Any ideas for short-loops day-rides from Phnom Penh?

[Gromily]

Hi all,

Can anyone suggest a fun, reasonable length loop from Phnom Penh that would take 2-4 days to complete? Would also be keen on some tips about day-rides from Phnom Penh.

We’ll be there sometime between April 10th and 18th and plan to ride for at least a few days. Some long stretches of off-road would be nice, but nothing too trailblazing, as we won’t have GPS. So if you could please recommend routes through regular road numbers, town names and visual directions etc. that would be great.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[dtd]

option 1:

day 1: pp to pursat
day 2: pursat => pramouy=> o'som
day 3: o'som => koh kong => rest at sihanouk ville.
day 4: relax at sihanouk ville or come back pp.

this is the cardamom ride. it was hard before but not any more. just stick to the cement stands with wire made by chinese/vietnamese company.

option 2:

day 1: pp to kratie
day 2 and 3: look at the map for the northeastern part.
day 4: come back pp.

option 3:

day 1: pp=> takeo=> kampot
day 2: kampot=> sihanouk ville
day 3: either stay another night there or come back pp.

have fun

 

[Gromily]

Thanks dtd,

good options there, much appreciated.

You say the Cardamom ride isn't so hard anymore? My off-road experience is really limited to just a few days of it in the past. Are there many river crossings, steep muddy hills etc? Not sure my friend and I could really manage anything too extreme, as we both have fairly limited experience.

You said to: "just stick to the cement stands with wire made by chinese/vietnamese company" Do you mean these are road markers that show the way?

If you would, can you please tell me more about the general road surface, river crossings etc. and also how easy it is to get petrol, bike repairs and a bed for the night up there in the mountains.

It looks like a great ride, I am very keen, but a bit concerned that it might be too tough! Thanks for your help so far.

 

[dtd]

you welcome, mate.

well, it did not rain n was in dry season. still, its in dry season now. the road is all paved. you will enjoy the the view. Still, up and down the hills with amazing view but on paved roads. Sure, river crossing but there are bridges--while i was doing, only one bridge made of wood and the rest could ride thru. Just in case bike breaks down, i think u can ask the truck along the way to put ur bike on or pay bit to local to arrange u the transportation. In Cambodia, the further u go off the city, the friendlier/helpful people are. my bike fell off once after the many and i could not lift it up, a truck stopped and a guy came to help. I gave him a buck.

while riding, i saw the cement stands which they use to hold the cable--it must be telephony line/electricity line/internet cable or watever. just keep following the line.

at pramouy, i saw one guest house on the right of the round-about. but we did not stay there. we took the left and went to o'som. before arriving the o'som about a 500meters left to the 2 guest houses, there is a road heading deeper into the cardamom. FILL UP THE GAS AT O'SOM coz its the last place where u can refill. i was advised to stay at the guest house which is smaller and cheaper by an Irish lady met her doing the trekking---on the right hand-side. there is a grocery store there where u can re-fill the gas just on the right front of the guest house. please read my post for further info.

i am not a pro rider too. i believe u can do it.

 

[burnjr]

ride slowly and enjoy the scenery bro..

 

[Gromily]

Thanks dtd and Burnjr,

I won't be riding too quickly, and I'm always into the scenery on these kinds of rides. I'm really looking forward to it.

The part of the ride that I'm looking forward to the most is the Koh Kong to O Som road as I've heard it's breathtaking scenery.

My question is this: Are there many roads from O Som to KK or just one? I'm a bit confused, because from reading Alrikki's trip report of Jan 2009:

https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorc ... html#45483

......the road from KK to O Som looks like a nightmare, and took them 3 days to complete. But I just read your (dtd's) trip report and Bill's recent report of the KK to O Som route and it only took him 3 hours!

https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorc ... t7394.html

So how is that road from KK to O' som? I have the pictures in my mind from Alrikki's trip, of broken bridges, deep ruts, and hours of fighting the jungle. Is it much easier now, and can it be done in a day...or even just in 3 hours?

dtd - I'm gonna take your advice and I plan to ride this way S'Ville - Koh Kong - O Som - Pursat - PP - S'Ville around the 10th-14th April.

Thanks again, G

 

[dtd]

i rode back to the way to pramouy and turned left a few ride from the guest house i stayed--remember that i stayed at the cheaper n the smaller one so the direction m giving would be right.

there was only one road. but then i arrived a chinese factory---2ways there. one to the left n one goes straight. i talked to them in chinese and a chinese guy told us to go straight...

then we arrived another place where there were 2 roads again. the soldier told us that it would be fun but we had to come out way we went in. and the other one was headed to koh kong.

since u enter from koh kong, i dont think its hard. just follow the concrete stand with wires and keep going straight... n well if you can get a local sim card, get one in koh kong so i can help acting in the middle btween the local and you when u get lost---hopefully not.... u can pm me and get my num.