Compare Cultural Road from Hoi An to Siem Reap by SpiceRoads Cycling vs Bhutan City Tours with Bumdra Trek and Homestay by Himalayan Glacier Adventure

Day 1

We meet in the charming town of Hoi An, which was one of Southeast Asia's major trading ports during the 17th and 18th centuries, for a welcome dinner and trip briefing.

Day 2

We ride to see My Son, the ancient centre of the Cham civilization. Although many of the temples were destroyed during the war, there is still enough to impress most visitors.

Day 3

We start the morning with a pleasant ride from Hoi An to Tam Thanh where we eat lunch and spend time admiring the beautiful beach. We then transfer to the infamous My Lai, site of one of the worst massacres of the American/Vietnam War.

Day 4

We leave the coast and head into the central highlands towards Quang Nam and on to Kon Tum. We have a pass to conquer today, Violak Pass (1300 m above sea level) but then are rewarded with a 20-km descent.

Day 5

We cycle through Jarai and Bhanar villages and see communal houses with very steep and tall roofs. Next, we enter tea and coffee plantations before reaching Pleiku, home of the best coffee in Vietnam.

Day 6

After breakfast, we head to the border with Cambodia. Start riding to Banlung, one of the most far-flung of the Khmer provincial capitals and spend the night in rustic surroundings.

Day 7

Day of relaxation to enjoy a morning market or take a picnic lunch and explore the mysterious crater lake of Boneng Yeak Laom or just enjoy staying at the lodge where we meet up for dinner.

Day 8

Get back in the saddle to Stung Treng province along a rustic highway. Ride through rice paddies and stop to enjoy the simple pleasures of rural life as we cycle towards the setting sun. Tonight, experience delicious Khmer food paired with very personalised service at Tonle Tourism Training Centre.

Day 9

We cycle through rural villages then board a boat at Kratie to enjoy an afternoon cruise on the Mekong River to see the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. At night, enjoy views of the Mekong from the rooftop terrace of your hotel.

Day 10

We take a ferry across the Mekong to Chhlong and ride pass French colonial houses and Buddhist pagodas. Then cycle up to Wat Han Chey, an 8th century pre-Angkor temple, to enjoy a picnic lunch and stunning views of the Mekong.

Day 11

We ride over dirt and tarmac roads along the Mekong to Kampong Thom, a picturesque town on the banks of the Stung Saen River, which hosts a magnificent Khmer temple site.

Day 12

We transfer to the ancient bridge at Kampong. Later, ride to Domdel village and transfer to Siem Reap to our overnight hotel.

Day 13

We start our ride to the Angkor Wat complex to see the biggest religious Hindu edifice in the world. We also visit Tah Prohm, famous from the film “Tomb Raider”. We continue to Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple, ending our day with a beautiful sunset in the Angkor Park.

Day 14

The morning is free until we transfer you to the airport.

Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing in Paro

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)

Maximum Altitude: 2,250m/7,382ft

After we land at the international airport in Paro, a Himalayan Glacier representative will pick us up from the airport and drop us off at our hotel. We then freshen up at the hotel and have lunch. Afterwards, we visit Rinpung Dzong followed by Kichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the country. From here we will go to the Drugyal Dzong (Bhutan Victory Fort), which was built in 1646 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Tibetan invaders during the 1600s. On a clear day we can see Mount Chomolhari, Bhutan’s second-highest mountain, at 7,314 meters. Overnight in Paro.

Day 2: Paro to Punakha

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Driving: 4 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,100m/10,171ft

We drive to Punakha via Dochu La Pass. From the pass, we see amazing views of the Himalayas on a clear day. Next, we drive downhill through rhododendron, fir and hemlock forests.  On the way, we visit Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple dedicated to the Divine Madman or Lama Drukpa Kuenley. After reaching Punakha, we visit the Punakha Dzong built in the local architectural style. While here we also enjoy a collection of Buddhist items. After the tour, we also visit the suspension bridge nearby which is in fact the longest bridge in Bhutan.  Today we stay at a home of a local resident. This will let us experience the everyday lives of the Bhutanese people. Overnight homestay in Punakha.

Day 3: Punakha to Thimphu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Driving: 3 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 2,320m/7,612ft

We begin our scenic drive to Thimphu after breakfast and pass through Dochu La pass and forests. After reaching Thimphu, we visit the ‘Bhutan Post Office Headquarters’ which showcases Bhutan’s postal history and houses a museum. We can even make our own personalized stamp! Next, we tour the Kuensel Phodrang (Buddha Point) which has the tallest Buddha statue in the world at 51 m. The sheer beauty of the statue and the location is magnificent. We can spend some time here in quiet solitude before returning to our hotel. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 4: Sightseeing in Thimphu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Migmar)

Maximum Altitude: 2,320m/7,612ft

We tour a lot of Thimphu’s landmarks today beginning with the Memorial Chorten. Today we also visit the nunnery temple for Buddhist monks, the mini-zoo to see Takin, the national animal of Bhutan.  We also tour the Changangkha Monastery and the Thimphu Dzong. After lunch, we visit the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, a Bhutanese traditional painting school, a folk-heritage museum, Tashichho Dzong and the traditional paper factory. However, some of the landmarks are closed on the weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). Therefore, if we are in Thimphu during the weekends, we explore the Weekend Market instead. Overnight in Thimphu.

Day 5: Drive to Sang Choekor Buddhist University then hike to Bumdra

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Hiking: 4 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,500m/11,484ft

We drive to Sang Choekor Buddhist University via Paro. We meet our ponies here before ascending for around two hours on a forested ridge which will bring us to a clearing. From here, we get good views of both Paro and Do Chhu valleys below. We continue on our trail and reach Chhoe Tse Lhakhang (temple) which boasts commanding views of the snow-capped Himalayas. Next, we climb through ruins, prayer flags and a forest before reaching a meadow dotted with sacred chortens and prayer flags. We set our camp on a location just under the Bumdra Monastery (Cave of a Thousand Prayers) and enjoy unhindered views of the Himalayan range. Overnight camp in Bumdra.

Day 6: Hike Bumdra to Paro via Tigers Nest Monastery

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel (Hotel Tashi Namgay Resort)

Hiking: 6 hrs

Maximum Altitude: 3,180m/10,434ft

After breakfast we start our trek on a winding trail that takes us to an ancient pine and rhododendron forest. As we are descending for some time, we see begin to see the golden roofs of the monasteries below. Our path snakes across the mountainside between these monasteries before reaching the gardens of Zangto Pelri (Heaven on Earth). From here we can peer over the edge, straight down onto the ornate rooftops of Taktsang Monastery perched against the cliff-face far below. We descend on a steep trail to a waterfall then ascend to the most venerated Bhutanese monastery, the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest). After touring the monastery, we descend to Paro Valley floor. Overnight hotel in Paro.

Day 7: Final departure

Meals: Breakfast

Our ‘Bhutan City Tours with Bumdra Trek and Homestay’ ends today. A Himalayan Glacier representative will drop us off at the airport after breakfast for our early morning flight out of Bhutan as Druk Air generally departs in the early morning to avoid adverse weather conditions.