DAY 1: Cycle the 'Killing Fields' & Tonle Bati (L)
Cycle CambodiaYour guide, cycle guide and support vehicle will meet you at your hotel at 07:00 and your bike will be adjusted to ensure a comfortable fit. Once you are ready your cycle guide will lead you through the early morning hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh streets as you ride the 15km to Cheoung Ek, more commonly known as the 'Killing Fields' (if you do not feel comfortable cycling in Phnom Penh you can ride in the support vehicle to the outskirts of the city). The ‘Killing Fields’ are where Toul Sleng prisoners were forcibly marched and then executed; it is now a memorial site located in a beautiful tranquil setting (a visit to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum on the way to the ‘Killing Fields’ is an option). After some contemplation you continue pedalling south through small traditional villages. After a short combination of almost traffic free dirt roads and some lightly trafficked tarmac roads you will arrive at Tonle Bati, a riverside location where we will have time to explore the small, yet picturesque Angkorian temples of Ta Prohm and Yeay Peau. This is a very pleasant spot for enjoying your picnic lunch. It is thought that via a network of waterways Ta Prohm was an important trading port linking the Angkor temples of Siem Reap in the north to the southern Angkorian / Funan sea ports in what is now Vietnam. Fertility was, and still is, the temple’s main focus, and a statue of the Hindu fertility goddess Preah Noreay is still popular with childless women who come to offer gifts to her headless torso. On the banks of the nearby river are a line of bamboo shacks with hammocks, a great place for a relaxing drink. After a couple of hours taking it easy you can choose whether you want to cycle back to Phnom Penh or take the support vehicle. On arrival back in Phnom Penh you will be returned to your hotel having had a great days cycling!