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Active Travel Asia Kicks Off New Vietnam Biking Tour

February 23, 2011 By hpmotorc Leave a Comment

Article by Activetravelvietnam

This trip of Active Travel Asia (www.activetravelvietnam.com) offers a great opportunity to see the two areas of outstanding nature beauty; the North west highlands of Mai Chau and the Limestone Mountains of Ninh Binh.

Biking is a great way to see this fascinating and visually stunning part of Vietnam, offering both physical activity and the unique opportunity to observe a way of life that has changed little over the centuries. As travelers ride in Mai Chau Active Travel Asia encounter Muong and White Thai minorities and are guests in the traditional stilt houses allowing us to see firsthand how these minority peoples live. In Ninh Binh, travelers explore the beauty of “Halong Bay on the rice fields” on bikes.

Day 1: Overland to Mai Chau/bike to Buoc Village

Leave Hanoi at 8am. Travelers drive southwest to Mai Chau, the gateway to the impressive mountainous area of northern Vietnam. The drive is very nice with stunning view of mountains, valleys, sugarcane farms and rice paddies. Travelers would have a stop en route for refreshment. Upon arrival in Mai Chau travelers have a lunch stop in Pom Coong, a village of Thai ethnic minority. Travelers will have lunch in a local house. After lunch travelers embark on a biking on village road to Buoc, a village of Thai minority group. Travelers will have dinner and overnight in a traditional stilt-house of a Thai family.

Summary

Biking: 30km

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

Day 2: Bike on back road to Mai Chau

Breakfast in the home stay and then travelers start biking on beautiful country road through scenic villages of Thai minority. Travelers will have lunch in a local house in Xo village. After lunch travelers continue riding to Pom Coong village. Dinner and overnight in Pom Coong Village.

Summary

Biking: 35km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Home-stay

Day 3: Bike/drive to Ninh Binh

Breakfast and free at leisure to cycle around in the Mai Chau valley or shopping for Thai handmade fabric. Lunch in Mai Chau. After lunch travelers drive to Ninh Binh. Stop on the way for a beautiful ride through country side. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Summary

Biking: 30km

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 4: Bike/sightseeing of “Halong Bay on the rice field”/Drive back to Hanoi

Biking from the hotel to Hoa Lu, the first capital of Vietnam date back from 8th century. Visit the temples and climb some hundred steps to the top of a mountain for a great view over the “Halong Bay on the rice field”. After here travelers bike through an amazing area of limestone mountains uprising on rice paddies. After 1hr riding travelers reach Tam Coc. Lunch in local restaurant and then enjoy an interesting rowing boat trip on river to explore the Halong Bay on the rice paddies. Drive back to Hanoi. Trip concludes.

Summary

Biking: 22km

Boat trip: 2 hrs

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

More information at http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/tour.php?op=detail&tourId=32

About the Author

Active Travel Vietnam
Email: vietnamadventureguide@gmail.com
Website: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com

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Guilin Travel – Bike Ride & Tai Chi

February 23, 2011 By hpmotorc Leave a Comment

Article by Michael Wu

After breakfast at 7.30 am, we started our 30km Bike Ride into the Chinese Countryside – Yangshuo, but Lorna was not happy at this time!!

The itinerary that we took was extraordinary, the scenery was remarkable. We went near the Butterfly Cave and Moon Hill and got some great pictures. On the whole the ride took about 3 hours and was worth every meter. Lorna even attempted to whip a little Chinese kid on the way around. We caught a man up on his bicycle and he had his one year old kid in a chair on the back. Lorna kept trying to peddle up behind him silently to grasp the child she was now referring to as “Ping”. She must be get locked up in the prison one day. Lisa, get your bags packed because you may need to make the rest of the trip with me!!

After the bike ride we went to a neighboring Yangshuo restaurant to have dinner, where we ordered Beer Fish and Beer Duck for the six of us. The beer fish is actually a local delicacy and I have to say it was exquisite. The beer duck was also very nice, and spicy, but it was all on the bone so became a little awkward. Now when I say it was on the bone, everything was there with the feet, the head and the beak!! July and Claire were a little shelved by this to say at the least! The food here was really good and also very cheap.

We went to have some Tai Chi lessons in the afternoon, and at first, there were only the five of us, but we were joined by 2 more half way through. The thing that stroked was the fact that we were taken to what seems to be the town square and had to do the lesson there, right in the middle of everyone. There were people taking photos and even filming the performance. I can even feel YouTube coming back to show me here. At any rate, the lesson was really excellent and we successed in having a full understanding of self defense and recreation afterwards. Although later in that evening, we did try to do the same Tai Chi moves on the dance floor in one of the local bars, which was not nice I can tell you!!

About the Author

http://lirivercruise.com offers discounts on Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo save 40% by booking your seat in advance.

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Guilin Travel – Biking & Moon Hill Hiking

February 23, 2011 By hpmotorc Leave a Comment

Article by Michael Wu

Today I rented a mountain bike and went cycling to the Moon Hill, which took about 1 hour. This karst mountain shape is famous as it has a hole through it and the view from the top is purportedly glorious. After I cycled through villages and saw many water buffaloes, I reached the bottom of the hill and started the one hour hike. You can see many little old ladies hiking all the way to the top (around 1290 steps), trying to sell hikers food and drink. Life is hard for the villagers, you can see old people doing heavy duty work over here and their plight over the years is observable on their faces.

I reached the top and the sight is rather spectacular, and there are karst mountains everywhere! I met a guy from Guangzhou here and then we went back to Yangshuo and had an awesome dinner! Since he is also travelling alone, we decided to go bamboo rafting and hiking around XingPing tomorrow so as to save on the cost.

Today I met an incredible person called Gina. She brought me to a party where all the people are nice and welcoming and we had a great time. These people have incredible faith – even though they are not very rich but they will try their best to offer the help to the poor people around the area. I’m deeply moved by their pledge and devotion and all the stories that they told me. I can’t talk too much about this so ask me when I come back. After that we went to eat some midnight foods and drinks and came back around 1am, hence this late entry!

Nonetheless, I have already told you my arrangement tomorrow, and on the 3rd day I will be going to Chengdu on a 25 hour train ride! I will pack a lot of food in my bag. Yangshuo is quite an wonderful place, maybe someday I can bring Mom and Dad here for a visit! OK, I need to wake up early tomorrow morning so will see you again tomorrow!

About the Author

http://lirivercruise.com offers discounts on Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo save 40% by booking your seat in advance.

The Travel Channel has a great new programme: World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides, by Henry Cole. He makes these rides on a Saxon! He likes the looks of the semi custom bike and more important, the bike drives smoothly and comfortably. US Highway 1, one of the most famous coastal rides in the world, hugs the west coast from San Francisco to Laguna Beach. Its 650 miles length is steeped in American history and iconography. There is adventure and luxury to experience in equal measure and the only way to feel the true sense of freedom and escapism is to ride it not drive it. If there is one route that delivers riding the American dream it has to be Highway 1.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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