Starting in Hanoi, Vietnam, the tour explores the best of the region, including the historic city of Dien Bien Phu and the scenic Luang Prabang, Laos. This trail also boasts some of the most breath-taking views we’ve seen, including Mount Fansipan, Indochina’s highest peak, and Sapa hill station. 

Sapa, Vietnam

Where mountains dip to valleys, we met a bewildering number of minority mountain tribes, most of whom retain unique tribal traditions. They’re easily recognizable from the lush, carved slopes as they customarily wear bright colors. These are some of the most friendly people we’ve met, as well!

A young woman from the Hmong Dai tribe that I met during this ride.

This new bike ride leads through shady jungle vines to shimmering rice paddies to mountain views that are second-to-none. There are even mornings where we peered down into cloud-filled valleys as we undertook fierce declines.

Another typical morning in the mountains of Laos.

This mountain scenery is nothing short of awesome.

Interested? For a fact sheet, contact us.

Happy trails,

~ SpiceRoads

The elections ran without disturbance, though interesting political discussions continue due to the results—The Parliament house majority was won by close allies of last year’s deposed Thai premier Thaksin. The outcome will likely bring Thaksin out of exile and back to his homeland, but the former politician swears to stay out of politics. 

Now, a month later, the election excitement has dissipated, and Thailand remains a pacifist, safe country.

As always, we’ll keep you updated on the latest events. However, if you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us.

As always, Happy Trails,

~SpiceRoads

A fascinating city whirling with reconstruction, Phnom Penh is Southeast Asia’s up-and-coming city. Still rare to tourist maps, Cambodia’s capital is a worthwhile destination that writhes with rich history, both triumphant and tragic.

For 2008, SpiceRoads is introducing Phnom Penh tours. Off the beaten track, we’ve marked three new bike trails, all day trips, which lead outside the city limits into the striking beauty of authentic Cambodia. Exploring countrysides,  hills, and even islands, these trails present rippling rice fields that sprawl to meet distant mountains; lush mango orchards that reach to shade stilted villages; and majestic Khmer temples that withstand history to guard ancient secrets. These trails capture well the marvels of such a dichotomous country

The first trip, The Oudong Escape, is a refreshing retreat from the city’s hustle. Oudong was once Cambodia’s capital. While now the area is home mostly to rice farmers, these hillsides feature some of the most stunning architecture around. We saw the majestic Temple of the Heavens and the Oudong temple on the hill. Perched on the top of a lush mountain, the Oudong temple possesses a breath-taking view over the landscape–definitely worth the climb!

The Temple of the Heavens on the Oudong Escape Trail, Cambodia.

The second trail we explored covered an island in the middle of the mighty Mekong River. The island, Koh Anglong, is plentiful with fruit orchards–papaya, mango, longan, banana, coconut, jack fruit, salak palm fruit, and more. One of the surprising highlights of our ride here was discovering a small village toward the end of the trail that blares tradition music over loudspeakers. Apparently they do this just for village morale!

Banana orchards on Koh Anglong, Cambodia.

The last trail we marked was also an island, Koh Dach. This island was fascinating: such a small piece of land captures so much diversity. There are Khmer temples, plentiful orchards and farms, silk weavers, villages on stilts, stray ox (of course), and a beach. That one we stumbled across pretty unexpectedly–there’s even a young woman there renting inner tubes!

The unexpected beach of Koh Dach, Cambodia.

To ensure a memorable trip, we’ve also found the best boutique accommodation and restaurants of Phnom Penh (try the Cambodian specialty called Amok, a fresh fish curry).

One of our favorite spots in Phnom Penh.

For more information, please contact us. 

Happy New Year, fellow riders!

And Happy Trails,

~ SpiceRoads

At SpiceRoads, our New Year resolution is to push those horizons, and we invite you to do the same. Which horizon has silhouetted your daydreams? Perhaps the tall stupas of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat or the lanky palm trees that dot Thailand’s pristine beaches? By bike, we can explore and experience those horizons, wherever they may lead, and then we’ll push them even further.

Our 2008 adventurous possibilities seem endless, and it appears we’re not the only ones to notice—the New York Times awarded Laos the top position on its list of The 53 Places to Go in 2008. The article also mentioned Cambodia and Vietnam.

So what, or rather where, are your ambitions this year? Reveal to us your 2008 travel resolutions so we can make it a reality.

Contact Us.

Thailand

Happy Trails,

~SpiceRoads

สวัสดีปีใหม่

True to Thai reputation, the New Year celebrations here, in downtown Bangkok, were elaborately festive: paper lanterns brightened downtown streets, Thai sparkling wine popped overflowing, and dazzling colors illuminated the tropical sky as the Thai, Japanese, and Chinese embassies competed for best firework show. All from a boat bobbing on the Chao Phraya River, it was quite a way to welcome the New Year!

I elaborate these celebrations so as to extend that same festive spirit to you this New Year. From the temples of Thailand, from the beaches of Vietnam, from the misty mountains of Bhutan, from all of Asia, we here at SpiceRoads are wishing you an adventurous, exciting, and trailblazing New Year.

Sawadee Pi Mai! Happy New Year! สวัสดีปีใหม่

 ~ SpiceRoads