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Group of cycling challenge participants standing with their bikes in front of Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Cycle Vietnam to Cambodia 2024

Challenge level: 3 out of 5

When can I go?

2 November - 13 November 2024 On Sale
13 November - 24 November 2024 On Sale
Duration 12 days

What does it cost?

Registration fee (payable today) Info $449
Remaining amount
Total commitment Info

Cycle Vietnam to Cambodia 2024

Gear up for a 450km charity cycle through the stunning countries of Vietnam and Cambodia on one of our most popular overseas challenges in history!

Kicking off in Ho Chi Minh City, we’ll cycle through the beautiful Mekong Delta, alongside rivers lined with banana plants and palms, past orchards and villages, to an epic finish exploring the ancient temples of Angkor on our bikes.

Our stunning, mostly flat cycling route gives us chances to visit the Floating Market on the Mekong River, pay our respects to the victims of the Khmer Rouge at the Killing Fields near Phnom Penh, and ride through remote settlements far off the beaten tourist track.

This charity challenge is an incredibly special opportunity to immerse yourself in the fascinating cultures of both Vietnam and Cambodia, two countries which have gone through dramatic changes over the past fifty years, shaken by war, genocide and tourism.

Cycling is the best way to experience these gorgeous countries and with the chance to raise funds for a charity of your choice, get fit and make new friends, Wat’s there not to love?

Giving back to the planet
As a company dedicated to practising responsible tourism, we've designed our amazing itinerary to give back to the places we visit.

We have picked fantastic suppliers local to the area and we're off-setting the carbon of the ground operations for this challenge; so rest assured that we are minimising the impact of your cycle!

Can't wait until 2024?
There's still time to join us in 2023! Find out more and secure your place here.

Your itinerary

Days 1 & 2
London - Ho Chi Minh City

We first meet at the airport in London for our overnight flight to Ho Chi Minh City and say Good Morning to Vietnam when we arrive on Day 2.

From the airport, we transfer to a hotel in the city for our bike fitting and challenge briefing from our wonderful challenge leader. The rest of the day is then free for you to chill at the hotel or explore Vietnam’s bustling capital city as you wish.

Why not take this opportunity to visit the War Remnants Museum? It’s a truly sobering but eye-opening experience and a perfect way to get some insight into the country we’ll be riding through.

This evening, we meet back up for our Welcome Dinner and get our first taste of the delicious authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Day 3
Ho Chi Minh City -Ben Tre - Tra Vinh | approx. 62km

On our first day of cycling, we keep to a smooth route to ease ourselves into the challenge. After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to My Tho and enter the amazing Mekong Delta, with a ferry journey across the Tien Giang River.

We’re now far from the city traffic and cycle along beautiful tracks bright with banana plants and palms. This takes us through a number of local towns and villages and we stop for lunch at a restaurant in Ben Tre.

In the afternoon, we cross several pretty canals and tributaries and finally end with a boat ride across the Co Chien River to Tra Vinh. Here, we have our dinner and settle down at our hotel.

Day 4
Tra Vinh – Can Tho | approx. 90km

Cycling further today, we treat our legs to a fairly flat route and our eyes to some gorgeous views along the way.

Pedalling through rural communities and small towns, we pass colourful pagodas and cross the river over small, wooden bridges. Gaining some insight into the countryside communities we’re riding through; we have the chance to visit local Khmer temples.

The excitement doesn’t end there: we also make a stop at the beautiful Ba Om Pond, bedecked by water lilies and lotuses and surrounded by ancient trees with extraordinarily shaped roots.

We rest tonight at a hotel in the town of Can Tho, where we have dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 5
Can Tho - Chau Doc | approx. 75km

Rise and shine to visit the fabulous floating markets in Cai Rang and Phong Dien.

Mounting our bikes, we’ll cycle along the river bank and watch merchants pass their goods from boat to colourful boat. We’ll see endless cottage industries, including timber merchants, coconut shredders and small docks, where tradesmen load massive amounts of rice to and from boats – not your usual supermarket!

Pedalling on, we follow a narrow lane to the main road and stop for lunch. Suitably rested and refreshed, we’re back on our bikes this afternoon, riding along a tiny road upstream to Long Xuyen. This marks the end of our ride today and we can now rest our legs on a transfer to our hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 6
Chau Doc - Phnom Penh | approx. 8km

Today we enter Cambodia! Staying off our bikes for the morning, we transfer to the harbour and take a scenic boat ride from Vietnam to Cambodia’s famous capital city, Phnom Penh.

Once we’re grounded and across the border, we enjoy our lunch in a restaurant overlooking the busy harbour, before mounting bikes in the afternoon. Our short cycle takes us to the infamous Killing Fields of Cambodia.

Day 7
Phnom Penh – Kampong Thom | approx. 70 - 90km

After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer away from the city traffic and across the Japanese bridge to the surrounding countryside.

Here, we start our first full day cycling in Cambodia, following quiet dirt and tarmac roads alongside the Mekong River. Passing through many friendly villages and orchards, we stop for lunch and pedal on until we reach Totoeng village. Here, our bus awaits and we transfer to our hotel in Kampong Thom.

Day 8
Kampong Thom - Siem Reap | approx. 66km

Beginning with a transfer to Damdek village, we continue cycling through the countryside today and follow village back roads until we stop for lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon sees us back on our bikes and riding until we reach our hotel in Siem Reap, the gateway to the famous ruins of Angkor.

Once checked in, we have some time to enjoy a shower and relax, before going out for dinner. Why not take the opportunity to browse the souvenirs and handicrafts at Siem Reap’s vibrant night market? Siem Reap is our last stop before we jet home so if you’d like to buy some gifts or a memento of this magical challenge, this is a fab place to get haggling!

Day 9
Exploring Angkor Temple Complex by bike | approx. 28km

Welcome to the last and most exciting day of our adventure, dedicated to exploring the extraordinary Angkor temple complex! Cycling around the ruins together, we get a much more special and intimate experience of the iconic sites and the surrounding area than is possible by car or minivan.

We can marvel at the wonderful Angkor Wat, with its sprawling grounds and ancient sandstone carvings, the Bayon with its multitude of serene stone faces, the 350m long Terrace of the Elephants and Ta Prohm, (aka. the Tomb Raider temple), entwined with fig tree roots and gigantic creepers.

Our beautiful day ends with our celebration dinner in Siem Reap, where we toast our fantastic achievement, having conquered a whopping 450km for our chosen charities.

Day 10
Siem Reap

We end our beautiful challenge with a free day in Siem Reap. Today you're free to kick back and relax at the hotel or explore the city as you wish. Why not go back to the amazing temples of Angkor and explore them at your leisure? You may also want to browse Siem Reap for last-minute souvenirs. 

To allow you maximum flexibility on this free day, only breakfast is provided, so you'll need to arrange your own lunch and dinner - a fantastic chance to try out some of the gorgeous local restaurants.

Days 11 & 12
Siem Reap - UK

Today we perhaps have some free time this morning, before transferring to the Siem Reap airport for our overnight flights back to the UK. Touching down in London on Day 12, we part ways for home, ready to tell everyone we know “wat” an incredible adventure we had!

Book my place

Funding options

Self Funded

Pay the registration fee (£349) and challenge costs (£2,100) + airport taxes/fuel surcharge (capped at £475).

$3,150

Pay The Balance

  • Pay a non-refundable registration fee of £349, which is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.
  • Pay your challenge cost of £2,100 yourself 12 weeks before the challenge starts.
  • The challenge costs cover flights (not including airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, capped at £475), your food, accommodation, transfers, entry fees, guides, bike hire, mechanics and medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training.
  • Choose to fundraise as much as you can for the charity, hospice or animal sanctuary sanctuary of your choice with no minimum target, or make a personal donation.
  • Please also remember to budget for airport taxes and fuel surcharge (capped at £475).
Book my place

Sponsorship

Pay the registration fee (£349) and airport taxes/fuel surcharge (capped at £475), and fundraise £4,200 or more for your chosen charity.

$6,300

Minimum sponsorship target

  • Pay a non-refundable registration fee of £349, which is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.
  • Fundraise the minimum sponsorship target of £4,200 for a charity of your choice at least 12 weeks before your challenge starts.
  • Providing you have raised the funds, the charity you are supporting will pay the challenge costs of £2,100 on your behalf.
  • The challenge costs cover flights (not including airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, capped at £475), your food, accommodation, transfers, entry fees, guides, bike hire, mechanics and medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training.
  • Please also remember to budget for your visa and your airport taxes and fuel surcharge (capped at £475).
  • Please note that not all charities are happy to commit to the minimum sponsorship option. If you choose this option, we ask you to contact the charity you want to support. If they are not happy with the minimum sponsorship option, you can choose another charity or self fund your challenge.
Book my place

FAQs
Cycle Vietnam to Cambodia 2024

Please don't be! Most people sign up to our charity challenges on their own. Our cycle from Ho Chi Minh City to Angkor Wat is a brilliant opportunity to meet new people and make loads of new friends, who share your commitment to fundraising for charity.

Once you've signed up for the challenge, we'll send you a link to a private Facebook group for everyone registered for Cycle Vietnam to Cambodia 2024. Please feel free to use this space to swap questions, advice and updates with your fellow cyclists on your training and fundraising.

You may also want to reach out to your fellow participants in this group to see if there's anyone in your local area you can train and fundraise with.

One of the amazing things about our challenge cycling from Vietnam to Cambodia is that people of all ages will come together to achieve something very special for charity. Everyone who is 18 years old or over by the challenge departure is more than welcome to join this awesome cycle.

If you would like someone under the age of 18 to join you on the challenge please contact us to discuss (01590 646410 or bookings@dream-challenges.com) at least 17 weeks before departure.

Your non-refundable registration fee of £299 per person is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.

Your challenge costs of £2,100 (ie. 50% of the fundraising target if you choose the Sponsorship option) cover:

  • Your flights (not including airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, capped at £475).
  • Meals throughout the challenge (excluding free days, ie. Day 10).
  • Accommodation.
  • All transfers in Vietnam and Cambodia.
  • Entry fees where required.
  • A team of awesome, outdoor remote first aid trained local guides and Dream Challenges staff.
  • Full support from the Dream Challenges office in the lead-up to and during your challenge.
  • Mechanical and medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training.
  • Your Cycle Vietnam to Cambodia 2024 medal.

*Please note, your lunch on Day 2 and your lunch and dinner on Day 10 are not included in your challenge costs.

A cycling helmet is essential. Cycling shorts are also recommended and everyone will need their own water bottles or a camel back-type hydration system.

Apart from that, no specialist equipment is required. We will supply you with a list of everything you will need to take before you go. Cyclists will have the use of 18 or 21-gear bikes and we recommend you bring the saddle or gel cover you are used to riding on, so you feel right at home on your bike.

In addition to paying your registration fee (£349) and either paying your challenge costs or raising the minimum sponsorship target, you'll need to budget for your:

  • Airport taxes and the fuel surcharge (capped at £475).
  • Tourist visa for Cambodia (currently £45, but subject to change).
  • Travel to and from the airport in the UK.
  • Personal travel insurance.
  • Gratuities.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Your lunch on Day 2 and your lunch and dinner on Day 10.

We will stay in comfortable local hotels on a twin-sharing basis throughout our challenge in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Our hotel accommodation is included in your challenge cost on a twin-sharing basis. However if you would prefer to have a room to yourself and pay for a single supplement, we'll be happy to arrange this for you at an additional cost. 

Please simply get in touch by emailing us at bookings@dream-challenges.com or call us on 01590 646410 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) at least 17 weeks before the challenge departs.

Yes of course! If you wish to extend your stay, please let us know at least 17 weeks before our departure date and we can arrange this for you.

The easiest way to get in touch is by emailing us at bookings@dream-challenges.com or calling us on 01590 646410 (9am - 5pm Monday - Friday)

The group size for this overseas cycling challenge is likely to be around 40 people. You will no doubt make loads of new friends.

Travel Insurance
You will need to take out your own personal travel insurance upon registering for this challenge, covering health, accident, loss, and repatriation. We advise that you arrange personal travel insurance as soon as you can after you register to ensure you have coverage for your booking as well as the challenge itself.

Dream Challenges has found a policy that provides appropriate cover for this type of activity and also covers you for cancellation due to medically-diagnosed COVID-19. We will send you the details once you have registered. You can also call us for details on 01590 646410 during our office hours (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday).

You can, however, take out your own insurance, providing it covers you for a charity cycle in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Please ask the insurer about the nature of the cover. It is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate coverage for your challenge.

Visa
It is your responsibility to obtain a visa for Vietnam and Cambodia, if you need them. Ensure that you apply and obtain your visa in plenty of time. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam and https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cambodia

The Dream Challenges team are here to help you achieve your cycling challenge for charity and we will support you all the way. We are on hand from the minute you sign up to answer any questions that you may have about your training or the challenge itself.

Once you have registered, we will send you regular email updates with everything you need to know about your overseas challenge, including the itinerary, an example insurance policy, the structure of an average cycling day, a full kit list, and a realistic training plan to help you get fit for the challenge. The training programme builds up gradually as the our departure date gets closer.

We'll also send you seasonal fundraising ideas. During the cycle, we'll have a UK doctor with expedition medicine training accompanying the group at all times, along with a team of outdoor remote first-aid trained challenge guides.

As we're not medically trained, we're afraid we can't offer you advice on this. We recommend you contact your GP or your local travel clinic, who will have the latest travel health advice.

We also recommend you visit the NHS Fit for Travel website here, to keep up to date with current travel health news and advice on staying healthy abroad.

NHS Fit for Travel website: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home

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