with a fully supported team
- Boat rides from to Battambang along the Tonle Sap
The days are long, the country is hot and the people are super friendly. From the constant and random “Hello!!” from the children on the roadsides to conversations with the truly selfless and unsung heroes running community development programmes — travelling Cambodia by bike is an incredible adventure!
We cycle from Siem Reap and finish in Kampot (11 days) before taking you back to Phnom Penh. The pace of all our tours is relaxed and casual. There’s always time to stop for a photo, and we rarely cycle more than 2 days in a row. When the journey is just as good as the destination, there’s no need to rush.
Monuments and museums can teach you about the country’s history. Social Cycles and our networks of NGO partners can teach you about its present and what the future holds.
Take experiential travel to new depths. This is so much more than just a holiday!
Day1: Siemreap: Arival Day
In the evening, meet for a welcome dinner at one of Siem Reap’s best restaurants, Marum. The restaurant is a part of Friends International social enterprise projects and provides vocational training for the city’s marginalized youth.
Day2: Siemreap: Sunrise Cycling around the Temples of Angkor
From here venture on to other, and arguably more impressive, temples in the area for the remainder of the morning.
In the early afternoon we’ll have the chance to visit our first NGO of the trip. We’ll spend time with these inspirational people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Hear their stories and understand what the real issues of the country straight from the people.
Day3: Battambang: River riding, Local Villages
Travelling across the wetlands and navigating our way around the Tonle Sap river is an unforgettable experience. The road slowly turns to single track as we get more and more inland. We’ll bid farewell to our support van and venture into the rural and barren lands of Cambodia. Few villages exist out here, most of which support themselves through sustainable fishing.
As you enter Battambang, you’ll be greeted by colonial-style streets and a bustling market with bric-a-brac abound.
Dine at another social enterprise-based restaurant, Jann Bai, which prepares food on par with anything in any Australian city.
Day4: Pursat Aventure Cycling, Red dirt and an NGO
After an early breakfast, make your way along the dusty red back roads of Battambang, via Banan temple. Reach the town of Pursat by early afternoon and jump straight into the hotel swimming pool and make full use of their massage spa.
Later in the day, tour the facilities of an amazing NGO, Sustainable Cambodia, and attend a full presentation by the executives and a tour of their facilities. Then learn about the project’s work and the difference it makes firsthand.
Day5: Phnom Penh: Back Roads & Coffee Stops
Start cycling 75 km out from Phnom Penh and ride all the way up to the front door of your hotel. The back roads introduce some of the most spectacular scenery in the region as we pass through villages settled around Tonle Sap lake. The ride includes great coffee stops, endless photo opportunities and a couple of ferry crossings.
The final 2 km to the city can be completed via the van as an option.
For dinner, it’s a feast of tarantula’s and silk works at the famous Romdeng restaurant, a social enterprise restaurant from the Friends International team.
Day6: Phnom Penh: Friend Internationals, S21 Genocide Museum
We’ll start the day by meeting the incredible people at Friends International and learn about the wonderful work they do in the community. This is a great insight into real, everyday local issues from real, everyday local heroes.
From the office, we venture towards the Russian market and then to Tuol Sleng, also known as S-21 Genocide Museum. This devastating chapter of the Khmer Rouge and Cambodian history is emotionally challenging but strongly recommended.
There is some free time in the afternoon to process your day, whilst we’ll meet again for a local Khmer BBQ dinner.
Day7: Kampot: Riding Out of Phnom Penh
Our first major cycling day takes us south of Phnom Penh to Chisaur Mountain Temple in rural Cambodia. It’s not really much of a mountain at 130 m, and the route is perfectly flat. We’ll casually cycle through remote villages and waterways, via narrow dirt tracks.
After lunch at the Chisaur Temple we’ll have plenty of time to explore these ancient ruins 200-years older than Angkor Wat.
Later, take the van down to the Cambodian coastal town of Kampot to enjoy the culinary delights on offer.
Day8: Kampot: The Bokor Mountain Cycle Challenge
If cycling uphill doesn’t rock your world, we can bring your bike in the van, and you can cycle down.
Whilst at the top, we can take some time to explore the French ghost town of Bokor Hill Station in Preah Monivong National Park.
Day9: Kampot: Salt Field Community
In the morning, we’ll visit Chumkriel Language School (no children will be in attendance at the time of visiting). An inspirational human being, Mr Suthy set up the grassroots local school to provide children of the salt field community access to education.
In the afternoon, just sit and relax by the pool, wander through the market or just take some time for yourself. If you like, you can take a cruise down the river at sunset and watch the fireflies come to life.
Day10: Phnom Penh: Peper Farms, Crab Market, Beaches
Today we cycle from Kampot to the famous regional pepper plantations for a short guided tour. Later, we’ll cycle to the Kep crab market and take in the incredible sights and smells of this live culinary feast!
The afternoon ride takes us along the coast and through some single tracks via local fishing villages before we resurface at the Vietnam border. From here jump back in the van to be transferred to a Phnom Penh hotel for your last night.
Day11: Phnom Penh: Departure Day
All good things must come to an end. Enjoy your breakfast, squeeze in one more massage or just find a great cafe to watch the world go by before heading out.
