These are the cycling tours in Vietnam Cambodia Thailand:
- Cycling Saigon to Phnom Penh 5 Days.
- Cycling Saigon to Siem Reap 10 Days.
- Cycling Saigon to Bangkok 14 Days.
The friend have been touring across Southeast Asia for several months. First of all, nothing special, if it weren't for her love for cycling. So far they have loved Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia. Singapore and Vietnam struggled. Here the map shows the route for cycling through Cambodia. You can find the full itinerary on Homepage Of Vietnam By Bike Website (#vietnambybike).
While browsing the Vietnam By Bike, I discovered this video - and I was immediately impressed! The lovingly positive charisma and down-to-earth modesty make the two something very special for me. Having given up on jobs, Ut & Ngan are now living their dream of a long trip - not just a few weeks a year, but directly for a whole year. Maybe even longer, they don't know that exactly yet.
Boating & Biking In Bangkok
I imagine what it's like to be out and about by bike for two days a day. The bike isn't even the big challenge, I say. Rather, the fact whether it always works with the partner. Whether you're not getting on each other's minds, or just being mad at each other. A great deal of mutual respect is required to successfully embark on such an adventure. Regardless of whether with or without a bike - the partner keeps "sticking" to you, so to speak. If you do not know this, you should maybe practice with shorter stages beforehand. At least that's how Ut & Ngan did it all the years before when they were only on the road for 4-6 weeks. In the interview you will learn a lot about their tour. And who knows, maybe you'll soon be traveling by bike ;-)
Many don't dare to be away for a long time. Most of the time, the reason is the fear of your own job and how things will go after a trip like this. You just quit your jobs. How will it go on with you professionally when you are back in Germany?
Earning money or finding a new job shouldn't be a problem. We'll let you know when the time comes. It is much more difficult to get out of a job if the job was safe and the work was fun. We have now finally taken the step and it should not have been for just one year. There is definitely a new trip after the trip.
- What do you like about South East Asia?
- What is your daily budget and how much does a trip like that cost?
We try to get by on average with 30 € per day. But then all expenses are included, such as Flights, entrance fees, etc. Unfortunately, this does not work everywhere. In Singapore alone, the accommodation of € 34 clearly exceeded this framework. Entrance fees to sights are also pretty nice. This is not a drama. However, unlike previous vacations, we ask ourselves more critically beforehand whether it is really worth the money. So we just leave out some things that are recommended somewhere. A nice example is the visit to the Borobudur temple at sunrise. It costs almost twice as much as a normal visit. We also get beautiful sunrises and sunsets for free here in Southeast Asia.
In Cambodia we spent a total of € 1,027 for the 30 days (including Visa, SIM card, entrance fees, boat trips, accommodation, meals, ...). So that was 34 € / day for the two of us. The entire trip will have cost around € 12,000 after one year.
The key is to reduce running costs in advance. For health insurance, liability and accident insurance, we add an additional € 1,700 annually. Further running costs are not necessary or depend on personal circumstances (apartment, car, etc.)
You're traveling by bike: how do you actually do that with your luggage?
Each of us has two large and two small luggage bags. In the big pockets we have the "workshop" with the spare parts and tools, our clothes, hiking shoes and camping gear. The kitchen, bathroom and office are spread over the small pockets. Depending on the size of the water supply, Ngan has 25-30kg, Ut 22-25kg of luggage on the bike.
Southeast Asia is not exactly cool and cycling is exhausting. How do you do it with the heat and the humidity?
Start early and drink a lot. And then hope to sweat soon. The airstream is like a redemption and the sweat cools the body comfortably.
How do you plan your trip from one place to another? Do you already know where you will stay overnight? And how do you find a place to stay? Because I guess that where you cycle there is not internet access everywhere.
You can't and can't plan a year in advance. We usually do the planning the day before - and so far we haven't had to sleep under the bridge. We use several navigation programs (Maps.Me, Google Maps, Scout) for the route at the same time, as they often complement each other.
Not every app knows the same ways and accommodations. We create a route with each app and compare which one is the most beautiful for cycling. In this context, we also look for possible accommodations. We find a daily route between 60 km and 80 km ideal, but this cannot always be set up.
Maps.Me and Scout can also be used offline, so that we can do without the Internet if necessary. However, we buy a prepaid SIM card in every country immediately after withdrawing money and are therefore, except for a few remote areas, always online.
We have given up booking accommodation in advance, as it is usually cheaper on site. Only in exceptional cases, if we e.g. Arrive late and want to be safe, we book in advance. We have had good experiences with Booking.com. And when the going gets tough, we have our tent with us. However, that was not often used here in Southeast Asia.
Smilling Country Thailand
What have been the biggest challenges during your tour so far?
The biggest challenge for us was the “Tour de Flores” with the absolutely steep mountain passages. The only long-distance road across the island of Flores is i.a. a professional cycle track. We as occasional cyclists have now also conquered them.
The longest route in a day?
123 km from Kratie to Kampong Cham along the Mekong (Cambodia). Half of the route went over unpaved mogul slopes through small villages along the river bank. Beautiful! Only the butt suffered badly.
The shortest route in a day?
Within the Thai national park "Khao Sam Roi Yot" we have moved from one campground to the next and have covered the "amazing route" of 13.5 km. If we stay in one place for several days, short tours in the area are quite normal.
The toughest route so far?
That was the stage from Lumajang to Kepanjen on the island of Java. Not only was it 111 km long, but we also had to climb 1,600 vertical meters. The towns all merged seamlessly so that we had the feeling that we were staying in one city, but we could not find any accommodation over this long distance in between. So we had to go through. However, we knew it beforehand and started at 5 a.m.
The easiest route so far?
With a few exceptions, there are no large mountains along the coastlines. The terrain is mostly flat. If the traffic is calm and the possible accommodations are not far apart, you can organize your day comfortably. Malaysia's east coast is particularly pleasant to remember on this point.
What three things should you consider before you cross South Asia with your bike like yours?
Don't take too much. You can buy everything you need for everyday needs, both clothes and hygiene items.
2. Keep an eye on the rainy seasons in the individual countries and then divide the route. During this time, cycling is not always fun and can even be dangerous. As e.g. a big storm in Thailand swept over our bungalow and took pieces from the roof, we preferred to stay one more day and didn't go out on the street.
3. Do not choose the routes so long, so that there is time to linger and spontaneous changes. That makes it so special for us. We have e.g. in Cambodia beautiful areas - like the coast - have to be left out. The 30-day visa was too short. But that also gives us a reason to come back.
What is your ultimate packing list tip?
A small hut sleeping bag made of light material. We have one for 2 people that only weighs 300 grams. Occasionally, "inexpensive" accommodation also means "not particularly clean". If you can then crawl into your own sleeping bag, it will sleep much more comfortably.
How long have you been in Cambodia and how did your route go in this country?
We were in Cambodia for 30 days. Coming from Thailand we cycled via Ban Laem in the east to Battambang and sailed to Siem Reap with the local ferry boat. From there we continued east to Stung Treng on the Mekong, the course of which we then followed to Phnom Penh. The way south to the Vietnamese border was a bit chaotic because we had to find a crossing from the Bassac River to the Mekong about 60 km south of the capital. However, the plain between the two streams is a single swamp and shallow water area. In total we cycled 1,076 km in Cambodia.
What did you particularly like about Cambodia and why?
Many things were totally uncomplicated, not as strictly regulated as at home in Germany.
If e.g. If someone arrives with a motorcycle and still wants to do the river tour from Battambang to Siem Reap on the local passenger ferry, then the difficult thing is just hoisted onto the roof. Right away - four men, four corners. We were concerned that our bikes would not be taken. For no reason, as we saw then.
How do you feel about Cambodia compared to the other countries you travel to in Southeast Asia?
Everything is a bit quieter than e.g. with the neighbors in Thailand.
There is much less traffic on the roads overland. People are a bit more reserved and shy than the Thai, Malaysian or Indonesian. However, if you wave to them as you cycle past, you will always get an incredibly nice smile and a joyful "hello" in response.
The children's enthusiasm and openness are no different from those of other countries in Biking Southeast Asia.
Is there a moment that particularly touched you in Cambodia?
We met a young man on Mekong island Ko Preah. He owns a piece of land that leads directly to the sandy beach by the river. In a few years, when he has returned from a job in Japan with enough money, he wants to set up his own resort on the island, with a bar, deck chairs and everything around it. He described it to us with so much enthusiasm that we had almost finished it before our eyes. By the way - swimming in the Mekong on this beach was great! 
In Bangkok
You have probably also noticed that Cambodia is a comparatively poor country. What do you think about the best way to support local people as tourists?
Spend the money for accommodation and food on the "little people" as often as possible. We mostly bought our food at street stalls and small restaurants, wherever the population goes. In the remote areas, we took overnight stays or small inns that are run by local people. These were mostly very simple, but very authentic. And if you like to camp, you don't need more comfort. And many interested people report how beautiful the country is. Then maybe they will be the next visitors.