Wednesday 2 March 2011

Mountain Biking Holiday – Discover Asia

Whilst many people think of California and the US Rockies when a mountain biking holiday springs to mind more and more people are discovering the delights of Asia.
From the more well known and travelled areas such as the foothills of the Himalayas, Tibet and Nepal, South East Asia is now offering a host of new destinations. From the established areas such as Hong Kong, there are now more routes and operators opening up in mainland China. Heading South, Vietnam is one of the newer destinations offering more operators and varied trails. From the northern mountains such as the Tonkin Alps the countryside develops through the splendours of Halong Bay, the beaches and coastline from Hue via Da Nang to Nha Trang and on southwards to the paddy fields of the Mekong Delta. Or you can even cycle the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Another country that offers mountain and road biking holidays is Cambodia. From the lost city of Angkor in the north, via the waters of the Tonle Sap the trail leads to the Oudong mountain close to Pnomh Penh. Further south is Kirirom National Park and the coastal road from Kep to Sihanounkville in the shadow of the Bokor mountain.
Then to Laos, where the southern area offers a whole range of Bio-Diversity sites and National forests, the Pakse area of the Mekong river is dotted with 4,000 islands and the Bolevan Plateau is famous for its coffee growing. In the north the ride from Vientiane to the ancient capital at Luang Prabang gives an insight into the lives of the Hill Tribes along with some spectacular mountain scenery.
Then of course there is Thailand – the Land of Smiles. But we will save that for a future post.