We had the chance to catch up with Dan & Lori on the tail end of their month-long cycling trip. This wasn’t their first rodeo, and they chose to ride from the North of Vietnam, down the coast to Ho Chi Minh, and then up the Mekong to Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor Archeological Park.
This trip was very much a first for them. In the past, they regularly went on cycling trips throughout Europe, but for their first holiday since the end of the pandemic, they chose to head to Southeast Asia… and didn’t regret it.
Dan & Lori chose our Trans Cycling Trip Vietnam & Cambodia, a 32-day trip that crosses Vietnam from the North to the South and up the Mekong, crossing over into Cambodia with Siem Reap as a final destination.
Accompanied by our Easia guides and our cycling team for the duration of the trip, they had an authentic experience, meeting with locals all along the way and seeing firsthand the beauty of this incredible part of the world, with all the comfort and logistics organized for them.
What made you choose Vietnam and Cambodia as your destinations?
We’ve always been looking that way. Many friends have been to Vietnam and told us we had to go there, and they were right. We also chose to go to Cambodia, which was quite a surprise. It’s more different than we had expected. We thought it would be like going from the US to Canada, but the cultural difference is more like going from the US to Mexico.
What has been your favorite part of the trip?
The North of Vietnam was unique. We got there at the perfect time. The terraces were green, and the rice was. Blowing in the wind… it was so beautiful I could have cried. The timing was perfect, and we had a great guide and rides. It was amazing to see one day rice no way near being ready to harvest, and then two days later, your a little be more south, a little warmer, and the rice was on tarps drying. And we were lucky; we were only rained on twice, but it was an excellent opportunity to cool down!
Follow this link to learn more about our Guaranteed Departure programs in Vietnam.
How was the cycling itself?
We were very comfortable outside of the cities. In the cities, it was a bit overwhelming in the beginning. We’d start thinking, “Oh hell no,” but 60 seconds later, we were down small alleys and trails, which was beautiful. The traffic seems crazy and chaotic, but because people are cooperative, it works. It just takes time to get used to it; we didn’t ride much in the cities.
The guides did an excellent job of finding peaceful rodes. In the North, our guides found us a beautifully paved road with no traffic, just a pleasure to ride on it, and in Cambodia, the guide knew all these trails; incredibly, he could remember all these small roads.
Did anything surprise you on this trip?
Seeing live the terraced rice field in the North of Vietnam was incredible. The Mai Chau Valley was stunning. When you are standing there in real life and feel the breeze… it’s just unbelievable. There were lots of surprises.
Yesterday we stopped at one of these temples, where three men from the villages came to make an offering. It was so interesting to watch; they were talking back and forth with each other, and once they had finished, they turned around and asked us if we wanted to join them for lunch. People have been so friendly this trip, inviting us for tea or a meal.
Did you enjoy having a guide to accompany you?
Our guides were top-notch. Our guide didn’t hesitate to contact us and help us interact with locals in Vietnam. We rode by a wedding and were invited in, we were there for about half an hour, showing us everything they were doing to prep, and they took pictures with us; it was such a pleasant experience to interact with local people. All along this trip, we had the opportunity to interact.
It’s something we love about travel by bike. You ride through the villages, see the countryside and see how people live. We met this lady one day; she was 82 years old, had 24 children, over 200 grandchildren, and god knows how many great-grandchildren. This encounter wasn’t set up in advance, our guide saw them and rode up, and we started a conversation. By the end, the lady invited us in for tea. It was a lovely moment.
What did you think of Angkor Wat?
Excellent, it was a fantastic way to tie up the end of this trip; plus, thanks to our guide, we saw other incredible temples too. Our guide even took us to some smaller temples, well off the beaten tracks, that weren’t on the program just because he liked them, and yeah, those were amazing too! Being able to experience the temples with inside knowledge of when and where the crowds would be enhanced the experience for us
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