Spending time with friends is one of life’s great joys and what better way to get together than with an adventure? When planning a trip with loved ones, it’s best to go for a private tour. Not only do you get to choose your adventure partners, but you also can be more flexible, and design a tour that works for everyone. With a private group trip, your options are totally open and the journey is yours to create! Check out some stories of great group adventures. Beat the Heat with a Dual-Option Cycling Itinerary Matan Vibhakar helps lead volunteer construction projects in Cambodia and wrote to help plan a group cycling trip following a week of heavy labor in the sun. After the completion of a new health center, Matan and about a dozen fellow workers wanted to celebrate by experiencing the surrounding region on two wheels. Thinking ahead to the summer weather, a question arose within the group that split interest in a cycling trip into two camps: those who welcomed some more engaging physical activity, and those who preferred to take it easy after strenuous toiling with heavy materials. We made things easy for them! A week-long bike journey was arranged with two paths; for the more active crowd, we created an option of morning and afternoon riding from point to point, and for those a bit more keen on seeing than doing when the high sun gets involved, we kept the cycling limited to the cooler morning hours while afternoons focused on visiting points of interest via the air-conditioned support vehicle. Wedding on 2 Wheels Barbara and Max Foster met each other while biking independently along the central coast of Vietnam. Just a few short years later, they were planning to bring their families and closest friends together on a tour of the region where it all began, followed by an intimate wedding ceremony in Hoi An and a private honeymoon extension for the newlyweds in Halong Bay. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to plan a tour with such a romantic backstory! In the end, we hosted about two dozen guests of all ages on a week-long ride through the rural countryside and along scenic beaches between Da Lat and Hoi An, included a two night cruise of the bay for Max and Barb afterwards, and even hosted a number of friends and relatives on a few of our day tours in Hoi An before they headed back to nearby airports to return home.   Abi-Tour German students who pass their final exams at the end of secondary education (college prep schools) have a tradition of organizing large, often quirkily-themed celebratory events with their fellow classmates after the stressful last weeks of studying. For all their hard work, they are granted a qualification known as “Abitur”, which formally enables them to attend university Noah Weber contacted Grasshopper looking to plan a cycling-themed Abitur holiday in Thailand for himself and several of his peers that they would cherish for years to come. At only 18 years old, few participants in the group had ever vacationed so far away from home before. Noah was excited and relieved to hear about how we operate our all-inclusive biking tours, knowing that we take care of all the logistics relating to cycling equipment, accommodation, meals, transfers, and other smaller details. A generous group discount also allowed even more of Noah’s friends to come along than originally expected. We wish all of these young world travelers a bright future and hope to see them again soon!  A Taste of Home Foodies are never disappointed on Grasshopper tours. Our local expert guides always know the best spots to hit when hunger strikes, whether it’s for a nice sitdown meal at a local restaurant or grabbing a quick snack from nearby vendors on an afternoon hike or an evening ride through a bustling city like Bangkok. Miyako Goda grew up on the Japanese island of Shikoku and moved to mainland China in the 80s with her family, where they opened a sushi restaurant.  A teenager at the time, Miyako now works full time at the successful family-run business, which has earned its fair share of loyal patrons who appreciate Miyako’s culinary expertise. To commemorate the restaurant’s 30 year anniversary, Miyako wanted to extend her gratitude by inviting all of her coworkers and a few of their most regular guests on a culinary tour of Shikoku, foodie-heaven, exploring the various types of cuisine she grew up with — from udon to katsuo tataki — dishes that inspired her decision to commit to a career in the food industry. On this custom group trip designed with our team, we made sure to sample all the foodie highlights and some of the lesser-known local delicacies along the journey. As you probably know, active-adventures are great for building an appetite, a key factor in making this culinary round-robin adventure a big success! *For privacy: names and pictures are not the actual guests

Want to add an extra cultural element to your cycling adventure? Take a look at the schedule of Thai holidays and our tour recommendations.

Loi Kratong

Loi Kratong is a Thai festival coinciding with the Northern Thai festival of Yi Peng during the full moon in the 12th lunar month of the Siamese calendar, which falls in the month of November. This holiday is a beautiful celebration characterized by lanterns floating in the waterways for Loi Kratong and sky lanterns for the celebration of Yi Peng. Our Chiang Mai & North Thailand bike tour will take you from the pristine far-northern reaches of Thailand, down through tropical jungle and spectacular mountain scenery before arriving in the vibrant cultural hub of Chiang Mai – the perfect location to immerse yourself in the Loy Krathong festival celebrations.

Chinese or Lunar New Year

While not really an official holiday in Thailand, it is still an important one for the region and for Thais with Chinese ancestry. Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, follows the lunar cycle and starts on the day of the new moon falling between 21 January and 20 February each year.  For this holiday we recommend our Cruising the Coast to Samui tour. This tour has little to do with the theme of the Chinese New Year, but if you are looking for an escape into nature away from the Lunar New Year crowds, this tour offers a lovely ride down the scenic gulf coast of Thailand at the time of year when the temperatures are mild.  If you are traveling as a family, you might also find our Southern Thailand Adventure to be just the tour you are looking for. 

ANZAC Day 

While not actually a Thai holiday, ANZAC Day commemorates the struggles of the World War II POWs who built the death railway from Bangkok to Burma. The Australian and New Zealand governments hold a special sunrise service at the Hell Fire Pass Memorial on the 25th of April each year to remember the many Australian and New Zealand POWs who perished building this railway line.  Grasshopper Adventures runs a special itinerary of our Bridge Over the River Kwai tour for you to learn about the history of the building of the death railway and to participate in ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Hell Fire Pass.

It is early morning and still dark when our team meets at the boat pier in Nyaung Shwe – Inle Lake, Myanmar. The four of us are patiently waiting for our boat driver to approach the landing dock so we can load our bikes into the longtail boat and start our journey.

Today is a special day for us: we are setting out to test out our new route from Inle lake, via Samkar to Phayar Taung. It has been nearly four years since we first started bringing visitors to discover the hidden secrets of Inle lake by bike. Even though our Bike Boat and Kayak tour is one of the best outdoor adventures around the lake, we have decided that it is time to reveal some more secret spots where very few tourists go to. One of these is the lower lake that is connected to Inle lake through a small channel.

Our day starts huddled in a boat, speeding down Inle lake towards Indein and the sunrise. Once we’ve arrived and have unloaded the bikes, we stretch our legs and get ready to ride.

Very quickly we leave Indein and its crowds behind. Pedaling down small countryside roads, we ride along the lake towards its southern tip. Looking up from our bikes, we can see bamboo forests and sugar cane fields which sometimes give way to glimpses of the lake. It is still early morning and there are very few farmers on the road- either they are already out at work, or still sitting in their small village huts, enjoying breakfast before the hard labor of the day.

We have our first snack break at the intersection between the two lakes, connected by a small channel. The view is simply amazing. Sitting on the bridge, Inle lake lies behind us while we contemplate the still beauty of Samkar Lake ahead. An alluring mix of vibrant colors lies in front of us: the dark blue of the lake – peppered by the green of the water lilies and seaweed – is framed by the red fertile soil around the water’s edge. We can’t wait to continue our ride south down tracks far off the beaten track.

We pedal on down small trails that lead us around the lake. The ride is pure joy: small slopes going up and down, and breathtaking view after breathtaking view of the sparkling water. The farmers and villagers we pass wave at us, surprised as they are not used to seeing tourists in these parts.

Life here still goes at a different pace, far away from the tourist crowds of Inle lake. Sometimes we pass kids on their rusty bikes, which are usually a few sizes too big, and try to keep up with us as they laugh at our cycling gear and helmets.

Along our way, we stop in several small villages. Passing one of the local houses we hear friendly shouts – the couple waving are friends of our guide Sam and are visiting their family for the weekend. They happily invite us into their house and serve us traditional green tea, freshly harvested watermelons and bananas. Many people who live in Nyaung Shwe originally come from small villages around the lake. They move to town for better work opportunities, but their families remain in the villages and they frequently go back to visit them.

Along our way, we stop in several small villages. Passing one of the local houses we hear friendly shouts – the couple waving are friends of our guide Sam and are visiting their family for the weekend. They happily invite us into their house and serve us traditional green tea, freshly harvested watermelons, and bananas. Many people who live in Nyaung Shwe originally come from small villages around the lake. They move to town for better work opportunities, but their families remain in the villages and they frequently go back to visit them.

Explore Inle lake with us

Refreshed and fueled up, we get back on our bikes and head to our last stop for the day: Phayar Thaung. This little town, far off the tourist radar, is famous for its monastery set on a hill overlooking the lake. Unfortunately, as we are only doing a test run, we won’t have the pleasure of spending the night here and make the most of the beautiful accommodations built by Aung Min and his Wife. These gorgeous high-end bungalows are built on stilts over the lake, a perfect place to relax after a day of riding and exploring.

However, we have to return to Nyaung Shwe. Sam, one of our local guides has to be in time to start his annual week of meditation. Like many practicing Buddhists, he spends at least one week per year in a monastery to meditate and live by the strict rules of monkhood. So for today, we will just have the time for a delicious lunch and a quick chat with the owners of the bungalows before heading back.

On our way to the boat that will bring us back to Nyaung Shwe, we pass by the monastery on the hilltop and stop to take in the stunning panorama. The monastery, home to around 2000 kids, is very quiet today. Most of the students are visiting family and friends for the holidays but we still manage to get drawn into a friendly conversation with some of the senior students. They love to practice their English and chit chat with us about life and football – yes! even in a small village far away from any big city young men love to talk about football!

We have to bid our farewells for now, as we still have a 3-hour boat ride back to Nyaung Shwe, but we will be back, to share this peaceful, rural gem with our customers who love to discover new places on two wheels, just like us.

On the 9th of July, a strong team of 7 Grasshopper Adventures women left the Siem Reap office for the day and exchanged bicycles for carpentry tools. The mission was to construct a house for a local family in a small community called Trang Village. Our staff works very hard every day to ensure Grasshopper operations run smoothly, so this was a great chance for our team to leave the office to give back to the local community. The money for the construction of this house came from an insurance company called MS Amlin who has close ties with Grasshopper Adventures. Claire, the Leader in Training for the Cambodia office, is the daughter of someone who has worked for them for over 10 years and introduced this project to the company. MS Amlin very kindly donated $1,300 towards construction- a sum that would change a family’s life. This provided all the materials and professional contractors as well as lunch for the builders. All of this for a young family who had been homeless for 5 years. With one young child and one more on the way, we wanted to ensure they had a safe space to live as a family. Claire saw the opportunity for the Grasshopper staff in Cambodia to help build the house and asked the team who would be interested. Unsurprisingly, many were keen to help and give back to their country. Providing a house empowers the family, and gives them the opportunity to have a more hygienic and healthy environment in which to raise children. Partnering with KidTea school, Bamboo and Trunk Travel for the build, all hands were on deck to get the building finished that day. The frame of the house had been erected the day before, so our team members were in charge of sanding the floorboards, nailing them, and painting underneath the house- all while making sure no one fell off the ladder! A typical Khmer house is placed on stilts to prevent the house from flooding in the rainy season and to keep insects out, especially termites! After a well-deserved lunch, the real progress started. As the walls were nailed into place, the shape of the house began to emerge. Every worker and volunteer put in their best efforts to ensure the building was finished in time. A very hot and humid day meant they were sweating all the way through, but the team members motivated each other and the house was finished around 5pm. We are very proud of our team and we hope we can get back out there soon to do another build!

Discover Siem Reap with us

About the author – Claire Wyatt Based out of Siem Reap, Claire is the Leader in Training for Cambodia.

“You are late today”, chu Lau exclaimed upon seeing me and a family of Grasshopper Adventure cyclists slowly enter his yard. “Sorry, chu we stopped too much for photos. It’s so green today”, I answer cheekily while the cyclists are still amazed at the surprising stop after riding freely on paved roads among rice paddy fields. “Xin chao”, he smiled gently, gesturing for us to come inside. A few years ago, the Grasshopper Adventures Saigon team discovered this unique Vietnamese cacao farmer for the first time while we zigzagged on motorbikes to map out the best Mekong routes. It was a day just like today, as the Mekong Delta was brightening up after pouring rain, soaking rice paddy fields, coconut lanes, and patches of herbs in a vast green mosaic. Against that backdrop, were chubby cacao fruits in a bright array of colors. “Is it edible?”, the 9-year-old boy asked while his sister was busy picking her favorite color.

Mr Lau and guests visiting his farm

Known more as a land of coffee and rice, there are only a few areas in this tropical country with land suitable for growing cacao fruits. “There are some farms in Central Highland, and some in Mekong”, Chu Lau said, pointing at Vietnamese cacao map hanging on the wall. Cacao plants were first introduced to Vietnam more than 15 years ago via the efforts of a non-profit organization. Taking part in that project since the beginning, Mr. Lau is one of the pioneers who fosters skills and knowledge in cacao planting training courses. “It was difficult to distribute or buy the materials needed”, he recalled. In those days, the roads were narrow and many just dirt. While many farmers gave up, Mr. Lau didn’t and has now become the most trusted distributor for the first bean-to-bar product in Vietnam called Marou Chocolate.

Some of Mr Lau colorful cacao fruit

Marveling at slightly bitter cacao beans bathing in the sun, we were reluctant to go. “There’s a tranquil cycling path ahead of us”, I have to console our cyclists who still want to linger at his house a little bit longer. This home has become a beloved stop both for Mekong in one day and multi-day Mekong cycling trips, and Mr. Lau is now a good friend of Grasshopper Adventures Vietnam as well as an ambassador of the cacao industry to his foreign visitors. About the author – Thang Quyet With 11+ years guiding experience, Thang brings insight from the road to our tour development in Vietnam.

East Taiwan is fast becoming a famous route for cyclists, offering scenic coastal riding and winding valleys, with numerous highlights to experience along the journey. Our Taiwan leadership, Tot and Simon, share one such highlight. A firm favorite of the family’s is the island gem of Sanxiantai, or Taiwan’s “Magic Island” as they call it.

The Volcanic Islet

Just a short ride from our house in Chenggong on Taiwan’s wild East Coast lies Sanxiantai or Three Immortals Platform. Sanxiantai is a volcanic islet only a few hundred meters offshore. It’s connected to the mainland by a footbridge, yet still manages to feel a world away. The islet is actually a former crater and gets the name Three Immortals Platform from its topography which (vaguely) resembles three hunched figures (3 of the 8 Taoist immortals). From afar, the islet entices you to brave the often windswept eight arched bridge. There a raised pathway guides you on a gentle circuit around the island. 

Sanxiaitan Island

Magic Island is Born

When we first moved to the East Coast, our kids were just 2 and 4. They needed some encouragement to make the 90-minute cycling circuit around the island, and so the legend of the Fairies of Magic Island was born! The tiny white butterflies which flutter into view amidst the pandanus were the fairies. The island was, therefore, of course, deemed to be magic. They found bizarre volcanic landforms that sometimes resemble giant petrified waves and huge orange pandanus fruit. These only added to the otherworldliness of this unique islet. 

Experiences Await

The views along the coast of the mainland are spellbinding in almost any weather. For those with a head for heights, it’s worth heading all the way to the island’s tip. There sits a tiny lighthouse built on a volcanic rock stack during the Japanese occupation. It offers unparalleled vistas from every side. After a ride and hike, there’s nothing better than ice cream. Sanxiantai has a special spot with delicious mango ice cream. You can also find a host of locally made tropical fruit ice pops, with flavors ranging from custard apple to roselle.

There’s more to Sanxiantai than just riding and hiking. In summer, you can kayak around the island and snorkel when conditions are right. During the annual Taitung Balloon Festival, hot air balloons are a beautiful sight, soaring from the beach at sunrise.

Our family still heads to this island regularly. This is all the easier thanks to the designated bike path which weaves through the coastal coconut groves. Four years later, while the girls now realize that the fairies are actually butterflies, none of the magic has escaped our rides to Sanxiantai. Check out the Three Immortals Platform as a featured stop on our newly re-designed Taiwan E-bike route. This is a 7-day loop that takes riders all the way from the world’s deepest gorge at Taroko along beautiful Pacific Highway 11 before crossing the Coastal Mountains and returning to Hualien through the lush East Rift Valley.

About Tot & Simon

November’s full moon ushers in the ‘festival of lights’ common to many Southeast Asia cultures. The festival, whose origins are lost in the mists of time, pays homage to the water spirits in various forms. In the Hindu tradition, the object of veneration is the Goddess Ganga after whom the Ganges River takes its name.

In Thailand, the festival of lights is called Loy Kratong by most of the country but goes by the name Yee Peng in the North.  Loy Krathong literally means to “float a water lantern”. Yee Peng means the “second full moon”. The festival of light falls on the second full moon of the Lanna calendar which typically falls in the month of November.

In Thailand, Loy Krathong is a Buddhist merit-making festival, where negative karma is released and good karma in invited to come into one’s life.  Before the water lanterns are cast adrift or the sky lantern released, participants take a few moments of mindful reflection and prayer to invite a new beginning. 

The water lantern is a miniature boat often made from banana stems and leaves with offerings of burning incense, flowers and a lit candle. Some people may also make offerings of small coins and locks of their hair. The lanterns are released on ponds, streams, and rivers throughout the kingdom. 

The iconic sky lanterns are actually a relative newcomer to Chiang Mai’s Yee Peng festival, having likely been introduced in the 1980s from the festival of lights, the  Tazaungdine Festival, in Burma’s neighboring Shan State. Sky Lanterns are paper hot air balloons with a wireframe that holds the shape and a fuel source consisting of wax or paraffin attached at the bottom. When the burning wick has filled the balloon with hot air it is more buoyant than the cool surrounding air and drifts off into the night sky with thousands of other illuminated lanterns. 

Whether on the water on in the sky, Loy Kratong is an enchanting and visually spectacular festival of warmth and friendship under the cool night sky of November’s full moon. 

The Best Places to celebrate Loy Kratong

Chiang Mai – the Yi Peng Festival

In Chiang Mai, you can see both of the water lanterns and the sky lanterns in the area around the Narawat Bridge. The Three Kings plaza is the location of the opening ceremony and is festooned with hanging lanterns as well. Another place to experience the water and sky lanterns is the plaza in front of Tha Phae Gate to the old city. 

Sukothai – the home of Loy Kratong

The ancient capital of Sukhothai is thought to be the first place that Loy Kratong was celebrated. The highlights of the Loy Krathong celebration here include displays of lighted candles a nightly fireworks show, folk dancing performances and spectacular light & sound presentations in front of Wat Mahathat at Sukhothai Historical Park. The ponds and canals in the park will be filled with crowds of families, friends, and lovers all floating their water lanterns and soaking in the festival atmosphere. 

Ayutthaya – the ancient city

In this former capital of Siam, the major Loy Kratong event takes place at the King Naresuan the Great memorial monument in Ayutthaya Historical Park. Perch yourself on the river banks and canals surrounding this island city and watch as thousands of people release their water lanterns for good luck. 

Bangkok – the Chao Phraya river

The citizens of Bangkok will have big and small events scattered through the city. The Chao Phraya River and the city’s many canals with be illuminated with the floating water lanterns. A good place to view the river and the city’s skyline under the light of the full moon is the Asiatic Market or Lhong 1919, an old steamship depot.

Join Grasshopper Adventures for your own Loy Kratong experience on our Cycle Bangkok to Chiang Mai Special tour, which features a special Loy Kratong departure each November. 

Our selection of family cycling tours in Asia is the ultimate way to get your kids on an active adventure. But don’t just take it from us… The following is a guest blog post featuring the story of Clotho, who together with her husband and son have been on two Grasshopper tours. Hear from a mother herself what it’s like to explore Asia with us.

My husband and I are avid cycle tourists and we wanted to share our love of bicycle touring with our son. One of the reasons we love visiting a place by bike is the special access it gives us to everyday life not seen by tourists in cars or buses. Cycle travel lets us go off the beaten path at a slow enough pace to stop and chat with local people and to explore whatever catches our eye.  We hoped that exposing our son to this type of travel at an early age would help to instill in him a sense of adventure and curiosity about the world and especially about cultures different from our own.

We currently live in central Asia and we learned about Grasshopper Adventures from our son’s teacher at his international school.  She previously lived and taught in Cambodia and had taken several tours with Grasshopper Adventures. Both of our cycling trips with Grasshopper Adventures have exceeded our expectations! From my very first contact with Grasshopper Adventures, the administrative staff was consistently prompt in their replies and accommodating to my requests. Once we arrived in the country, the cycling guides and the support drivers were exceptionally patient, lighthearted, easy-going and kind.

Our son was six years old when we toured Cambodia and seven when wetoured Vietnam. With the tagalong bicycle, our son was able to experience the joys of bicycle travel without becoming exhausted and we didn’t have to worry about his bike handling skills. 

For both trips, Grasshopper Adventures combined just the right amount of cycling with cultural and interpersonal experiences.  Our favorite moments were those when we spent time with the locals: visiting the social enterprises that our tour fees helped to support, making (and eating) rice paper with a local family, fishing in the pond belonging to the host family of our homestay, and helping to plant seedlings at an organic farm before eating there, too. These moments felt unstructured in the way they evolved naturally.  We came home from both trips already planning future adventures and telling all of our friends about the magic of bicycle touring with Grasshopper Adventures. 

At Grasshopper Adventures we proudly craft our family cycling holidays with our own kids in mind, to provide you with the utmost comfort and attention to detail, unforgettable rides and informative engaging experiences.