Asia by Bike
Words and photo contributed by Lindsay Nash
Pedal, pedal, push, push, turn, turn, turn, TURN!
Huffing and puffing up the steep concrete path, we realized quickly how sharp the turn was at the top. We volleyed just in time, a hairpin left that suddenly opened up to a breath-taking view of the West Sea and its small islands popping up like mushrooms from the fog. Our rickety tandem bicycle creaked beneath our flip-flops as we continued our journey around the island.
But for us, on this beat-up metal bicycle for two, chugging along this beautiful island of Seonyudo off the western coast of Korea, it’s a recipe for raucous adventure, hearty laughs and a side of the country one rarely sees from any other mode of transportation.
Cycling is surely one of the best ways to see Korea, from the city streets of Seoul, Busan or Daegu to the dirt trails dividing luscious green rice paddies in the heart of the country. It’s not only a weekend pastime on a sunny spring day. It’s also a new way to see the world.
Now in my fifth year of living in South Korea, I am the Asia Tour Specialist at Bike Tours Direct, a U.S.-based company that represents local bicycle touring companies around the world. Now living in Daegu (after spending four years in beloved Gwangju), I am helping expats and Koreans get connected to participate in these amazing cycling adventures. At the same time, with two more tours to be added in Korea in the coming months, I will also be focusing on bringing more cyclists to see the beauty of The Land of the Morning Calm.
We offer cycling tours in the usual hotspots like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. But we have also recently expanded our roster of routes to include destinations like India, Burma and Bhutan. We also have hundreds of European tours, all run by local European tour operators.
We offer everything from short 5-day leisurely bike rides around Angkor Wat to 15-day mountain bike adventures in Nepal. We have long distance road cycling tours in Japan, as well as beachy, laid-back bike rides in the islands of the Philippines.
One of the many great things about these bicycle vacations is that they provide local guides—someone who will take you along the un-trodden path to the little-known restaurants, sites and back roads, making your adventure unique and much more special than the typical foray into a popular Asia destination.
Here are a few of my favorite guided routes we are now offering:
- Angkor Wat Explorer Tour (5 days)
- Burma Heritage by Bicycle, 6 nights
- Discover Bhutan, 7 nights
- Classic Kerala (India), 8 nights
- South Japan’s Kyushu Island, 7 nights
- Mongolia Off-Road, 13 nights
- Bike, Raft, Safari in Nepal, 13 nights
- Island Hopping in the Philippines, 12 nights
- Thailand: Northern Highlights, 6 nights
And, make sure to check out our more than 400 tours in 70 countries!
Next time you are planning a vacation to a nearby Asian locale, consider booking a bicycle tour.
Learn more about Bike Tours Direct at http://www.biketoursdirect.com. In addition to the bike tours listed above, we now have more than 60 guided and self-guided bike tours in Asia. Start searching these offerings now, and feel free to email me at lindsay@biketoursdirect.com with questions on tours in Asia and beyond!