BIKING IN SOUTH EAST ASIA & CHINA

DESCRIPTION OF MY FULLY LOADED BICYCLE

GARY FISHER MARLIN

• SHIMANO 27 SPEED MOUNTAIN BIKE
• MECHANICAL DISC BRAKES
• SHIMANO DEORE FRONT & REAR DERAILLEURS
• FRONT & REAR ORTLEIB PANNIERS
• TENT, SLEEPING MAT & SLEEPING BAG ON THE REAR RACK PLACED HORIZONTALLY
• TOP PEAK HANDLEBAR BAG
• SEAT POST DUAL WATER BOTTLE HOLDERS
  

In this post I have only covered the places that I have visited by biking, hiking, caving and other activities. I will be shortly posting my experiences, stories and anecdotes on this blog very soon.

Here is a brief sketch of my travel and adventure in SOUTH EAST ASIA & CHINA.

In March 2008, I embarked on my first overseas travel to South East Asia and China. My itinerary included the following countries.

• THAILAND

• LAOS

• CHINA (INCLUDING HONG KONG AND MACAU)

• VIETNAM

• CAMBODIA

• MALAYSIA

• SINGAPORE

• INDONESIA

I flew from Kolkata to Thailand (Bangkok), where I backpacked for a while and later purchased a mountain bike with panniers and started on my bicycle tour of South East Asia.

I have clocked over 3000 km on my bicycle covering challenging routes & enchanting destinations. However, only the significant ones have been mentioned in the following sections.

THAILAND

Biking and Backpacking

• Bangkok – Samut Prakan Ancient City - Chonburi – Sri Racha – Pattaya – Bangkok = 290km

• Bangkok – Samut Sakhon – Samut Songkhram – Ratchaburi – Phetchaburi – Huahin – Pranburi – Khao Sam Roi Yat National Park – Prachuap Khiri Khan = 360 km

• Biking in and around Huahin: Biked to Khao Sam Roi Yat National Park, 40 km south of Huahin on Highway 4 via the South Route. The following hills and tourist attractions were visited during my stay at Huahin and Prachuap Khiri Khan =50 km

• Caving – Tham Phraya Nakhon, Tham Kaew, Tham Sai, Khao Badai it, Khao Luang
• Hiking – Khao Daeng, Khao Krachom
• Biking – Blue Mountains, Khao Hin Lek Fire Valley Pass, Black Mountains

• Bangkok – Ayuthaya – Ayuthaya Historical Park – Suphanburi – Kanchanaburi = 294 km

• In and around Kanchanaburi: Erawan National Park – Kwai River Bridge - Erawan Falls – Hellfire Pass – Hindad Hot spring = 45 - 50 km

• Sukhothai – Sukhothai Historical Park and surrounds = 40 km

• Chaing Mai and surrounds:

• Rock Climbing in Crazy horse buttress limestone cliffs in Sankampang, 40 km east of Chiang Mai.
• Hot Springs: Sankhampang Hot Spring and Roong Aroon Hot Spring
• Caves and Waterfalls: Muang On Cave, Tad Moei Waterfall, Mae Gam Pong Waterfall.

• Backpacking: Phitsanulok - Sukhothai – Mae Sot – Mae Sariang – Mae Hon Song – Pai – Chiang Mai – Lampang – Phitsanulok – Udon Thani – Nong Khai

BIKING IN SUKHOTHAI HISTORICAL PARK, SUKHOTHAI, THAILAND

BIKING TO PATTAYA CROCODILE FARM, PATTAYA, THAILAND

MBK SQUARE, BANGKOK

WITH A PYTHON AT SNAKE PARK, BANGKOK

DRESS CODE FOR WATER FESTIVAL IN THAILAND

LAOS

Border crossing into Laos: I biked 22 km across the Thai – Lao friendship bridge to reach Vientienne the capital city of Laos.

Biking:

• Vientienne – Phong Hong - Vang Vieng = 193km
• Activities in Vang Vieng:
• Caving – Tham Jang, Tham Phu Kham, Tham Sang, Tham Loup, Tham Hoi, Tham Nam (tubing into the water cave).
• Tubing down Nam Song and swing jumping into the Mekong river.
• Swing Jumping into the Mekong river.
  
• Vang Vieng – Kasi – Phoukoun – Muang Sing – Phonsavan = 240 km

• Plain of Jars biking: Site 1 – Site 2 – Site 3 = 45km

• Phoukoun – Xieng Ngeun - Luang Prabhang = 140 km

• Luang Namtha – Boten = 58km

CHINA

Border crossing into China: I biked across the Boten border crossing, to enter the town of Mohan in China’s Yunnan province.

Places Covered

Mohan – Mengla – Jinghong – Kunming – Dali- Baoshan – Tengchong – Dali – Lijiang - Chengdu – Xian – Beijing – Shanghai – Shenzhen – Hong Kong – Macau

Biking, Hiking and other activities

• Kunming
• Shilin Stone Forest
• Caves and Waterfalls: Zhiyun Cave, Strange Wind Cave, Long Lake, the Dadie Waterfall
• Dali: The Three Pagodas, Lake Erhai and Dali Ancient City
• Tenchong Volcanic Area:
• Tengchong – Mazhan - Volcano National Park - Tengchong = 55 km; Hiking around the two volcanic craters
• Tengchong - Sea of Heat Geothermal Park - Tengchong = 24
• Biking from Lijiang (7200 ft) to Shangrila (9900 ft) via Tiger Leaping Gorge and Baishuitai = 255 km
  
• Lijiang – Yak Meadows – Yulong and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Areas – Daju – Tiger Leaping Gorge {between the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5596m) and Haba Snow Mountain (5396m)} – Qiaotou - Baishuitai – Shangrila
• Tiger Leaping Gorge: Ferry crossing across the first bend of river Yangtse involved an ardous hike up and down the gorge on either side of the Yangtse with the bicycle.
• Baishuitai limestone terraces
• Hot Spring near Shangri La


• Hiking on the Great Wall of China: Jinshalling – Simithai – Jinshalling = 22 km

VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK, TENGCHONG, CHINA

BIKING IN BEIJING, CHINA

HONK KONG & MACAU

Biking

• New Territories: From Shenzen to New Territories and over Tai Mo Shan and to Kowloon = 50 km

• Lantau Island

• Mui Wo - Nam Shan Campsite - Pui O – Cheung Sha - Tong Fuk - Shek Pik Resevoir - Keung Shan road T-Junction - Ngong Ping - Giant Buddha – Po Lin Monastery - Ngong Ping campsite = 22 km
• Keung Shan road T-Junction - Sham Wat Village - Tung Chung town – Tung Chung Road - Big Mamma Hill - Cheung Sha Beach – Mui Wo = 20 km
• Lantau island Northeastern Loop: Sha Tin via Tai Po to Tai Mei Tuk - Tai Mei Tuk village = 21 km

• Lamma Islands: Tai Peng – Yung Shue Long – Hung Shing Yeh Beach - Sok Kwu Wan = 15 – 20 km

Mountain biking in Hong Kong

• Lantau South Country Path = 14.3 km


• Shek O Country Park: Trail from Tai Tam Gap to To Tei Wan = 6.6 km

Camping in Hong Kong

• Tai Mo Shan campsite


• Nam Shan campsite


• Ngong Ping campsite

Hiking, biking and camping in Coloane and Taipa islands of Macau:

• Hiking and Camping in Hac Sa Beach.

Bungee Jumping

• AJ Hackett Macau Tower Bunjee Jump – I successfully bungee jumped from the Macau Tower, the world’s highest bungee platform at 233 meters above the ground.

From Macau I flew to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. I was forced to backpack from Vietnam to Singapore as my bicycle was stolen in Saigon (Vietnam). However, I purchased a new bicycle in Singapore and continued my journey.

VIETNAM & CAMBODIA

Backpacking

• Saigon – Dalat - Nha Trang – Hoi An – My Son – Danang – Saigon - Moc Bai (Vietnam border) – Bavet (Cambodia) - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Temples of Angkor – Battambang – Poipet - Siem Reap

Right after Siem Reap, I flew to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE

Backpacking

• Kuala Lumpur – Selangor – Cameron Highlands – Ipoh – Pulau Penang – Genting Highlands – Melaka – Johor Bahru – Singapore

Biking in Singapore

• Pasir Ris Park to East Coast Park: Pasir Ris Park - SunPlaza Park - Bedok Reservoir Park - Tampines Bedok Town Park - Siglap Park Connector - East Coast Park = 15 – 20 km

• Upper Boon Keng Road to Bishan Park - Geylang West Community Club - Kallang Park Connector – along Kallang River - Moonstone Lane - Kallang Park Connector - Potong Pasir - Bishan Park = 15 – 20 km

• Kim Seng Road to East Coast Park - Kim Seng Park - Singapore River Promenade - Robertson Quay - Clarke Quay - Queen Elizabeth Walk - Crawford Street - Kallang Riverside Park - Tanjong Rhu bridge - East Coast Park = 20 – 25 km

• Buona Vista to Jurong Hill Trail - Buona Vista MRT station - Ulu Pandan Park Connector - Sungei Pandan - Boon Lay Way - Jurong Lake - Yuan Ching Road - Jurong Park Connector - Sungei Lanchar - Jurong BirdPark - Jurong Hill Road = 20 - 22 km

• Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

• Pulau Ubin Island – Cycling and mountain biking in Chek Jawa Wetlands = 25 km

Camping in Singapore

• East Coast Park, Changi Beach Park, Pasir Ris Park, Sembawang Park, West Coast Park and Pulau Ubin Island.

INDONESIA

Border Crossing from Singapore to Indonesia:

I arrived at Batam Island in Indonesia via ferry from Singapore’s Harbor Front. From Batam I ferried to Dumai in Sumatra from where I traveled to Pekanbaru and then to Bukittingi.

Biking in Sumatra, Java & Bali

• Bukittingi(2790 ft) – Baso – Payakumbh – Harau Valley – Indah Caves – Batu Sankar – Padang Panjang – Anai Valley – Sicincin – Pariaman - Lubok Along – Padang = 139 km

• In and around Bukittingi: Fort the Kock - Japanese Caves – Panorama Park – Sianok Canyon – Raflessia Sanctuary = 35 km

• Mount Bromo Volcano Biking: Surabaya – Probolinggo – Sukapura – Ngadisari - Mt Bromo – Crater of Mt Bromo – Hindu Temple – Tunpang – Malang = 200 km

• Bali to Java: Kuta – Denpasar – Ubud - Mt. Batur – Kintamani – Singaraja - Lovina Beach – Gilimanuk – Ketapang – Banyuwangi – Asembagus – Jangkar = 248 km

Ship Voyage in Indonesia

• Jakarta to Surabaya
• Jakarta to Batam

Bungee Jumping

• AJ Hackett 66 Bali Club, Kuta – I performed three bungee jumps: a reverse bungee jump into a pool of water, a body harness jump in which my feet were untied and finally a bungee jump on a BMX pushbike. The bungee platform was 45 meters above the ground.

ON TOP OF MOUNT BROMO WITH A CYCLIST FROM GERMANY, GUNNING BROMO, JAVA, INDONESIA

POLICE STATION AT SURABHAYA, JAVA, INDONESIA

From Batam I took a ferry to Singapore and then flew back to Bangalore, India.

CODE