Touring Asia by bike
Question: I鈥檒l be working in Seoul, South Korea for at least two years and was wondering about some of your recommendation for a great cycling trip/tour in Korea or in the neighboring countries.
Eunjee Kim
Seoul, South Korea
国产吃瓜黑料 Adviser: It seems that American tour operators have yet to catch on to the wonders of cycling in South Korea. The closest cycling trip I鈥檝e found is Asian Pacific 国产吃瓜黑料s鈥 14-day 鈥淏est of China by Bike.鈥 If you鈥檙e a serious cyclist, this may not be the itinerary for you, as it reads more like a
two-wheeled tour of China鈥檚 hottest cultural spots. The tour includes eight days of cycling to such sights as the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Dowager Empress鈥 Summer Palace. You鈥檒l also spend a few days cruising down the Li River, ending in Yangshuo where you鈥檒l stay two nights and spend one of your days
cycling the limestone-littered landscape. If you haven鈥檛 had enough cycling after 14 days, you can always sign up for the eight-day extension trip to Yunnan Province. The trip departs April through November and costs approximately $3,293. For more details call 213-935-3156 or 800-825-1680. Though the two countries aren鈥檛 close by any stretch of the imagination,
Cycle Vietnam is one of the most prolific bicycle tour operators in Asia, which is why I mention its tours. They offer a number of itineraries in it鈥檚 namesake country, including a 1,200-mile bike trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Generally offered once a year, the trip promises to cover the entire country from north to south. The cost in 1998 was $4,150 (this
included air fare from the United States, which you won鈥檛 need.) Cycle Vietnam also offers 鈥淎n Introduction to Vietnam,鈥 鈥淏ackroads of Vietnam,鈥 and 鈥淐ycle Laos鈥 tours. For more information on any of these trips call Portland, Oregon-based Cycle Vietnam at 503-281-9198. Two other companies that offer cycling and mountain biking trips a
bit farther afield in Asia are Latitudes Expeditions East (415-398-0458) and KE 国产吃瓜黑料 Travel (970-925-8368). Latitudes offers a 鈥淐ycle Thailand,鈥 鈥淐ycle Indonesia,鈥 and 鈥淐ycle Vietnam鈥 trip, and KE offers mountain biking tours of the Himalayan countries of Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Tibet.
|