Banjarmasin
Historic sultanate on the Borneon spice trade, now major port for resource extraction, and more prosaic floating markets. Entry to southern Kalimantan, and joining points of our tour into the Meratus Mountains and the Homelands of the Loksado Dayaks.
Fujian is the undiscovered gem of China and cycling the back roads through the lesser known tulou ( traditional multi storied hakka fortresses) and tea fields of Yongding and Nanjing uncovers a rich heritage of architecture and tea culture. Xiamen airport is the start and finish point of this trip, which fits comfortably into a weekend, but which feels like a great active holiday.
Guangdong, Kaiping and the 4 counties is where the sweet waters of the Tan River feed into fields of kryptonite-green paddy and clumping bamboo, carved up by small farmers pathways which make for easy flat riding. Rich in rice and fish and human labour ripe for Shanghaiing, this back water of the Pearl River Delta was overcome with gold fever in the mid 1800’s, and was the cradle of the original Californian and Australian overseas Chinese communities. Those that returned with gold fields wealth built the ornately Rocco style dial houses with swatch towers emerging out of the paddies to defend against bandits, and kidnappers keen for a cut of the gold. discover a weird and wonderful architecture of columns and curleques influenced by Turkish, European and post gold-rush baroque.
Yangshou is rural China at its best! Cycle by golden-mud brick peasant homes set in the rice paddies amidst stunning limestone karst scenery. Set along the Li and Yulong river, Yangshuo is renowned for cormorant fisherman serenely fishing the waters with these magnificent birds . It is flat riding, light and piquant farm fresh food and stunningly rustic once you are off the beaten track.
Guizhou: Land of wind and rain bridges, Ming dynasty drum towers and Indigo clad Miao villagers offering up delcious home made rice whisky as they welcome you to their homes. This was one of China’s poorest and most inaccessible provinces – populated by hill tribes who were driven to the fringes , but subsequently held tight to their culture and traditions. It is now paved, and all linked up on the high speed rail, but an endless parade of fine fabrics and festivals. Bike Aways have an Indigo Road bike ride from Zhaoxing to San Jiang. We have also run a specialised fabric textiles trip, custom designed by our Miao expert guide; a photography tour; homestay rides, and a special shaman festival bike ride.
Chiangmai is just a couple of hours direct flight from Hong Kong now with evening fligts that make a weekend bikeway cheap and easy. Stay in a tradional rice barn converted into a boutique mountain side hotel, cycle past elephant camps and hill tribe villages into Chiangmai’s moated city and on for a night cycle to the markets and bars that make Chiangmai one of Thailands most vibrant and colourful cities.
Set departures will be listed for all these trips on our Calendar page. For private group bookings please contact bruce_foreman@yahoo.com.au