22 Traveller ON SUNDAY
Cycling
NOVEMBER 15, 2015
The Sun-Herald
CAMBODIA
Wheels around Angkor Exploring Angkor Archaeological Park by bike is a novel way to connect with the locals, writes Tatyana Leonov.
O
ne, two, three, four, one, two, three, four . . . I count my pedal strokes methodically as I pick up my pace and close the gap to the cyclists ahead. It’s hot and humid and sweat beads form on my brow and trickle down my dewy face. I don’t really care too much about the temperature any more. Cambodia is warm to hot for the most of the year and you quickly get used to it. And even if you don’t, you soon forget about the heat because the surroundings are astounding. I’m on a cycling tour with SpiceRoads Cycle Tours. We’re guided by a clever and entertaining leader, we’re using new Trek X-Caliber 7 bikes, and our support vehicle is never too far away. The van becomes a portable haven. Whenever we break in picturesque shady spots, we eat cold fruits, local snacks and use way too many wet towels to relieve us from the heat. You’ve got to be a certain kind of person to go on a cycling holiday. For starters, you need to like cycling or at least be open to the idea of sore buttocks and aching calves. A reasonable level of fitness is advisable. A little commonsense goes a long way too. As a cycling holiday novice I had my expectations. I pictured leisurely pedalling past undulating hills of luscious greens and sunkissed yellows, waving at giggly half-dressed children with sticky mouths and fingers, and stopping regularly for tea and sweets (it’s a holiday, not a race, after all). Cycling for three consecutive days and returning to the same hotel each night (personal choice hotel and not included as part of the tour) was the perfect choice. No repacking, no drawn-out dinners, a short commitment, and the option to pike out at any time (thanks to the trusty support van). Win. Starting in different areas of Siem Reap each morning, the three-day 126-kilometre Angkor Explorer expedition is designed to take in the best of Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples, as well as other Cambodian sights – a scenic boat ride through a floating village, a picturesque pedal along a countryside road that’s unnamed on Google maps, a trek to a mountaintop where we see hundreds of carvings etched into the riverbed. We’re a team of five – guide Rous, SpiceRoads team member
TRIP NOTES MORE INFORMATION tourismcambodia.com 1HERSA1 D022
Ethan, adventure-loving German couple Axel and Julia, and me. For the most part, we cycle at comparable speeds. Rous always leads the way, Axel typically follows closely behind (he tells me that he cycles 40 kilometres to work and back most days), then it’s Julia, myself, and finally Ethan tailgating our spirited yet motley crew. Our pace is almost always unhurried (we tend to amp it up
when lunch gets closer) with plenty of opportunities to stop for water, photos and snacks – and temples, obviously. The stops are what make this tour. It’s a three-day exploration of the Khmer empire and segments of the Angkor Archaeological Park – an area that spans 400 square kilometres and is home to hundreds of temple ruins. Although Angkor Wat is the bee’s
knees of the historical vastness, Rous explains it’s best visited (and photographed) in the afternoon light and leads us to one of his favourite temples first. We reach Ta Phrom by cycling along a somewhat challenging jungle track – a fitting route given the luscious surrounds of the temple. The grounds look like they could belong in a movie set . . . and they did (some of the most
GETTING THERE
SLEEPING THERE
CYCLING THERE
Emirates flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Bangkok. From there Bangkok Airways connects to Siem Reap. See emirates.com and bangkokair.com.
The Frangipani Villa Hotel is a charming hotel with comfortable rooms, a good breakfast and friendly staff. It’s just a short stroll from the action of Pub Street too; rooms from $70. See frangipanihotelangkor.com.
SpiceRoads Cycle Tours is a specialist bicycle tour operator offering a wide range of bicycle adventures in more than 25 destinations. The tours range from half day-trips to complete country explorations with a fleet of well
memorable scenes from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider were filmed here). Ta Phrom is serene and made all the more beautiful by its unkempt and overgrown state. Banyan, kapok and fig trees spread their colossal branches over temple remains, knitting an intricate and exquisitely beautiful canopy. The gigantic roots of these magnificent trees tightly coil around remnants of stone walls. It’s magical and surreal and absolutely stunning. A visit to Bayon, one of the most popular temples in the vicinity, follows. The giant stone faces of Bayon are some of the most talked about features of Khmer art and we spend more than an hour examining them. Here Rous points out a huge smiling stone face. ‘‘It’s our Mona Lisa,’’ he laughs. ‘‘Why go to France?’’ We wander around awed and inspired for a little longer, then jump back in the saddle. And do we move – Angkor Wat is next. The massive, mind-blowing centrepiece of Angkor Archaeological Park is everything it claims to be. The largest
maintained bikes and support vehicles. A seven-day, six-night Phnom Penh to Siem Reap tour starts at $1980. See spiceroads.com. Tatyana Leonov travelled as a guest of SpiceRoads Cycle Tours.