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O U R W A N D E R I N G W A Y S
The local speed
on a bicycle
As far as local modes of transport go,
the bicycle is what gets you up close
and personal with the Khmers. That’s
because two-wheeled transport is
king in these parts, with pedal power
being the cheapest and most readily-
available ride throughout Cambodia.
You’ll see it in every town and village,
dirt path and highway from Poipet to
Phnom Penh; bikes of all kinds loaded
with everything from school kids to
chickens. For tourists, these vehicles
are a great opportunity to enjoy the
local pace of life.
Smiling Albino (
com
)
organizes cycling tours from
Siem Reap to just about any corner
of the country. These expeditions are
done using mountain bikes to navigate
the mostly undeveloped roads, and
are customized for the riders’ skill
level and sightseeing preferences.
Best of all, they put you right inside
the scenery, so to speak. One minute
you could be riding beside a herd of
water buffalo, and the next minute
you could be joining a fleet of hawkers
pedaling to the market. Follow a tiny
trail off the main road — as we did on
a recent ride — and you could very
well end up on a deserted temple
ruin. It’s little experiences like these
that make cycling in Cambodia truly
memorable.
Cycling around
Siem Reap is a good
workout; (below) the
bicycle is the locals’
ride of choice. They
use it to transport
everything
