4 Unique Bike Tours Around The World

In a country where locals rely heavily on bicycles as a mode of transportation, your clients will be able to immerse themselves in all aspects of Vietnamese culture on VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations’ 14-day Journey Through Vietnam itinerary. Guests will not only travel by bike, but will also make use of boats and rickshaws as they explore the rural landscapes of Vietnam, and its cities: Hanoi, Saigon, Hoi An, and Hue.

Designed for travelers who want to experience Vietnam at a slower pace, highlights of the Journey Through Vietnam itinerary include a traditional water puppet show, a hands-on cooking class, visits to open-air markets, and guided tours of ancient pagodas, citadels, and palaces. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Vietnam War with a guided tour through the Cu Chi tunnels—dug by the Viet Cong for protection—led by a former member of the Viet Cong.

Prices start at $4,595 pp and include accommodations, most meals, tour guides, bikes, and roundtrip international airfare from several U.S. cities. For more information, visit vbt.com.

With Tourissimo’s Sicily Chef Bike Tour, guests can feel a little less guilty about indulging in all that Italian cuisine as they burn off the carbs and calories with daily bike rides through the hills and valleys of Sicily. The tour is co-hosted by celebrity chefs from California—chef Traci Des Jardins and chef Mary Sue Milliken—who work with local chefs to prepare authentic Sicilian meals.

Guests will learn about what makes Sicilian culture and cuisine unique during informal Q&A sessions with the chefs. When they’re not enjoying delicious dishes or taking in the landscapes on a bike ride, travelers on the Sicily Chef Bike Tour can expect to explore Palermo, Monreale and its cathedral, Corelone, the Selinunte ruins, and the Egadi Islands.

Price starts at $4,595 pp dbl and includes all accommodations, meals, tour guides, support vehicles, and more. For more information, visit tourissimo.travel.

Send your clients on a journey through time and space as they explore Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s main islands, along its ancient Samurai roads. Guests on Ride and Seek’s Samurai Tour will cycle through the Iya Gorge; climb Mt. Ishizuchi, western Japan’s highest peak; cross a series of suspension bridges; visit some of the 88 temples found on Shikoku; follow a pilgrimage route still used by Buddhists today; and cycle along the Shimanto River. Throughout the trip, travelers will learn about the time period in Japanese history that gave birth to these Samurai roads, while also sampling the unique Shikoku cuisine and locally produced beers. At the end of the day, cyclers will rest in either a Western-style hotel or a traditional Japanese inn, where natural hot springs are often available and certainly welcomed by cyclists looking to soak their sore muscles.

Rates for this itinerary start at $5,573 pp dbl. For more information visit rideandseek.com.

Freewheel Holidays,the adventure tour division of Sports Tours International, is bringing guests to visit the filming locations of some of their favorite movies on several of the company’s 2018 itineraries.

Specializing in self-guided bicycle vacations throughout Europe, travelers on a Freewheel Holidays vacation can expect to have lodging with daily breakfasts, detailed route notes, point-to-point luggage transfers, and complimentary bike rentals. The Lake Constance Family Special itinerary follows a route in Austria where crews filmed “Quantum of Solace.” The Prague to Vienna tour is perfect for “Mission Impossible” enthusiasts, and the Venice Round Tour takes cyclists to the filming site of “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and several other movies. Fans of “In Bruges” can embark on the family-friendly Bruges and Belgian Coast itinerary, while Potterheads can get their fix on the 7-day Oxford & The Cotswolds itinerary.

Prices for these itineraries vary and start from $624 pp dbl. For more information, visit freewheelholidays.co.uk.