- See the Country - First in the list and one of the most important. Traveling by bicycle is the perfect combination of speed and distance. Slow enough that you experience the land you are moving across, yet speedy enough that large distances can be covered in a short period of time. After the first week, we routinely covered 100+ kms without feeling fatigued. You will surprise yourself with the distances you can achieve. Plus, the distances in SE Asia are much shorter than your European or American counterparts. Often what would be a long, slow, unpleasant day spent aboard a bus or train could be travelled in 2-3 days on a bike. But instead of arriving tired, disheveled and ready for bed you roll into town energized, excited, ready to explore.
- Get to Know the locals - Second on the list and nearly important as #1. There are a lot of towns and villages in-between those perfect tourist beaches. And they are full of people excited to see YOU enjoying their countryside and their town. Interested in your chosen way of travel and ready to meet whatever needs you have. They are used to seeing those loaded buses, full of western travelers blast through their towns; so when you arrive, tired, hungry, thirsty, you've piqued their curiosity and they are ready to help. Ever wondered what you might've missed? That children's smile that was never seen? The old mans silent pondering of your panniers and 27 speed drivetrain? Oh, there is also a stark contrast between the jaded, ready to sell you anything vibe of an established tourist locale and that of a lonely village in-between. You'll find the people to be real, gracious, and kind.
- Minimal Gear Requirements - This is an incredible, labor saving aspect of tropical touring. No need for full panniers and duffle, a rear rack and handlebar bag will suit you just fine. Add a frame bag for extra convenience if you like. (a personal favorite of mine, check out revelatedesigns.com for awesome bags) When the weather is always warm and you are staying in hostels/hotels every night, there is no need for the heavy stuff, e.g. tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment. This not only saves on your legs, but it still preserves the feeling that you are on vacation. When asked if I camped, I always try to dissuade people of this notion. I did bring a very lightweight foam sleeping pad and silk liner as a safety net for emergencies, but I thankfully never used them. When you cant speak the language how do you know you aren't sleeping on private property, offending local customs, or trespassing on religious territory? I heard a story from a U.S. traveller in Myanmar last year about how he slept outside of the temples in Bagan, a sacred and incredible Buddhist landmark where temples and monuments stretch as far as the eye can see, only to wake up and find one of his panniers stolen in the night. Later in my own trip, while sitting in a restaurant with a TV blaring, the news anchor informed us that the government was considering amending the visitation rules due to foreigners sleeping near temples. What better way to invite theft or misfortune then desecrating a holy site?
- Easy Airline Baggage Requirements - A brief search of airlines baggage requirements brings a list of horrifying fees and oversized luggage charges. For whatever reason, this is generally avoided on flights to SE Asia. Take advantage of it. But always double check on the special bicycle baggage requirements. With the right airline it is free, with the wrong one it could end up costing as much as $150 each way.
- Avoid crowded, sweaty buses and trains(except the commuter trains in large cities, those are worth a day ride) - While my experience on the only bus I took in Myanmar was glorious, a 15 hr overnight trip on a very well cooled modern chariot, I cannot say the same for my experiences in Nepal or the many horror stories I’ve heard from friends in the rest of Asia. I don't relish the death defying mountain passes or desperate attempts to play chicken with oncoming traffic, although they are great stories. Instead of weird schedules and back breaking potholes, make your own time frame and change it whenever a nice restaurant, fruit stand, or ocean vista presents itself.
- Better for the Environment - You might want to argue with me about this one, after all, you've already burned hundreds of gallons of jet fuel to arrive at your destination, whats another few bus rides? But anyone who has choked on the exhaust of a passing tourist bus or minivan can attest to the lack of emissions testing in this area of the world. I would argue that refraining from this type of transportation can make a large difference, especially if more people brought their own along with them.
- Enjoy the journey AND the destination - An age old saying, because its true. Enough said? Maybe not. While this overlaps a few of the above reasons, it is still valid to highlight the enjoyment one experiences while riding through the countryside, off the beaten path. The freedom to turn down whichever path you cross, exploring when and where you choose. The whole while smiling and waving at passing people, participating with the land you are traveling through.
- Earn all the food (and beer) you can eat - This cannot be overstated! A good portion of the fun of traveling to foreign lands is eating, right? What better way to get the most of this than burning thousands of calories every day? Assuming you are riding a decent amount, you can literally eat as much as you want. Its amazing! This includes all of that delicious beer as well, even tastier because you've earned it.
- Have a proper adventure - I was intimidated to not know where we where going to wind up each evening. We didn't have a single reservation for 25 days/nights of cycling through Myanmar, most times we weren't even sure if there would be a legal place for us to sleep, but somehow it always worked out. Oh, there was that one time the Secret Service kicked us out of a Monastery and we had to ride 20 km at 10PM to the next town with a legal tourist hotel, but that too is an excellent memory. Not knowing opens you up to all sorts of new experiences, ones you would never have if you had a plan every day. This ended up being one of the most transformative aspects of the trip, being open and accepting to changing circumstances and letting things work out.
- Tourist Infrastructure - Last but not least, the tourist infrastructure of most asian countries is unparalleled and inexpensive. Foreigners have been touring these countries for decades and they are ready for you nearly everywhere. Don't expect plush pillows and hot tubs, but you can rest assured that somewhere within pedaling distance lies your next home for the evening and if not, someone will always pick you up and bring you there.
This is one of those moments you would miss on the bus. Crashing a young couples wedding during the heat of the day. They laid out a massive feast for us and then entertained us for a few hours at which point it was clear we should move on. Awesome experience.
We had google maps to thank for this amazing shortcut on 20 kms of amazing gravel. It unexpectadly took us through some of the least developed country we saw.
The joys of hitchbiking! We actually did this fairly often, whenever the temps were unbearable or the day was winding down we could always catch a ride to the next town within a few minutes.
Graciously running into the Andaman Sea after a long, hot climb over the coastal mountains.
Young monks praying at the Shwedagon Pagoda
I hope you enjoyed reading and that I might have gotten you psyched to start planning your first bike tour. Look for my next post to detail some basic gear necessities and what to expect on an average riding day. For any specific questions, comment below.