• Society

Small Motorbike Rentals Gain Popularity in Siem Reap

• By Phat Dane
• January 5, 2024 10:55 AM

Siem Reap – Mini motorbike rental businesses are gaining popularity in Siem Reap city and attract a greater number of young visitors who seek new transportation experiences.

Kong Sophal was the first to gamble on this new market when he opened his motorbike rental shop last year, on the western bank of Siem Reap’s river.

He started his business with the idea that it would be unique and attractive to teenagers who are looking for fun and new ways to ride. At that time, he was the only one renting such miniature vehicles, made of motorbikes, dirt bikes and quads.

He said that people can use these mini bikes to ride across the city or to visit the Angkor Archeological Park. As they run on batteries, they offer a silent experience and don’t disturb the tranquility of the park.

Sophal said customers can rent them for as long as they want, starting from 30 minutes. 

While he warns these mini bikes tend to run out of battery after two hours, he ensures the clients can contact him at any time if they are stalled, and his team will meet them to replace the battery.

Sophal said there are different rental prices, depending on the rental model.

“There are four or five types of them, and I bought all of them from China. If I bought them at a high price, the rental price will be high too. But if the purchase price was low, I lower the rental price. Rental prices range from 5,000 to 10,000 riel [about $1.25 to $2.5] for half an hour, depending on the model,” he said.

Sophal noticed that most renters are 18 to 19-year-old teenagers, with some of his clients being even younger. Mini motorbikes are his most popular product because they go faster than mini quads.

He said that not only people who live in Siem Reap province come to try his bikes, but also visitors from nearby provinces such as Banteay Meanchey.

“Weekends and festivals are when I have the most customers,” he said. “Students are not at school and parents have free time from work to bring their children to ride. Festivals also attract a lot of national and foreign visitors to the city, who come to ride.”

According to the Tourism Ministry, Siem Reap received 377,219 visitors during the New Year’s Eve celebrations, including 12,219 foreigners.

 

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey25, this story was translated by Chhuon Kongieng for Cambodianess.