Phnom Penh: Silk Island Bike Tour & Local Lunch on Mekong

Summary

Cycle Khmer villages, taste island lunch, learn silk weaving by the Mekong

You’ll pedal quiet roads on Silk Island near Phnom Penh with a local guide, stopping at weaving workshops, fruit orchards, and family homes before sharing lunch on a floating restaurant over the Mekong River. Expect gentle cycling (about 25–30km), real conversations with locals, and moments where Cambodia just sort of sneaks up on you.

What’s the experience like?

Someone hands me a helmet before I’ve even finished my coffee. Our guide Vana grins and points out the tuk tuk waiting by the curb — he says something about “beating the city heat,” and honestly, he’s right. We cross Phnom Penh’s old French quarter (the yellow post office is still there, faded but proud) and then hop onto a ferry that smells faintly of river mud and engine oil. The city noise disappears as soon as we touch down on Koh Dach — Silk Island. I didn’t expect it to be so quiet, just birds and the occasional shout from a mango orchard somewhere off the road.

The cycling is gentle enough that I barely notice the kilometers slipping by — maybe 25 or 30 in total, but it’s flat and shaded by banana trees. Vana stops every so often to point out lemongrass fields or papaya groves; at one point we pass a group of kids playing with a homemade kite, all tangled string and laughter. There’s a smell of something sweet in the air near a bean curd workshop — not quite tofu, not quite bread. He waves us over to watch women weaving sedge mats with hands moving so fast I can’t follow. At another house, an older lady shows us how silk threads are spun; she lets me try twisting them between my fingers (I fail spectacularly). She laughs and says something in Khmer — Vana translates: “She thinks you have soft hands.”

Lunch is at a floating restaurant on the Mekong. The floor rocks gently underfoot while we eat grilled fish with lime and some kind of sour soup I can’t pronounce (Li laughed when I tried to say it in Mandarin — probably butchered it). There’s a breeze off the water that smells green and cool, like lotus leaves after rain. Conversation drifts between English and Khmer; someone asks about Buddhism here, and Vana explains about the monks’ morning routines. It feels like time slows down for an hour or two.

Afterwards we cycle back toward the ferry — legs a little tired now but not sore — passing rice paddies dotted with white egrets. Back at the dock our minivan is waiting for us, windows fogged up from air-con. The whole thing feels both simple and oddly grounding; I still think about that view across the river as Phnom Penh came back into focus.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Cycling and local experiences on Mekong Island

• Pick up from accommodation at 7:30am
• Drive to Cambodia Post Office meeting point
• Cross ferry to Mekong Island
• Brief cycling itinerary by guide
• Cycle through villages and plantations
• Visit silk weaving workshop
• Learn about Buddhism and other religions
• Visit bean curd drying process
• Lunch at floating restaurant
• Cycle back to ferry
• Return to hotel by Tuk Tuk or minivan

Top questions

How long is the Silk Island bike tour from Phnom Penh?

The cycling distance is around 25–30km over flat terrain on Koh Dach (Silk Island), plus ferry rides to and from Phnom Penh.

Is lunch included during this day trip to Silk Island?

Yes, lunch is included at a floating restaurant on the Mekong River during your tour.

What do you see on this Phnom Penh cycling tour?

You’ll visit fruit orchards, lemongrass farms, sedge mat villages, silk weaving workshops, Buddhist pagodas, and local homes.

Is hotel pickup provided for this Silk Island bike tour?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off in Phnom Penh are included in your booking.

Do I need to be very fit for this Mekong Island cycling trip?

No; it’s suitable for most fitness levels since terrain is flat and pace is moderate.

Are vegetarian options available for lunch?

Yes; vegetarian meals can be arranged if requested when booking.

What kind of bikes are used on this tour?

Cannondale mountain bikes with helmets are provided for all guests.

Who leads this day trip from Phnom Penh?

An English-speaking local cycle guide leads your group throughout the tour.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Phnom Penh by tuk tuk or minivan depending on group size, ferry crossings over the Mekong River to Silk Island (Koh Dach), use of Cannondale mountain bikes with helmets provided, guidance from an English-speaking local guide throughout your ride past fruit orchards and weaving villages, entry into workshops along the way, plus a Cambodian lunch served at a floating restaurant before returning by vehicle to your hotel in town.