Travel inspiration: where should I go on a bike tour?

Recently, a friend mentioned that she and her husband were ready to take a vacation. They wanted to go to Europe or Asia and were keen on doing another bicycle tour. If you are looking for travel inspiration, here are some ideas! #travelinspiration #biketour #bikeandbarge #asiatravel #europetravel #bicyclevacation #travelrecommendations

In this post you'll find:

1. Part 1: cycling tours that offer unique experiences in terms of destinations and/or accommodations

2. Part 2: some suggestions for major Asian cities to visit while you're headed to that part of the world

PART 1:

Traveling by bicycle offers you scenic views, fresh air, and a chance to literally take the road less traveled.

The Fleur a Dutch converted barge that now serves as a floating mini-hotel

We line up our bikes in a town square while we take a coffee break

Charming town square and cafe

Many towns have weekly markets with fresh local meats, produce, and other delicacies

Stunning architecture

Fresh produce for sale at an open-air market

This cute chocolate shop made a nice snack stop

BIKE AND BARGE

I've done a couple of bike 'n barge tours in Europe (Champagne to Paris, Bruges to Paris). This is a great way to travel since your lodging moves with you! No more mad dash to pack in the morning -- or worrying about having to pack laundry that hasn't completely dried. Eurosail offers a number of these. I've seen these tours in Italy too, such as this one.

Biking by the sea in Japan

A lively market scene in Vietnam

Shinto shrine in Japan

Roadside stand in Laos with a great fruit selection

Beef noodle soup with raw egg for lunch in Japan. So delicious!

Tenmangu shrine in Dazaifu

Coffee beans drying in the sun in Laos

Boarding a ferry with our bikes in southern Laos

BIKING IN ASIA

Spice Roads is a bicycling tour company started by British expats and based in Bangkok. We've done a few tours with them (Saigon to Bangkok, Northern Vietnam and Laos, southern Laos, and northern Kyushu Island in Japan). They offer tours in Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia, Borneo, South Korea, Japan, etc. I can't say enough good things about bicycling in Asia! It is a feast for the senses! Plus, you get to go off the beaten path and see so many cool things by bike that would be inaccessible to a tour bus, etc. And there's a reason why Anthony Bourdain (may he rest in peace) loved Asia, especially Vietnam...

KOREA

We visited Seoul before and after a trip to Japan and loved it! The food is awesome! I would love to return to Korea to do a bicycling tour and see more of the country. On a recent bike tour in Japan, I met a woman who had done a bike tour in Korea and said great things about it -- great cycling, great roads, etc. I can't remember the name of the tour company with whom she traveled. However, Spice Roads does offer a Korea tour: https://www.spiceroads.com/tours/ancient_korea . When doing a quick Google search, I found a company called Bike Tour Korea that offers both short and long tours.

EUROPE & ASIAN DESTINATIONS, VARIOUS SPORTS - REI ADVENTURES

While I've never been on a trip with these guys, they offer a great variety of tours in terms of both destinations and type of activity (e.g. biking, cycling, kayaking, multisport). Take a look. Here's a cool Thailand Multisport trip. Note: you will pay more if you're not an REI member.

PART 2:

COOL CITIES + EXPERIENCES

If you’re going to head to Asia for a week long (or longer) bike tour, you will likely fly through a major city like Singapore or Bangkok. Take advantage of this and explore one of these cities either before or after your bike tour. If you’ve been in the countryside for a week or more, a big city adventure is a fun way to cap off a trip.

Singapore's Orchid Garden provides a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle

Checking out the gardens at the PARKROYAL on Pickering while on a 1/2-day bike tour

Marina Bay Sands at night

Super Trees and Marina Bay Sands at night

Enjoying the Orchid Garden

Grabbing a meal at a hawker center

The old and the new in Singapore - taken from Arab Street

SINGAPORE

This is a really fun city. There is great food (at the hawker centers -- basically, large food stalls with many vendors -- and the many restaurants), plus amazing gardens (Orchid Garden, Gardens by the Bay). It's a great place to spend a couple of days. To get a taste, watch the movie "Crazy Rich Asians." The subway system here is excellent too. We did a half-day city bike tour which was fun. Singapore has a large airport with many international flights. We have enjoyed staying here for a couple of days after spending time in Laos or Cambodia.

Wat Pho at night

Long boat ride through one of Bangkok's many waterways

Wake up and smell the curry!

Wat Pho and blue sky

Midnight Tuk Tuk Food Tour

BANGKOK

This is a crazy city with tons of people and is kind of gritty but I came to love it. There is a ton of hustle and bustle and the food is amazing! And the street food -- wow! We did a midnight tuk-tuk food tour on New Year's Eve and it was excellent. We went to so many cool hidden places with terrific food and the tuk-tuk ride was so fun! We also did an all-day custom bike tour with Spice Roads (via bike, boat, and foot). Since we only had about 48 hours, we tried to squeeze a week's worth of sights into 2 days. If you have hotel points, this is a good place to use them. The Millennial Hilton Bangkok is on the river. There are probably plenty of boutique hotels too. Note: I've heard great things about Chiang Mai in northern Thailand but have never been there -- yet.

Happy travel planning!