A big thanks to our friends at Tourism Thailand UK who recently featured our Historic Ayutthaya Bicycle Tour on their new Thailand Reunited YouTube Channel
Check out the video below:
The following video by them also provides a great introduction to Thailand
We hope this makes you want to come to Thailand and for even more inspiration check out our bicycle tours in Thailand
On our most recent Bangkok to Phuket tour we had two riders who were doing the ride for the second and third time. Intrigued as to what keeps drawing them back to this epic 800 km ride, the repeaters told us about their experiences.
TJ cycling Bangkok to Phuket
Tinsley Janes, or TJ, a 61-year-old cyclist from New Zealand, pointed out that “It’s probably one of the best rides in the world in terms of road surface, the coast and the accommodation.” High praise from somebody who lives in a beautiful cycling country. This is TJ’s third time riding along the coast of Thailand and he’s now planning to bring his friends and come back for his fourth time next year. He said his next challenge with SpiceRoads will be up north, “I want to do Chiang Mai to Bangkok because that is downhill the entire way with tailwind, on nice smooth roads. Also Mae Hong Son Hills because that is a different dimension in cycling with the hills.” We look forward to riding with TJ again soon!
Richard in his SpiceRoads Jersey
This is the second time Richard Jones, 70, from California has cycled from Bangkok to Phuket. He told us that he came back for the same tour he did last year because it is, “A lot of hard work, no time in the van and always good guides, good food, good hotels, and always a very nice pack. So I’ve been enjoying it this second time and I might do it again for the third time.”
Richard at the Huntsman World Senior Games
He also proudly sent us photos of receiving a trophy at the Huntsman World Senior Games while wearing his SpiceRoads jersey just a few weeks prior to his departure for the Bangkok to Phuket ride. Thissenior athletic event held annually in Utah attracts 10,000 athletes who participate in 26 different disciplines. Richard participated in 7 road and mountain biking events, placing first in 5 of them and second and third in the two others. Richard has already been on 13 SpiceRoads tours and we look forward to welcoming him back again for another!
As Central Thailand continues to be effected by floods we wanted to give you an update from SpiceRoads and how it has effected our cycle tours in Central Thailand.
While the province of Ayutthaya continues to be one of the worst effected area, there is still and element of uncertainty as to the the impact that it will have on Bangkok. Currently there are 7 districts on high alert in the north of Bangkok, but it is hoped that Central Bangkok (where most tourists are) will escape. However, there are mixed reports and the situation is subject to change. The next few days will be critical and we will update with any changes.
All our tours that visit Ayutthaya are effected and we are diverting them to avoid this area and all proposed changes will not effect the quality and enjoyment of the tour. The effected tours are Cycling Central Thailand, Cycling Chiang Mai to Bangkok and Kanchanaburi Hills. Guests who are looking to do these trip should consult with SpiceRoads to discuss the options.
In addition the following day tours are all currently suspended until further notice:
All our other tours are running as normal and there are plenty of opportunities for people to carry on their holiday as normal. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and update you as necessary.
SpiceRoads is contacting all customers who are booked onto effected trips. Any customer booked on a cancelled trip is entitled to a full refund or to transfer to another trip.
The North and South of Thailand are not effected by the current flooding, so Thailand still provided the opportunity for a great holiday for those visiting.
For latest updates you may want to look at one of the following to English news sites in Thailand:
For the latest news on effected trips please contact the SpiceRoads office using the contact details below.
Regards
The SpiceRoads Team
Telephone: +66 (0) 2712 5305
24 hour hotline: +66 (0) 898 955680
E-mail: info@spiceroads.com
By Hamish Wilson
Hamish gets out of the office
Every student looks forward to the summer holidays, the stresses of exams are over and its time for a well-deserved break, (some more than others). Plans for the summer probably started months ago, whether is was deciding where to go to catch some sun, filling out CV ‘s in preparation for a summer job or meticulously scanning all the music festival line-ups. Summer internships are another option but opportunities for internships are hard to come by and the opportunity to get one abroad is even harder.
That’s why when I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to work at SpiceRoads, a cycle tour company based in Bangkok I jumped at the chance to live & work in one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities renowned for its eccentric nightlife, “unique” massages, fascinating culture and of course, it looks good on the CV.
On my first day in the Bangkok office I was told that the best way to understand what SpiceRoads is all about is to go on one of their tours. I was swiftly booked onto my first cycle tour, which happened to be a trip to the famous floating markets.
Historic Ayutthaya Cycle Tour
10 weeks down the line, I have been lucky enough to get out of the office on many occasions and go on lots of SpiceRoads trips including 6 bike rides around Bangkok and 2 cycle tours in Chiang Mai. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Although working in the office, learning how SpiceRoads operates and hopefully being of some use have all been enjoyable and rewarding experiences the real highlights of my time in Bangkok have been the cycle tours I was lucky enough to go on. Although all of the day trips offer a very different experience some trips in particular really stood out for me. The first was the very first trip I went on, The Floating Markets cycle tour, and the second the very last trip I went on, The Historic Ayutthaya bike trip.
Floating Market Cycle Tour
These two tours in particular stood out for me as I felt they perfectly blended together fascinating historic and cultural content with cycling in stunning scenery. It was a welcome change from hustle and bustle of the city centre and offered an escape to the paddy fields and fruit orchards of Bangkok’s countryside. Cycling is in my opinion the best way to do this as you escape the worst of the heat with the breeze created when cycling but you are also free to explore the areas where cars simply cannot go. A perfect example of this is The Bangkok Jungle half-day tour. This was one of the first tours I went on and it takes you to an area known as the lung of Bangkok. It is a relatively untouched area in the centre of Bangkok, which you can explore by cycling along the narrow raised pathways that snake through the island.
Toward the end of my time working and living in Thailand I decided to book a trip to the Northern city of Chiang Mai. Surrounded in picturesque mountain scenery Chiang Mai has a completely different feel to Bangkok with a relaxed atmosphere it was the perfect place to explore by bike. The Chiang Mai half-day cycle tour seemed like the logical tour to start and was a gentle cycle around the old city taking in all the historic sights. After enjoying some of the other activities available in Chiang Mai I decided to venture a bit further from Chiang Mai with The Ancient Lamphun day tour. The 30 or so km cycle took us through the stunning countryside I had been eager to explore with welcome stops at Temples along the way. Once reaching Lamphun we stopped at an impressive with the shining tiles used to pave the walls glistening in the sunlight it was probably the most eye-catching temple I had visited in my whole trip, which is saying something because I have seen a lot of temples!
Having completed my 10-week internship at SpiceRoads I have now returned to sunny Scotland and I can honestly say that my trip to Thailand has been the best way I have ever spent a summer. Working for SpiceRoads gave me the opportunity to both get some great work experience and experience Thailand in a way that most travellers visiting the country never get to experience and I would like to thank SpiceRoads for giving me the opportunity to do so.
The SpiceRoads Team
Four SpiceRoaders participated in the Ban Saphan triathlon this weekend. It was guide Nee’s first tri and she did amazing, placing third in the Sprint Distance! Bottle, Ant and Patricia competed in the Olympic Distance and all finished with smiles on their faces.
The sea was nice and calm for our swim, which made both Nee and Bottle feel better as they were both nervous about this section of the triathlon. They were both repeating to themselves “I can float” and singing to the tune of the R.Kelly song - I Believe I Can Float. The positive reinforcement worked as they both made it without a problem, and with Bottle still hamming it up for the camera as he went back in the sea for his second lap. Ant was strong in the swim and was the first SpiceRoader out of the water!
Nee comes third
Bottle had no trouble finding his bike when he came into the transition area as there weren’t too many left, but he quickly made up for his slower swim on the bike! Nee and Ant, as expected, were also super strong on the bike, and it was great to be able to cheer each other on as we did our laps 2 for Nee and four for the rest of us) and passed each other! The bike course was windy and went by a colorful temple, over a bridge with fishing boats moored in the waters and by the entrance to the big temple on the hill. Very scenic, but dangerous as a few dogs ran out and one was hit by a biker.
The run was right along the sea and went right by the KeeRee Waree Resort, which anyone who has been on our Bangkok to Phuket tour should remember as it is where the rest day is. What a gorgeous backdrop to run with, the sea and the colorful fishing boats anchored and the temple on the hill. Wish all my runs could be like this! Nee pushed it hard on the run and was rewarded with a third place finish!
In the van ride on the way back to Bangkok there was already talk of when the next race is! Looks like we’ll be seeing more SpiceRoads guides at triathlons soon!
T.T.T. Tour Operator No. 14/00433 ATTA: 02354
