Cycle Cambodia - 11 Days (Self-Launched)
11 days · Cambodia
Social Cycles charges £1,550
No-markup version: ~£890 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched two-wheel ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, following the same route as Social Cycles' guided NGO-immersion tour but booked independently. You'll cycle sunrise laps around Angkor, cross the Tonle Sap wetlands by longtail boat, ride the flat backroads through Battambang, Pursat and Kampot, and dip into the country's social-enterprise scene on your own terms. Bikes, guesthouses and transport are all arranged locally for a fraction of the guided price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Land at REP and grab a tuk-tuk ($3-5) to your guesthouse in the Wat Bo or Sok San Road area. Pick up your bike — most guesthouses partner with rental shops at $5-8/day, or rent a decent mountain bike from a specialist shop. Spend the afternoon wandering Pub Street and the Old Market, then book a spot at Marum restaurant for a welcome dinner of Khmer tapas — a training restaurant run by Friends International, the same social enterprise the original tour visits.
🚌Airport tuk-tuk (~£3), bike hire arranged locally
🛏Guesthouse in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£16/night)
- →Bike rental pick-up
- →Pub Street and Old Market wander
- →Dinner at Marum (Friends International training restaurant)
Angkor Sunrise by Bike
Siem Reap / Angkor
Ride out before dawn to catch sunrise over Angkor Wat, then loop the small circuit by bike — Bayon, Ta Prohm and the Terrace of the Elephants. A 1-day Angkor pass costs $37 and the circuit is 20-30km on flat sandy roads. In the afternoon, contact a local NGO directly (Friends International, or Sustainable Cambodia ahead of your Pursat visit) to arrange a short informal presentation.
🚌Own bike (Angkor pass $37/£29)
🛏Guesthouse in Wat Bo, Siem Reap (~£16/night)
- →Angkor Wat sunrise
- →Small circuit cycling (Bayon, Ta Prohm)
- →Optional NGO visit
Cycling to Battambang via the Wetlands
Battambang
Ride west towards the Tonle Sap floodplain and take a longtail boat across the wetlands with your bike aboard (negotiate ~$20-25 for boat + bike). Continue on dirt roads through remote stilted villages to Battambang. It's a long day — around 70km with the boat shortcut. In the evening eat at one of Battambang's social-enterprise or NGO-linked restaurants and stroll the colonial shophouse streets.
🚌Own bike + longtail boat (~£18 shared)
🛏Guesthouse in Battambang (~£14/night)
- →Tonle Sap wetlands longtail boat crossing
- →Dirt-road village cycling
- →Battambang colonial quarter stroll
Banan Temple and Pursat
Pursat
Cycle south to the 11th-century hilltop temple of Banan (climb 300+ steps for the view), then push on to Pursat, a sleepy riverside town known for its marble carvers. Reach out to Sustainable Cambodia in advance to arrange an informal tour of their project sites — they welcome independent visitors who email ahead. Evening swim or massage at your guesthouse.
🚌Own bike (~60km)
🛏Guesthouse in Pursat (~£13/night)
- →Banan Temple climb
- →Sustainable Cambodia project site visit (email ahead)
- →Pursat marble carving workshops
Long Ride into Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
The big one: roughly 75km along Highway 5 backroads into the capital, with a couple of ferry crossings over tributaries (small bike ferries, $0.50-1 each). If the heat or legs give out, flag a shared minivan for the last stretch. Land in Phnom Penh and head straight for a social-enterprise dinner — Friends International's Romdeng or the sister restaurant — serving Khmer classics while training marginalised youth.
🚌Own bike + ferries (~£2)
🛏Guesthouse near the riverside, Phnom Penh (~£16/night)
- →75km backroad ride into Phnom Penh
- →River ferry crossings
- →Dinner at a Friends International training restaurant
Phnom Penh History and Markets
Phnom Penh
A sobering day. Visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21, $5 with audio guide) and the Russian Market for lunch and souvenir hunting. Friends International run a range of programmes worth visiting or supporting directly — check their website for current public access. Finish with a local Khmer BBQ dinner: pick your meats and grill them yourself at the table ($5-8).
🚌Tuk-tuk around town (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse near the riverside, Phnom Penh (~£16/night)
- →Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)
- →Russian Market
- →Khmer BBQ dinner
Ride to Kampot and Chisaur Temple
Kampot
Take a morning bus to Kampot with your bike or ride the flatter stretch if time allows — the Giant Ibis and local minibuses carry bikes for a small fee. Afternoon cycle out to the remote Chisaur Temple ruins through rice paddies and farming villages, a quiet 25km round trip away from the tourist trail. Kampot's riverside is a foodie gem — try the pepper crab and Kep-style seafood.
🚌Bus Phnom Penh-Kampot (~£9, bike fee ~£2)
🛏Guesthouse in Kampot (~£14/night)
- →Bus transfer to Kampot
- →Chisaur Temple ruins cycle
- →Kampot riverside food scene
Bokor Hill Station and the Ghost Town
Kampot / Bokor Mountain
Ride or tuk-tuk up to Bokor Hill Station, the eerie French colonial hilltop resort (Preah Monivong National Park, park entry $1 + $5 road fee). The 80km round trip is the one genuinely hilly ride of the trip — riders often loop it, or cheat and load the bike in a shared van for the climb. Explore the abandoned casino and church, then coast down for dinner at the Green House or a BBQ-rib joint in town.
🚌Own bike or shared tuk-tuk up the mountain (~£8)
🛏Guesthouse in Kampot (~£14/night)
- →Bokor Hill Station ghost town
- →Preah Monivong National Park
- →Optional 80km mountain climb
Chumkriel School and Sunset River Cruise
Kampot
Morning ride out to the Chumkriel Language School on the edge of town — email ahead to arrange a visit and see how the school supports local kids with free English classes. Spend the afternoon poolside or browsing the market, then book a sunset boat trip on the Kampot River, timing it for the fireflies that sparkle in the mangroves after dark (~$5-8).
🚌Own bike + boat (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse in Kampot (~£14/night)
- →Chumkriel Language School visit (email ahead)
- →Market browsing
- →Sunset river firefly cruise
Kep Pepper Plantations and the Vietnam Border
Kampot / Kep
Ride east to Kep to tour the famous pepper farms (La Plantation offers tours, ~$5) and see the salt pans shimmering along the coast. Continue toward the Vietnam border at Prek Chak/Ha Tien for a taste of the frontier — the notorious Kep crab market is worth a stop. Note the original tour loops back to Phnom Penh; if you're crossing to Vietnam make sure your visa is arranged.
🚌Own bike (~50km)
🛏Guesthouse in Kampot or Kep (~£14/night)
- →Kep pepper plantation tour
- →Salt lake cycle
- →Kep crab market
- →Prek Chak border area
Return to Phnom Penh and Depart
Phnom Penh
Bus back to Phnom Penh (or onward to Vietnam if you're continuing). Squeeze in a final massage ($5-8/hr) and a last cafe crawl along Street 240 before your flight. Return any rented gear and say goodbye to your bike.
🚌Bus Kampot-Phnom Penh (~£9)
🛏—
- →Massage
- →Cafe exploration
- →Return bike / onward travel
Self-launched vs. Social Cycles
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Social Cycles | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£890 | £1,550 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £660 per person (43%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Social Cycles-style trips? Check them out here.~£890
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Cycle Cambodia - 11 Days (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £890 per person for 11 days in Cambodia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Social Cycles?+
Yes — Social Cycles charges around £1,550 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £890 — a saving of roughly £660 (43%) per person.
How long is the Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Cambodia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, budget trip through Cambodia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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