Some of the best bike tours in Asia, from Japan to Taiwan, for free wheeling fun
- The pandemic has inspired people around the world to get on their bicycles and two-wheeled tours look set to boom
- Stints in the saddle allow cyclists to experience countries like South Korea, India and Sri Lanka from a different perspective
Cycling is enjoying a coronavirus-induced boom. From Milan to Kolkata, and New York to Melbourne, cities are investing in pop-up bike lanes. The British government has committed £2 billion (HK$19.33 billion) as part of a cycling and walking package aimed at reducing carbon footprints and waistlines, and even the authorities in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, have introduced a bike-sharing initiative and installed cycle paths.
As cycling converts realise how much fun they are having on two wheels, there’s likely to be a corresponding increase in the demand for bike-based adventures. Here are some Asian cycle touring ideas and DIY itineraries to whet your appetite.
A land of sweltering heat and traffic jams, the Indian state of Kerala is also stunningly scenic. Cycle-tour operators wisely whisk their guests up into the Western Ghats mountains to ride on exhilarating single-track terrain that independent pedallers won’t find by accident. Stints in the saddle are combined with sightseeing breaks and a “give back to the community” philosophy means day-to-day spending is in locally owned tea shops, restaurants and hotels.
Rides begin high above sea level in towns such as Kuttikkanam (1,100 metres) and Munnar (1,532 metres), and make use of paths created 150 years ago by colonial planters searching for new lands to cultivate. The climbs are followed by adrenaline-pumping descents that corkscrew through cardamom, rubber and pineapple plantations and test riders’ bike-handling skills to the limit.
A three-hour bus or ferry ride from Hong Kong, the Unesco World Heritage Site of Kaiping and surrounding villages are renowned for unusual late 19th and early 20th century castle houses. Built with money sent from emigrant relatives, the fortified multistorey structures served as flood refuges and forts to keep bandits at bay. Some of these diaolou (watchtowers) are open to the public and even have original furnishings.