Mekong River Cycle

Chiang Rai · Thailand

Challenging60 daysAsia~£5,000 est.

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Overview

Cycling the Mekong from the Golden Triangle to the delta is around 3,000 km through four countries — Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam — and the river sets the terms the whole way: brown and swollen in monsoon, shrunken and braided in the dry. The set pieces land in sequence: dawn alms rounds in Luang Prabang, the roadless islands of Si Phan Don where the river spreads eight kilometres wide, Phnom Penh's riverfront boulevards, and finally the delta's dense lattice of canals and ferry crossings down to the sea. This is a self-planned tour, not a supported one. Roads run from fresh tarmac to broken laterite in southern Laos; carry spare spokes, cables and a proper repair kit, because bike shops between Vientiane and Phnom Penh are scarce. Ride November to March — cool, dry and the only sane season. Two months is comfortable at 60–70 km a day with rest days. Around £5,000 per person covers visas, guesthouses and food; the bike you bring is the biggest single decision you will make.