One-day bike tours in Asia catching on with holiday crowd
All over the region, bicycles are replacing tour buses as the best way to sample a country's culture while on holiday. But if a week in the saddle sounds like too much for your tush, these one-day dashes could be right up your street
Cambodia and Myanmar
Next time you're planning a trip to Angkor Wat, try seeing the treasured temple complex at a different pace. After watching the sunrise, a bicycle tour with Grasshopper Adventures will take you through surrounding ruins and forests while visiting temples Bayon, Ta Prom and the Elephant Terrace. Avoid the crowds, discover hidden trails and soak up more of the monument's magic than you could by foot.
Last year 12,000 customers jumped in the saddle for tours in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam with Grasshopper — a threefold increase over four years — and the morning tour of Angkor Wat is one of its most popular. "You get to see the real Asia by bike," says director Adam Platt-Hepworth.
A day trip of the temple-strewn town of Bagan in Myanmar, is another favourite. Tiny lanes dotted with ancient temples wind around the Irrawaddy River where you can explore temples, farms and villages on its "Brilliant Bagan" tour.
"Instead of piling out of a tour bus in the same location as 500 other people, when cycling you can impulsively roll into a roadside shop and eat true local food," says Platt-Hepworth. "Most importantly, you get to do it in the company of like-minded, adventurous and healthy people."
Day tours with Grasshopper Adventures start from US$33. All tours include bike, safety equipment, a guide, any non-bike transport involved, and usually a meal or snacks along the way.