A Very Quick Intro to Road Cycling in Southeast Asia
Before getting into the lay of the land, please bear in mind that this was written from a non-cyclist point of view. I ride a single-speed fixie in Singapore. However, I have explored a lot of remote Southeast Asia by motorbike and scooter. So with the exception of underestimating how steep an incline is for a human-powered bike, I can bear witness to the quality of roads, the lack of traffic, and dramatic panoramic views. I would like to think that I recon destinations with some road cycling pre-req’s in mind, which will then be tested by Simon (a long time cyclist). If approved, we package it up neatly for you.
I was working remotely as we were building the company and all our offers. Between 2015 to 2018, I travelled mostly by motorbike, exploring Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia. I will never cease to be surprised that once you get out of the major cities in Asia (and in USA for that matter), how quiet and deserted it is. Visiting major cities like Ho Chi Minh or Bangkok is a complete misrepresentation of the quality of roads that lie just beyond the outskirts of city limits.
In the near future, I would like to see the following added to our list of road cycling destinations on offer:
West Coast Banda Aceh and Pulau Weh, Indonesia
Eastern Provinces of Cambodia
Extend our routes on the Ho Chi Minh Highway, Vietnam
Northern Provinces of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The above destinations would be just perfect for road cycling because:
No cars, no trucks, no people, only the occasional wandering water buffalo or cow.
No potholes
Stunning landscapes
More about the specifics by our resident mountain goat, co-founder, and cycling enthusiast Simon later…but here’s a start.
