Cycle Indochina & Angkor

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

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  Philippa Benjamin

  CYCLE INDOCHINA AND ANGKOR WAT

  

  Written April 2008

  Great people, great guides.  Lovely location espcially Vietnam.  Very hot and humid however and this makes the cycling pretty tough.  Several days with no cycling due to traffic and road conditions which is a shame.  Flights very long, especially with the stop over. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Vietnam was great - scenery and the rest

  What did you think of your group leader?

  The group leaders from thailand were just absolutely perfect.  The group leader in Cambodia was somewhat formal and made us feel a bit like American tourists but it's a young country and I think that's how they're taught in 'tourist school'!  The guide in vietnam was also really nice.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Pack rehydration salts - it is extremely hot.  Slap on the sun cream.  Even Factor 50 wasn't high enough....  AND Ensure return flights are confirmed.  Six of us did not get back on the flights we were meant to so had to go via Kuala Lumpur, Rome and finally LHR Terminal 5.  All due to cock up with Air Malaysia.  Confirming the return flights would have highlighted the issue earlier.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Be prepared for lots of heat and humidity.  Don't feel pressured to cycle any faster than you want to even though you'll be bound to have some front runners in the group.  Saying that, however, the guides are really good at ensuring regular breaks and supply lots of water, snacks and soft drinks.  There are a fair amount of bus travel and tourist bits but it balances out pretty well all in all because the heat and traffic means you just may not be able to cycle as much or as far as you normally do.

   
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  vicky seville

  CYCLE INDOCHINA AND ANGKOR WAT

  

  Written December 2007

  A superb way to visit three contrasting countries and to sample a variety of differing cultures..emotional and inspirational  

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  During our stay in Cambodia we visited the temple ruins at Ankgor..such an awsome display of temples that it left you wanting more. I have never seen such a complex of fascinating temples and to cycle through the complex was a joy and a fantastic way to travel between the various sites. Angkor Wat is breathtaking and really worth the early start.

  I was truly inspired by our guide at the genocide museum and the killing fields. This man had lived through brutalities but showed no anger or biterness and he shared these emotions with us.Very moving and although unpleasant to listen to I would not have missed this .

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Joey the main leader was superb. He was very professional and allowed us all our own space but always ensured that our needs were met. He was very polite and nothing was too much trouble.Joey loved the bikes and got up early to clean them for us! The local guides were also highly knowledgeable and very friendly.They were all passionate about their own countries espescially Mr T (Cambodia) who was a walking history book!

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  My advice is just book this! The organisation was perfect and everything was laid on for us. I am not a great cyclist but managed the miles.There are some long days but there is no pressure to ride fast and the support vehicles are always on hand for you. This trip is great for mixing with the local communities for example the homestay visit was such a laugh,all under one roof with a local family and a fridge stocked full of beer....and rice wine which was free!!In Thailand our pit stops were at local temples with the monks, and local non touristy restauraunts were always the order of the day.

  I would advise travellers NOT to take travellers cheques as I had difficulty cashing them..there are safety deposit boxes in nearly all of the hotels used which I have to say were all of a decent standard.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  This was my first trip travelling with a group, my first solo travelling holiday and my first cycling holiday and I am hooked!! What a great way to meet other like minded people..in the sun..with some beers! Perhaps I was lucky with my fellow travellers but I can not fault this holiday in any way. The ONLY negative point for me was that the bikes used in Vietnam were a bit ropey....they had obviously seen better days and there were a few of us who did not have the right size frame but this did not detract from my enjoyment. The locals were kind and made us feel welcome and the children in all three countries are just amazingly happy and you will be saying Hello at least 1000 times a day to the kids!

   
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  Richard Barlow

  Cycling through a Monsoon - Fabulous!

  

  Written November 2007

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  By cycling, we got the best feel for the countries we visited, that we could possibly have had.  Thailand was beautiful with it's Tapioca fields and Temples, Cambodia was a land of contrasts with the magnificent Angkor Wat and the thought provoking Killing Fields and finally, cycling through the mother of all monsoons in chaotic Vietnam, for the best Crocodile kebabs in Asia!

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  What did you think of your group leader?

  Tour leader Joe was an extremely knowledgable & helpful all round Good Guy, who was ably assisted by Jacky, Sam and Lhong along the way.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Don't bother with the waterproofs, the rain is warm!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The planning and logistics of the tour were unbeatable.  It would have been nice to have had a night (the first night, maybe?) in Bangkok.

   
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  Nicola Morris

  Bangkok to Saigon - a trip to remember

  

  Written September 2007

  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  I think what I found most amazing was the huge diffrences between these three neighbouring cultures.  Each time you crossed a border you were instantly in another world.  Thailand is lush and green, Vietnam is vibrant whereas in Cambodia the contrast between the amazing cultural heritage of Angkor Wat and Pnomh Penh is at such enormous contrast with the poverty and devastation left by the war.  In all three countries the welcome we were given was awesome.  It was like being royalty every time we rode into a village and had little kids yelling hello and lining the side of the road to high five you.  Really beautiful people despite the fact that they really have every right to detest Westerners.

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  What did you think of your group leader?

  We had an over all group leader and then a different country guide for each country.  All were very knowledgable and good company but very different, reflecting the cultural differences identified above.  Some people in the group were frustrated in Cambodia and blamed the local guide for small things which went wrong.  However I think it is important to remember that this is not the West - life is not so predictable and you really have to take things in your stride and view it all as part of the adventure.  The only comment I would make is that the group leader did not always lead as much as he needed to but was sometimes overwhelmed by the louder voices within the group to the detriment of the group as a whole.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Go for it.  make sure you train but don't push yourself beyond your limit - it is meant to be a holiday after all!  Take the mini bus if you want to!  The trip is really well broken down into chunks with lots of rest stops and lots of snacks and drinks but 90km in very high temperatures is hard work whatever you do. Malaria tablets can make mornings a little tricky as we spend half of it on the loo!  Accommodation is all really good.  We carried mosquito nets, etc and needed none of it.  It was always a really pleasant surprise at the end of the day and the hotel in Siem Reap really is lovely.  Buy everything you want in Cambodia.  Things are both dearer and poorer quality in Vietnam.  Be patient with the kids even when they drive you round the bend.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Choose your trip well.  This is a "B" graded trip and is designed to enable you to see as much of the country and people as you can.  If your aim is to go as far and as fast as you can don't choose this trip.  We had too many of that type on our trip and it kind of spoiled it for those of us who had read the label.  This is a cultural experience - not a bike race!  The people, especially the children are so desperate to be friendly - it is such a waste to whiz by them.  Finishing the last days cycle in the knowledge that we had crossed three countries and come 500 odd kilometres was an amazing feeling - great sense of achievement. Enjoy - it is a memorable trip.

   

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