It has been just over a month since the cyclists on the 2025 Golden Buddha Ride arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, marking the end of their 7 week, 4145 km journey across Vietnam, Laos & Thailand. Let’s see what thye thought of their Southeast Asian experience…

Note: In 2027, the Golden Buddha Ride will be replaced by the The Road to Shangri-La Cycling Tour, which was the original idea before the COVID pandemic forced us to change our plans. 

“The tour exceeded my expectations. We were able to visit remote areas, and truly experience how locals lived. If you’re looking for five star hotels and Michelin star meals this tour is not for you. If you’re hoping to experience authentic real life villages and diverse meals as well as build up your resilience and endurance this would definitely be a company to explore further.” – Marcy Mintz (Canada)

“Total experience was amazing. All kids along the roads. All smiling people. All my riding buddy’s. All in the team. All of this is🥰🥰.” – Bo Fagergren (Sweden)

“A wonderful tour made even better by great staff. Because we were such a small group the staff members were much more visible and played a much bigger role in determining the atmosphere of the trip. Their seamless running of the tour, relentless cheerfulness and the fact that they really seemed to be enjoying themselves made them perfect travelling companions. Not just staff but great people to be around.” – Karl Siebert (Australia)

“The Golden Buddha Ride was my first TDA tour and it greatly exceeded my expectations. The TDA staff and fellow riders made this tour a very positive experience. I didn’t know anyone prior to starting the tour, but now I’ve made cherished friendships.” – Martha Valois (Canada)

“This type of trip allows tourists like us to experience the way of life in the countries we visit, to connect with their inhabitants, all while cycling safely and supported by a fantastic team.” – Robert Charbonneau (Canada)

“This was my third tour in Asia with TDA, and it was a great way to see Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. A very collegial group of riders with excellent leadership and support from the entire staff, both permanent and local for each of the three countries.” – Bill Wilson (Canada)

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The Road to Shangri-La

Shangri-La, an earthly paradise cut off from the world in a hidden Himalayan valley, a place where there is no war or suffering and where people live...

Paige White was the Content Creator on the 2025 Golden Buddha Ride Cycling Adventure. 

Laos was a highlight for the riders on the 2025 Golden Buddha Ride. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences in the country.

“I was excited and slightly nervous about cycling in Laos. I knew that it would be challenging not just because of the cycling routes, but also perhaps because of the accommodations and food. I should have just been excited. We were so well looked after by the staff at TDA. I appreciate the difficulties and thought involved, and although the food wasn’t always marvellous, and the beds weren’t always comfortable, and it was way better than I expected. People in Laos were lovely. I felt perfectly safe cycling alone and people seemed to love interacting with us, the crazy bunch of cycling tourists. We had many opportunities to see a fleeting glance that shows the local way of life while we passed through on our bikes, especially in the more remote areas.

My favourite section of cycling was the right after Ban Xiangtan. There was a gradual climb on dirts roads that passed through small villages and stunning scenery. Although Vientiane wasn’t my favourite, I’ll always remember it as this was where we joined the tour and our first introduction to Laos. In Vientiane’s COPE Museum (that covers the history of unexploded ordnance in Laos) I bought a book – The Coroner’s Lunch – by Colin Cotterell. I would thoroughly recommend it as a well written and delightful read that will bring back memories of Laos’ capital city. Thankfully I have many photos to remind me of a very special trip.”  – Vicky, UK

Chris passing a gas station in Laos

“Highlights from Laos: – Crossing the border, down the apocalyptic road for 10 kilometres – First rest stop with the Mekong, that was so wide. It was surprising that Thailand was just across the water. – Cycling through villages with kids who were so excited and waving to see us. – CAKE in Luang Prabang – Wonderful pressure point massage without oil… $5!!! – The last 3 days of insane climbing in Laos My overwhelming memory of Laos will be the challenging roads, and riverbeds corrugated with big rocks and deep potholes all over. There were trucks with diesel fumes and big clouds of dust to to fight through — all in the name of fun.”  – Chris, USA

Peter on the road in Laos

“You never know what to expect in a remote and little visited country like Laos. That’s why we go! As it turns out, Laos was full of surprises. From the smallest child to the oldest women on the roadside, everyone was welcoming. People live very different lives in Laos from place to place including the tourist hot spot of Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, and all of the isolated villages in between. The terrain was just as varied and held many challenges. There were steep climbs that make the French Alps that I know so well back at home feel envious. Then there were also paved roads to savour in between the many bone shattering dirt roads. In the end I left feeling Laos though poor and sad in some ways. It also feels like a place that has managed to avoid being co-opted by the culture of its colonial (French) occupier or its political inspirations. We have to hope it continues to develop in its own way, at its own pace, and on its own terms. We shall see!” – Peter, France

Vinnie smiling in Laos

“I went for my first massage in Laos today- after 5 days and 500+ kms of riding. Incredible. I was confused initially and not sure if I was being attacked or not. Once I realized that the full blown walking on your body was quite normal, I relaxed (alongside the other 5 people all prone on a mat on the floor) and leaned in to the experience: – Manipulation and contortion that I have not seen since I was in my 20’s. – Beating and pummelling my muscles which has me sure I have atoned for all past sins. – Aided stretching which has me at least 2 inches taller All of this for an hour and the price of $12.17 (including tip). I think it’s fair to say that tomorrows 151 kms into Vientiane will now be a breeze.“- Vinnie, New Zealand

Marcy getting ready to ride in Laos

“There were many memorable experiences in Laos-here is my favourite: The roads were very challenging east of the Mekong, and required more energy to ride with constant pothole awareness. This was mentally and physically very difficult- type 2 fun! Crossing Mekong and our final 4 days from Hongsa was a game changer for me. The unbelievable scenery made the huge climbs worthwhile. My favourite day was our last full day in Laos: Stage 27- travelling from Xianghon to Huay Xia It was a chilly 6 degree C start in the morning with fog coverage- rough roads with dirt and a “wish I had bike suspension” conditions. By 8:30 the sun was up and fog cleared. I will never forget the breathtaking morning fog at the start of our day.

“We initially rode through a village with small fires and locals gatherings outside of their homes. There were families visiting and breakfast being prepared. Kids were bundled up, many in warm Halloween costumes. Little dinosaurs, elephants and tigers running around all trying to stay warm. The off road experience, spanning 38 km, was memorable for many reasons. We saw the rubber trees (with latex veins) and met the local villagers harvesting the latex. The locals were gracious and let get a closer look, and snap some photos. The landscape was breathtaking. We were surrounded by rainforests and rolling hills. During the ride we encountered pigs, cows and lots of chickens. Even though the off road trail was challenging I would consider it a gift because it was free from cars and extremely peaceful. The quietness of the day, new terrain that pushed my physical strength, the memory of the families trying to stay warm, as the novelty of the rubber trees was so memorable. The shift from “he lost his mind” potholes and dust that followed the Vietnam to Laos border crossing to the serenity of the off- road day is a memory that I will have for a long time.” – Marcy, Canada

Paige White is the Content Creator on the 2025 Golden Buddha Ride Cycling Adventure.

On the 2025 Golden Buddha Ride there is a notebook with a race plate taped to it that has been circulating at many of our lunch stops, passed along from rider to rider. In it, we asked our riders to describe their experiences cycling in Vietnam. We invited them to share personal stories, highlights, mishaps, and everything in between. Here’s what they’ve had to say so far.

Martha (Canada)

“There are so many positive things I could say about Vietnam, but what really stands out for me is the kindness of the Vietnamese people. In particular, our driver, Mr. Tang, who was the first person I met in Vietnam. I exited the Ho Chi Minh Airport arrivals building with my boxed bike and duffel bag loaded a bit precariously on the luggage cart. I started sweating immediately from the heat and humidity and all I could see was a mass of people.”

“There were so many drivers holding signs with the names of their passengers. I panicked a little inside wondering how in the world I would ever find my driver. I scanned the crowd a couple times and finally noticed a man waving madly at me, pointing to my name on the sign he carried. There was just something about him that put me at ease. Perhaps it was his huge smile, but I knew instantly that it was all going to be ok. Little did I know then, that for the Vietnam portion of our adventure Mr. Tang would greet me every morning with that same ear to ear, gap-toothed smile. Reassuring me in those early days, that it was all going to be ok.”

Vinnie (New Zealand)

“I am always up for a challenge. Vietnam has certainly provided that, and more! Highlights – traffic – massages – margaritas – cheap beer! – divinity – people – sunny weather – Phong Na – history. Lowlights – traffic! – missing Hoi An, but a fab hotel in Da Nang instead. (We nearly dodged a typhoon and need to re-route). It has been so much more than expected, being on the bike, experiencing local roads, communities, bridges and bike paths. Putting a Vietnamese hat on my helmet created a huge opportunity to interact with local people. I had so many may laughs, and so much fun. Section 1 is done — bring on section 2!!”

Bill (Canada)

“The two most compelling events in Vietnam were the visit to the site of the My Lai Massacre that took place on March 16th, 1968 during the height of the Vietnam war and the visit to the Paradise Caves near Phang Nha. The former included an excellent documentary by Al Jazeera that included interviews and a conversation between a Vietnamese survivor and one of the U.S. soldiers who was deployed. Altogether, 504 men, women and children in the village were killed, and all of them were civilians. Sgt. William Calley was the only individual convicted after the massacre that became public information almost a year and a half later. The Paradise Cave was discovered by a local in 2005 and stretches 31 kilometres long. The stalactite features are extensive and absolutely stunning and unique.”

Paul & Willem (Netherlands)

“Being on my first TDA trip, I’m slowly getting into the early morning routine. When everybody is getting ready to ride, my dutch biking companion needs a little longer to get ready. So, I guess I can take one more coffee. Then, this morning in beautiful Tulan Lodge, there was a red alert. There were no bananas. We decided to stop at a small shop on route to get bananas, but Willem decided these particular bananas were not fit for human consumption. Three stops later I suggested he must buy them at the next stop.”

“This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we discovered a beautiful hidden market that turned out to be very nice and full of giggling locals looking at me and Willem. They were saying ‘hello, hello’ while taking photos together. We were definitely the only tourists there. Willem finally bought his bananas after all. Epilogue: 30 kms after the hidden market, Willem again needed to stop for food. As it turns out the bananas were rock hard, still unfit for his standard of human consumption!”

Karl (Australia)

“Everyone knows that Vietnam is a great place to visit. The people are lovely, the food is excellent, the culture and history are interesting and the scenery is spectacular in both the mountains and the coast. What everyone doesn’t know, is that there are also some unexpected joys to be found here too. One example is the surprising joy of cycling in peak rush hour city traffic. Going wheel to wheel with hundreds of scooters as you flow, merge and change directions is great fun. In a country where the road rules are merely suggestions, and scooters come at you from any and every direction, it’s quite an adrenaline hit to cycle here. Who knew a roundabout or turning left into oncoming traffic could be so exciting, so much fun?”

>>Related Post: Swimming Down The Bamboo Road: Cycling In Southeast Asia

Chris (USA)

“The wonderful thing about traveling by bike is the slow accumulation of change: We’ve now left the massive bustle of Saigon; the heat and mud of the climb into the highlands; the cool mists and surprising wealth of the coffee growing region; down into the weird Russian tourist coast; up through the tombs that blanket seaside villages; into Hue, an imperial and colonial city; inland and up into the Northern mountains that are home to massive limestone caves and fast, clear running rivers.”

“The cave system near Phong Na was otherworldly, a place that feels like walking through time down into the millions of years it took to create. Wherever we travel the kids seem so happy to see us. Parents are very affectionate with their kids. Vietnam feels like a place filled with love, respect, and kindness. The biking is hard but the journey is so very fulfilling.”

The inaugural Golden Buddha Ride took place in November and December of 2023 and made quite an impression on the 33 cyclists who took part in the adventure, including TDA Founder, Henry Gold. Now, as the second edition of this “exceptionally stimulating, delightful, challenging & rewarding” cycling tour across Vietnam, Laos & Thailand is approaching, we thought we would look back at the reports from the field in 2023.

My First Day On The Golden Buddha Ride Adventure

TDA Founder Henry Gold wrote about his time in Saigon before the start of the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride. The city brings back memories of the movies (Good Morning Vietnam), the theatre (Miss Saigon) and the Vietnam War. Oh, and includes a smuggled Durian fruit… (Read more)

Visiting Dalat’s Crazy House on the Golden Buddha Ride

A week into the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride, TDA Founder Henry Gold discovered where Russians are now spending their winters and, in the hill town of Dalat, known for its wine and flowers, visits The Crazy House. It is like “Antoni Gaudi’s creations in Barcelona. The Crazy House is on that spectrum, but much, much ‘crazier.” (Read More)

Some Observations From A Rest Day In Hué, Vietnam

Now 2 weeks into the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride, Founder Henry Gold explored the ancient Imperial city of Hué wandering along the (unscented!) Perfume River, pondering the seeming paradox of a capitalist economy in a socialist state and marvelling at the street skills of a local ‘key man.’ (Read More)

Capturing The Chaos: Photographing From A Scooter On The Golden Buddha Ride

Coby Werlin, the Content Creator on the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride, explained what it was like to film the tour’s riders. “The high-speed, ever-changing environment demands quick thinking and adaptability, resulting in a mix of imperfect yet authentic images. It’s a testament to the unpredictable nuances of Southeast Asia and the beauty hidden in the midst of organized chaos. It’s also just a heck of a lot of fun!” (Read More)

A Video Preview Of What To Expect On The 2025 Golden Buddha Ride

A Final Word – One Year Later: Reflections On The 2023 Golden Buddha Ride

A year after the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride finished in bustling Bangkok, TDA Founder Henry Gold took a thoughtful look back at his experiences in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. After recalling his wonderful adventures with the locals, he concludes, “When I came back home from the trip and was asked how the trip was, I said great. A year later it feels even greater.” (Read More)

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As I write this, our Bamboo Road cycling tour is in Cambodia. The group is steadily pedalling their way west towards Siem Reap and Bangkok, eventually reaching Singapore at the end of their epic Asian adventure. I thought this would be a good moment to highlight our next southeast Asian tour, scheduled to start just under a year from now in Saigon – the Golden Buddha Ride. This tour is one I am particularly fond of as I was fortunate to work with our longtime tour leader in this region, Andreas Pakenham, as well as our fantastic local support Sene (Vietnam), Chit (Laos), and Tick (Thailand) to research, design and scout parts of this route. I wrote about my scouting mission when I returned. You can read about that here.

The 2023 edition of this tour was our first time running it after we had finalized the route and organized the tour. From all accounts it was a big success!

The Basics of the 2025 Route

When: Starts October 26, 2025 in Saigon.

Where: The route heads north through Vietnam and enters Laos, then turns west following the Mekong River before turning south entering Thailand and heads towards the finish in the Thai capital, Bangkok. There are section stops in Hue, Vientiane, and Chiang Mai as well.

How long: You can choose one of the four sections (each of which are 10 – 15 days long) or sign up and ride the full tour which is seven weeks long.

>>LEARN MORE – full dates, details and pricing can be found here

Video Preview

We put together this detailed preview of each of the four sections of the tour that make up the Golden Buddha Ride. Through stunning video from the air and on the ground and many interviews with the participants themselves and our Laotian guide, you will learn what they think of the tour as they progressed along the route.

A special thanks to videographer Coby Werlin who travelled with the cyclists in 2023 and created this stunning video series for us. 

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A year has now passed since I participated on the inaugural 2023 Golden Buddha Ride from Saigon to Bangkok and our Editor-in-Chief asked me to reflect on my experiences. In many ways, it feels like it was just weeks ago that I returned home from Thailand.

Convoy out of Saigon

We started in Vietnam, its tragic wars now far in the past, and the country is now in hyper development. Though still run by the Communist Party, the concept of ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs’ replacing the profit-based economy has been totally abandoned. Everywhere one turns, something is happening. Laos, culturally laid back with a Buddhist philosophy still part of everyday life, has only recently opened to foreign investment but the impact is already highly visible. And then there is the Siamese Kingdom, better known as Thailand. I don’t think I have ever met someone who has been to Thailand and didn’t enjoy it. The gentleness, the Buddhist soul, the tolerance of the Thai people, their temperament, the delightful street food, one could go on endlessly.

>>Related Post: Lovely, Laid-Back Laos

Key maker, Hué

However, what sticks in my mind most a year later are the fun encounters with locals. My favourite, which I mentioned in a blog, is how a chance encounter on a rest day in Hué, Vietnam, resulted in my getting a spare key for my bike lock, a replacement that I wasn’t able to get in Toronto. The story illustrates the difference between our ultra-modern society, in which simple things such as making a new key has become a quandary of either throwing away a perfectly good lock, and in the process adding to more garbage, or ending up spending a significant amount of time and resources to get a replacement.

The ancient and the modern

The second memorable chance encounter happened while riding out of city of Chiang Rai after our first rest day in Thailand. Chiang Rai province, of which the city Chiang Rai is the capital, is where the famous Golden Triangle is located. For younger readers of this blog, the Golden Triangle is not made of gold, but rather refers to a large mountainous area of northeastern Myanmar, northwestern Thailand and northern Laos and the area was one of the largest productions of opium in the world. The name, Golden Triangle, was coined by US State department official by the name of Marshal Green. There was no sign of opium in Chiang Rai, even though I secretly hoped that on one of my walks someone would emerge from a dark corner and say, ‘hey do you want to smoke some authentic opium’. I figured at my age, why not. But it simply didn’t happen.

Disappointed that I probably missed my one and only opportunity of smoking ‘authentic’ opium ?, our early morning ride out of Chiang Rai took us by one of the most extraordinary temples in Thailand. Whereas most temples in Thailand have a long history, the Wat Rong Khun temple only began construction in 1997, built by a Thai painter turned architect. When my cycling companion Rita and I arrived, we were almost blinded by the temple’s glittering surface which looked like porcelain. We got off our bikes and joined a lineup of tourists visiting the impressive temple. We walked around, admired the unique architecture, the paintings of samsara (the realm of rebirth and delusion) as well as contemporary images of planes smashing into the Twin Towers, and reproductions of Superman, Elvis, the Matrix and others. And of course, we took pictures and watched everyone else taking selfies.

Henry & Rita meet the master

Once we left and got our bikes, we saw a crowd of people surrounding a man, all dressed in leather, wearing knee high boots, looking like a member of the Hell’s Angels. All these people were lining up to take a picture with him facing the temple. It didn’t take long for intrepid Rita to find out that the middle-aged gangster was actually the architect of the temple out for a ride with his motorcycle buddies. Soon enough we were chatting with the architect himself, Chalermchai Kositpipat. It was an awesome experience conversing with a most interesting individual.

I didn’t get a puff of authentic Thai opium, but I sure got an authentic Thai massage or at least I thought I would. You can read all about it in a blog I wrote, Seeking an Authentic Travel Experience.  Every day that I now think about my creaking body needing a massage, I chuckle, and think of my massage in a Thai temple compound. “They go easy on foreigners.”

On the boat (L), On the road (R)

Then there is the wonderful time I spent with several riders going on a two day ride up the Mekong River possibly on the least developed part of the river. While the rest of the group took on the challenge of cycling the remote mountainous areas of Laos, several of us choose to check out a boat ride up the Mekong. It’s hard to know who had a better time, as from the cyclist’s stories, it sounded like it was the best part of the trip. When I came back home from the trip and was asked how the trip was, I said great. A year later it feels even greater.

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The 2023 Golden Buddha Ride finished in Bangkok, Thailand just over a month ago. After cycling 4185 km through Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, we asked the riders what they thought about their experience.

The 2025 Golden Buddha Ride is now open for registration.

“This was my first TDA tour and now I’m hooked. Halfway into this one I had already booked 2 other TDA tours.” – Raul Costa (Portugal)

“Exceptionally stimulating, delightful, challenging and rewarding.” – Anne Thompson (USA)

“The Golden Buddha Ride took us through an incredible itinerary, ranging from ‘bucket list’ sites to remote rural areas that rarely see tourists. The riding was challenging and the scenery and cultural experiences were amazing.” – Karen Mazurek (Canada)

“I enjoyed the tour a lot. It was my first time in South East Asia and you made the discovery quite interesting.” – Marie-José Vasseur (Canada)

“The contact with the people was so warm. Especially, Laos is in my heart. The temples were amazing.” – Marco Panebianco (Italy)

“So cool.” – Lloyd Ypma (Canada)

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It has been a few days since the inaugural Golden Buddha Ride ended and you could say that the final day was an ‘executive summary’ of the tour. We cycled 30 km to where a boat awaited us and then we sailed to the heart of Bangkok. We toasted each other and the successful end of our adventure while the boat made its way among the river traffic on the Chao Phraya River.

Your boat awaits

I write ‘executive summary’, because that last short day had it all, well almost everything; good scenery, several impressive temples, a nice route through villages and back alleys, friendly locals pointing the way, even short sections of dirt road and dust, plenty of heat and humidity and wonderful camaraderie. In short, a typical day on our adventure…if you ignore the length of the usual daily rides, not to forget the climbs and the descents.

One of Thailand’s many Buddhas

For me however the tour didn’t really end until I paid a visit to Bangkok’s famous Golden Buddha, after all this tour was called the Golden Buddha Ride. You could say, why bother, as truthfully, over the last seven weeks, we had seen many, and I mean many, golden buddhas of every possible variety and in every traditional pose. In Thailand alone, a country of 72 million people, there are, according to Wikipedia, 41,205 Buddhist temples and we had a chance to see quite a few of them.

And so I decided to face the heat, the humidity and most of all, the many tourists and their supporting entourages, put on proper attire and see the Golden Buddha. Fortunately, the walk to my destination took me to some well-known points of interest to visitors in Bangkok such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho – where I caught a glimpse of the largest reclining Buddha in the city (of course covered in gold) – and Wat Phra Kaew, which is the home of the Emerald Buddha. Continuing towards my destination, I passed through a very colourful flower market and, not long after, found myself in the midst of a large Chinatown, where every type of commercial activity you can imagine was being transacted. To be frank, it was tough going through the narrow alleys, but I persevered.

Marching on, while beginning to feel a blister on the bottom of my foot, I knew – thanks to Google Maps – that I was honing in on the end of my 50-day quest. And then, just like that, I was standing at the entrance of the Wat Traimit temple, otherwise known as home of the Golden Buddha. The Golden Buddha, of course, is different than the other hundreds of golden Buddhas we have seen. For one, it is actually made of gold. It weighs 5.5 tons and according to Wikipedia its estimated value is US$250 million. And that just the gold content. If you add in the artistic value, we are looking at a hell of valuable Buddha.

Wat Traimit, Bangkok

What is even more fascinating is that this Golden Buddha was hidden for many years. It was covered with plaster for centuries and the reasons for that, the when and the why are not quite clear. What is known is that the statue originates from the 13th to 15th century Sukhothai Dynasty whose astonishing ruins we had visited only a few days ago. The stucco covered Buddha was moved to Bangkok at the time of King Rama III in the 19th century simply for the preservation of antique Buddhas and was installed at Wat Phraya Krai near Bangkok’s Chinatown.

When the Wat was falling apart, a decision was made in 1935 to move it to its present location and was kept there under a tin roof for 20 years while a new building was being constructed, not a soul being aware what kind of a treasure was lurking under the tin roof. In 1955, when the heavy statue was finally being placed on its new pedestal, the ropes broke, the statue fell and part of the plaster broke, revealing the pure gold.

Golden Mountain Temple, Bangkok

From the Golden Buddha I started my journey back, which took me to another city landmark, the Golden Mountain Temple. If you are ever in Bangkok you should put it on your itinerary. From there I headed to Democracy Monument, another one of those terms that seems to mean different thing to different people. Turning the corner, after taking a picture of what I assume is another Wat or a temple with beautifully kept gardens, I came across the Golden Coffee shop where I could rest my painfully blistered foot and drink a cold ice coffee. The coffee was good, though I thought that had it been served in a golden cup, it may have tasted even better.

I  continued along the wide boulevard called Ratchadamnoen (meaning Royal Passage), built at the time of King Rama V in order to connect between the Royal Grand Palace and Suan Dust Palace. I noticed a sign which explained in Thai and English that originally the route was lined with Mahogany trees, but the trees were cut down for construction in 1941. Not even a Royal Passage can survive the march of progress. Thus ended my Golden Buddha Ride. Soon I would be looking out of an airplane window, being a little sad and thinking about the Buddhist teaching of impermanence of things.

However, there is one thing that will stick permanently in my mind, though it may not be very Buddhist. At the end of the last day’s ride Ann, one of the riders, came up to me and said “Henry, you and your team have planted so many seeds of joy. And they are spreading.” To Ann, and to all the participants of the Golden Buddha Ride, I thank you. All of you have enriched my life.

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Am I having an authentic travel experience? Is this what the Adventure Travel Trade Association, of which our company is a member, and many, many travel articles claim that many travellers are now seeking? Is this what should be on a TDA rest day itinerary?

I am lying on a cot, one of six spread across the floor from wall to wall with only inches between us. My face is buried in the mattress and a man is kneading my sore thighs, with grunts to my right, gasps to my left, and laughter and bantering from all six attendees each delivering a Thai massage. My brief survey as I entered the room showed I am the only non-Thai person in the room, at least as far as I could tell.

It all started very innocently. When I complained to our bike mechanic Max, that my chain is now skipping regularly, he guffawed at me, “Sure Henry, you need a new chain, bracket, cassette, etc.” Who knew? And so, on our first rest day in Thailand in Chiang Rai, once known as part of the notorious Golden Triangle (AKA the Mecca of the opium trade), I headed to a bike shop. As I pedalled towards my destination I must admit that I was secretly hoping that from some dark corner (even though it was a sunny and warm day), someone would quietly approach me and whisper, “Hey, you want to try some 1st class opium.”

White Temple, Chiang Rai

To my, and everyone else’s surprise, not far from our hotel there was a very well stocked bike shop, with a wonderful English speaking lady owner, and so there I was, getting my bike parts and bantering with the owner and the mechanics. Knowing that the work would take some time, I asked the owner where I could get the best Thai massage in the city. After all, I was in Thailand, the land of famous Thai massages. The owner had a short chat with the mechanics and an hour later I found myself in a temple area on the edge of the city where it appeared no opium was being sought. I saw a sign for massages, I entered, asked for a massage, was given a loose shirt and a pair of shorts, whisked into the middle of another room and commanded to lie face down.

I lay there, anticipating that any minute now, with the kneading, digging, twisting and other extreme expertise these unassuming men and women possessed, I would be producing similar sounds to the ones that came from all directions, only interrupted by ringing phones, messages tones and brief discussions – of which I understood not a word. Through all this, I thought to myself, just what the hell are ‘traveller’s authentic experiences’? Is there such a thing or is this just another invention from an academic or marketer?

Is cycling through villages in Southeast Asia, as we do, an authentic travel experience? Is pushing your bike uphill on inclines that can reach over 20% an authentic travel experience? Is crashing into a roadside metal barrier because you didn’t anticipate that you were going way too fast and couldn’t make the turn and later being checked for broken bones in a hospital you never even knew existed, is that an authentic travel experience? Is having a meal in a local corner restaurant that tastes much better than the internationally known chef in Chiang Mai, who puts delightful flower on every course and creates a fusion of Vietnamese and Thai food costing many times what you paid in the corner restaurant, an ‘authentic travel experience’?

Of course, trying to resolve this important question while you are having an ‘authentic’ Thai massage is a Herculean task. It is better dealt with when you have a good internet connection as I am having just now in a coffee shop in the second largest Thai city, Chiang Mai. And boy, they sure have plenty of coffee shops with good internet connections here. They also have plenty of amazing Buddhist temples not to mention Golden Buddhas, but that is a topic for another blog. If you want to discover what ‘authentic travel experiences’ are further, just Google the subject. I did and quickly realized that, like ‘environmental greenwashing’, there is a lot of potential here, but the subject requires more intellectual capabilities than I possess and, thus, I will leave the topic for others to pontificate on.

Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

What I will tell you was that as the minutes of my anticipated massage ticked by, one by one, and I was awaiting the pain and thus the grunts to begin, I realized that something here was very wrong. Why wasn’t I feeling the pain? I know I have a high threshold of pain, after all I have cycled just about all of the continents, but I have felt plenty of aches in other massages even on this trip in Vietnam and Laos, each country having their own ‘authentic’ massage.

The mystery was solved a little later when I went back to the shop to pick my bike. When the owner asked how my massage was, I enthusiastically went on to describe the experience, including the lack of pain. She laughed and said, “Oh, they go easy on foreigners, they don’t like the pain.” So much for my ‘authentic travel experience’.

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Coby Werlin is the Content Creator on the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride. In this report, he relates what it is like to document the tour from the seat of a scooter.

My ride

Over the past few years, I have had the incredible opportunity to document the vibrant experiences of six TDA tours, each offering unique options for capturing moments on the road. From the comfort of a van, the flexibility of an E-bike, the simplicity of a pedal bike, or the heights of a drone, each journey unfolded new photographic possibilities for telling the cycling story. Joining the Golden Buddha Ride in Southeast Asia has introduced a new perspective – photographing from the back of a scooter.

Our tour leader, Andreas, who is an experienced motorcyclist in both the Eastern and Western worlds, opted for a scooter as a ‘flex’ vehicle in Vietnam. Ideal for navigating the intricate routes, checking on riders, shopping for fresh produce, or quickly reaching the next hotel, the scooter has already proven to be incredibly useful over the initial 2 weeks of the tour.

Andreas shopping

So, in a country like Vietnam, where it is a common sight to see a family of 4 riding together aboard 1 motorized scooter, it felt only fitting to accompany Andreas, camera in hand, to explore the visual narrative that the scooter ride could offer.

With Andreas steering through the bustling streets, I found myself in a unique position – free to observe and capture the dynamic scenes unfolding around me. The cities pulse with organized chaos: a mix of traffic jams, eccentric alleyways, and a sea of people crowding the streets. Even the rural villages are teeming with life, from the busy morning markets to the children coming and going from school. While it may be a commuter’s nightmare, for a street/cycle photographer, it’s a dream come true – an opportunity to capture candid portraits amidst the lively surroundings.

At times, it’s a smooth and easy ride. I’m not exerting much physical energy, however, photographing from a scooter at speeds ranging from 30km/h in the cities to 80km/h in the country presents a challenge that requires constant mental agility. The need to quickly identify a potential shot, compose it in a fraction of a second, adjust camera settings, and capture the moment is both exhilarating and demanding. Every red light becomes an opportunity to connect with fellow scooter commuters, sharing mutual intrigue as we wait for the light to change.

In the midst of the chaos, there isn’t much time for reviewing photos while on the move, as I’m often prioritizing being present and vigilant. More often than not, images turn out blurry, distorted, or capturing less-than-flattering expressions. But this is the nature of digital sports photography – taking hundreds of photos daily with the hope that a few gems will emerge. The journey is marked by countless rejects, but every now and then, a golden photo emerges, making the entire chaotic process worthwhile.

Bad photo/Good photo

Photographing from the scooter on The Golden Buddha Ride offers a unique blend of challenge and reward. The high-speed, ever-changing environment demands quick thinking and adaptability, resulting in a mix of imperfect yet authentic images. It’s a testament to the unpredictable nuances of Southeast Asia and the beauty hidden in the midst of organized chaos. It’s also just a heck of a lot of fun!

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It is two weeks since the Golden Buddha Ride began and we are on our third rest day in Hué, the former capital of the Nguyen emperors. Hué is a lively modern city with the main attraction being Kinh Thanh (Citadel) built between 1804 and 1833. The Lonely Planet calls it, “splendid and sublime.” I wonder what LP would have called it before large part of it was destroyed, first by the French in 1885 and then during the Tet offensive in 1968 when, in three and half weeks, apparently more than 2500 people were killed in the Citadel. Though there has been some serious restoration done since, only 20 of its 148 buildings survived. Still, it is definitely worth a visit as LP goes on to say that many of the sight in the huge complex are “highly atmospheric and sublime.” I must say that whoever wrote this LP book certainly had some ‘sublime’ thoughts.

Hué Citadel

As you will recall our cycling tour started in Saigon, so it is no wonder that the scouts of this adventure chose an appropriate place to stay in Hué, the Saigon Morin Hotel. It is a venerable old establishment that is presently celebrating 122 years of existence and over this time it hosted some esteemed guests. Just in the last two decades the likes of the King and Queen of Sweden, the King of Norway and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg have graced these premises. And now it is our turn. The three storey hotel takes up a whole block and the inside courtyard has a pool, garden and an outdoor restaurant where we had our breakfasts. What can I say? Fit for kings, queens, grand dukes…and cyclists!

The hotel is situated on the right bank of the ‘most poetic river in Vietnam,’ Sông Hương or the Perfume River. According to Wikipedia, “in the autumn, flowers from orchards upriver from Huế fall into the water, giving the river a perfume-like aroma.” After visiting the Citadel, which is on the left bank of the river, on my way back to the hotel I crossed the river and, it being autumn, I took some heavy breaths to smell the perfume. The only perfume I managed to snort, however, was from a tourist standing in the middle of the bridge taking pictures of the colourful boats floating on the river. Then again, they say that as one ages, the sense of smell is not what it used to be. Or maybe there were just too many scooters on the bridge, diffusing the aroma.

Dancing on the river

Heading back to the hotel, I came across two young women, or perhaps still teenagers, one practicing her hip hop dancing moves to an English song, whose name I wouldn’t be able to recognize, not being a hip hop aficionado, while her friend was actively filming every move and dancing to the beat herself. There were to be several takes as the two women looked and discussed each attempt. Obviously, this was not just some silly selfie but a serious business.

“Marx Engels Lenin” by Jgaray is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Looking at those young women, a sudden thought hit my consciousness. This being a country where red flags with hammer and sickle abound everywhere we cycled, I wondered what the three ‘wise men’ behind the communist ideology adopted by the present regime, would they say if they saw Vietnam today? Free enterprise is everywhere and well-heeled tourists are spending their hard-earned pensions on big modern hotels, fancy restaurants and excursions on the river. Would they call for another revolution or would they join the festivities? As an aside, I do recall that when I worked in Ethiopia during the infamous Derg regime people told me that the reason the ‘wise men’s’ ideology didn’t work too well, was that having only one ear between them, they didn’t hear what the people were saying.

Speaking of free enterprise, a month or so before the trip, I lost a set of keys through a hole in my pocket. It included a key to my bike lock. Since I had a spare key, I decide to go to a hardware store to make a new spare. The ‘key man’ looked over my lock and declared that with this lock I would need to go the manufacturer and hopefully they could help. It sounded like major effort not worth my time so I brought my lock with one key, hoping for the best.

On the way to the Citadel at the edge of the bridge, I noticed a man sitting behind a small table, bent over a small machine making keys. When I came back from the Citadel, I took my bike lock and headed to the local ‘key man’ to try my luck, knowing from my past experiences in developing economies that the locals have talents that are now completely lost in our advanced countries. He was still there, reading the paper. I showed him my key and in sign language I asked what he could do. He took the lock with the spare key and got to work with a file, a pair of pliers, a hammer and a small electric metal grinder connected to a battery. I doubt that it took him ten minutes. Quickly, there was a new spare key in his hand and a big smile on his face. Total cost – US$2. So much for going to the manufacturer.

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It all started in Ho Chi Minh City and now, after five days of cycling 740 km or so and climbing of 7,000 metres, the riders on the Golden Buddha Ride have arrived at our hotel in Nha Trang. Not having been to Nha Trang I had no idea what to expect, but I certainly didn’t think that every sign I passed in the city would also be in Russian. Yes, of course Vietnam is a socialist republic, but I grew up in another socialist utopia, and though here and there I recall some Cyrillic letters in public spaces, there were certainly no Russian signs in every restaurant, boutique or laundry.

My surprise didn’t end there. Walking into a restaurant to get an egg roll or two, there in front of me were menus with ‘eggrollski’, sea food, and everything else you can think of, including borscht in Vietnamese, English and Russian. If you haven’t guessed yet, Nha Trang is popular with a certain crowd who at the moment are not welcomed, even if they have the dough, in such other popular places as the Riviera, Costa Brava or even Crete. And so, to escape the Siberian fall and winter or maybe being drafted into the glorious Russian army, or just to take a holiday from a certain former KGB agent, who has visions of rebuilding the Soviet empire, they prefer hanging out here.

Nha Trang

Not that I can blame them. Lonely Planet describes Nha Trang as, “The high-rise high energy beach resort enjoys a stunning setting. It’s ringed by a necklace of hills, with a turquoise bay dotted with tropical islands. A sweeping crescent beach of white sand defines the shoreline….” I could go on quoting Lonely Planet, but you get the point. In short, not a bad place for a rest day for tired cyclists. Beside the beach and its collateral attractions, the other fascinating thing that tourists from all over the world have gathered here for, is a visit to Po Nagar Charm Towers. This Buddhist temple was built between the 7th and 12th century and still in use today by Cham, Vietnamese and Chinese Buddhists. I was particularly interested in the Mandapa Architecture – a pillared hall for public rituals in Indian architecture.

When I entered university, my mother on several occasions suggested that I become an architect. Her oldest brother, who I apparently resembled, at least in height, was studying to become an architect but like the rest of my mother’s siblings, parents and even grandparents, died in the Holocaust. So not only did I not meet him but there is also not even a picture of him and the rest of the family where I could try to see if a resemblance did, in fact, exist. Probably to my mother’s disappointment – though she never expressed it – I became an engineer and not an architect. Perhaps because of this, I have developed an amateur interest in architecture, the more outrageous, the better. Our company’s tours all over the world allow me to see firsthand a whole spectrum of old and new building and design.

And so, on our fourth cycling day, we were due to arrive in the lovely mountain town of Dalat. Even if I had wanted to, I wasn’t in good enough shape to cycle the challenging day, so I started at lunch. But I also had another purpose. I wanted to get to town early so that I had time to visit a most unusual house, simply called the Crazy House. It is certainly the most unique house I have ever visited. If you had an opportunity to cycle (or are planning to) the Orient Express, you could have visited the playful homes and buildings in Vienna designed by an architect, Hundertwasser. If you participated in Trans-Europa Cycling Tour (or plan to) you had an opportunity to visit Antoni Gaudi’s creations in Barcelona. The Crazy House is on that spectrum, but much, much ‘crazier’.

The building was designed and constructed by a Vietnamese architect with a PhD from Moscow, who also happened to be the daughter of the 2nd President of Vietnam. I suppose she didn’t have problems getting building permits. The House is so unusual that if you Google it, you will even find stories on the house on CNN. I spent a couple of hours walking around, in and out of rooms, floors, gardens and I could have spent another hour or two, but a riders meeting prevented me from loitering there any longer.

I could write much more about the place, the history, the design, the creativity of this place but I will simply end with a quote from the Architect, Dang Viet Nga. “The Crazy House is the culmination of my life and creativity – it all came together in this structure. I wanted to create something original, pioneering – different from anything else in the world.” I would think that the bus loads of tourists I saw there would indicate that she succeeded. Walking around the nooks and crannies of this wonderful house, I was also thinking that while we humans have such a propensity for aggression and violence, it is so wonderful to see the other side of our nature – originality, imagination, optimism, beauty.

One last thing. Though my mother, who had a great curiosity and zest for travel, may have been disappointed that I didn’t become an architect, I am sure she would be happy to know that every time I see an interesting structure or a building, I think of her, her oldest brother and the rest of the family I never met.

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“Good Morning Vietnam!” If you are of a certain age and living in North America and probably anywhere in the English-speaking world, the phrase ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ will instinctively bring you back to the 1960’s and 1970’s. ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ is actually a movie, a war comedy set in Saigon in 1965 that stars Robin Williams and is very loosely based on a true story of an American DJ in the US Army.

After 27 hours of travel with very little sleep, I checked into the hotel in Saigon and within minutes I was in bed sleeping. In the morning, when my eyes opened and consciousness returned, my first thought was ‘Good Morning Vietnam’. I had arrived in Saigon for yet another inaugural TDA cycling tour, this one called the Golden Buddha Ride. Starting here, the route heads north for around 1,400km or so, then crosses into Laos, where we will first cycle west to the Mekong River and then northwest to the capital city, Vientiane. After a couple of days there we head north for almost 1,000km before passing over the Mekong into Thailand and doing a sort of ‘U’ turn heading for the country’s second largest city, the one and only Chiang Mai. Another seven days of cycling south and the tour will finish up in Bangkok.

Streets of Saigon

As is my habit when I arrive to a place I have never been to, after breakfast I set out for my customary ‘walk about’. As soon as I step out ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ is replaced by another cultural memory that originates from the Vietnam War. This one is a famous musical that broke box office records called ‘Miss Saigon’, about a doomed romance involving a Vietnamese woman who is abandoned by her American lover at the end of the Vietnam war.

War Remnants Museum

Inevitably, on my first day in Vietnam I walk to the War Remnants Museum and recall the horror of what was happening in Vietnam during my teens and early twenties. Five months ago, on my first day in Nagasaki, Japan, the city where the 2nd atomic bomb was used to kill thousands of people, I wrote a blog that began with Joseph Conrad’s memorable words, “The horror, the horror.” As I walk through this museum, the same words come to mind all over again.

Henry at the Museum

What is even more poignant being here and thinking of “The horror, the horror” is that one of the most famous movies about the war in Vietnam  – Apocalypse Now – was loosely based on Joseph Conrad’s story, Heart of Darkness. Directed by Francis Coppola and starting Marlon Brando it revolves around a renegade Special Forces officer. Interestingly, I think to myself, that is the art that was created from this horrific time that seems to linger in my mind.

Street market

Trying to cheer myself up on the way back to the hotel after my museum visit, I wander by a stall full of the wonderful fruits that grow in this region of the world. Anyone who has spent even a short time travelling with me, knows that I love fruits and eat them all the time. There is one fruit which I don’t eat much and not because I don’t like the taste but because it is famous for its smell and is often banned from public transport and even from hotels. It is called a durian and years ago I had the pleasure, while on the inaugural Bamboo Road tour, to taste this fruit!

Durians

Without thinking much I bought a piece of wrapped durian and walked away happily, thinking about tasting it once in my hotel room.  Suddenly I realized just before entering the hotel, that if I wanted to eat this in my room, I had better sneak in quickly past the doorman, the reception desk and, hopefully, the rest of the staff. I opened the door of my room as fast as possible, opened the window right away and ate the fruit quickly before I got evicted. And so begins the Golden Buddha Ride.

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I just returned from Southeast Asia where I was able to see the Bamboo Road cyclists as they set off from Hanoi, before I flew to Laos to do some scouting work for next year’s Golden Buddha Ride. If you have been following our blog, you know that the Golden Buddha Ride is a modified version of a tour we originally called The Road to Shangri-la. Instead of continuing north through Laos into China (which continues to have closed borders), we will now head west from Luang Prabang (in Laos) and then south through Thailand and finish in Bangkok – home to the 5.5 ton solid gold Buddha that our tour is now named for.

While Vietnam and part of Laos had already been scouted and finalized as part of our former ‘Shangri-la’ tour planning, I was tasked with flying to Luang Prabang to scout a few cycling stages in Laos and the entire route we will take through Thailand. I posted an album of a few of my photos from the scout on Facebook. You can find those here.

While I have only been back a few days, I wanted to share my initial thoughts on this portion of the Golden Buddha Ride that I was fortunate to be able to experience.

A Mix of Urban and Rural

Working alongside our local partners, I was able to find some excellent cycling roads. There are plenty of wide open spaces to immerse yourself in nature. But there are also lots of opportunities to experience the life, the culture and the food of these countries up close as we pedal through villages and towns on smaller streets with limited traffic – avoiding the big and busy highways most of the time.

There were a number of times that I wanted to get out of our scout car and find a bike to experience these wonderful roads myself, but hopefully I’ll be able to join the cyclists next year and experience it on two wheels with them.

Golden Buddha Ride is an Apt Name

Not only is there a 5.5 ton Golden Buddha in Bangkok that I mentioned earlier, the landscape along the route of the GBR is dotted with large and larger Golden Buddha’s. Sitting, walking and reclining – you see Buddhas throughout our time in Thailand.

The Route is Taking Shape and It Should Be Fantastic

While some route decisions are still to be made in Laos, the route is almost fully formed

While some route decisions still need to be made (we may need to run one more scouting mission to Laos), for the most part the Golden Buddha Ride is nearly fully formed at this point. We have accommodations identified in each stopover town, and GPS tracks along the entirety of the route to keep you pointed in the right direction. We managed to find mostly quiet and gorgeous roads – some far out in the lush countryside, some high up in the hills of Laos and Thailand, others passing by rice fields or through narrow village streets.

The road network in Thailand especially is vast and it was almost overwhelming to see the number of routes we could take. We drove many options and found the best of the bunch and having experienced the routes we use all over the world, I can confidently say this will make for some really rewarding, safe and unique riding.

Buddhist Temples Make Great Roadside Lunch Spots

One of the many advantages to scouting with a knowledgeable local guide (big thanks to Chit in Laos and Tick in Thailand) is how much value they add to the scouting – and ultimately, how much better the cycling will be for our cyclists. Normally when I am scouting, I am looking for a flat patch of land next to the road at about the midway point of each riding stage – somewhere to stop our vehicles to set up the roadside lunch for the cyclists. But in Thailand, Tick explained to me how Buddhist temples – which we see in every village across our route there – are very welcoming places and an ideal place to set up our lunch. These roadside temples all have toilets, shade and a bit of peace and quiet inside the compound walls.

With Many Highlights Already, We Added One More – Sukhothai

Scouting requires a lot of decision making and hard choices. For example, we decided to remove Lop Buri from the route. Known as the ‘Monkey City’ we had promoted this as one of our curious stopover towns, but what we learned while scouting is the town had become overrun with monkeys during the pandemic to the point that it would no longer be enjoyable for anyone involved. But as one highlight gets removed, another fills its place.

In our search for safe and enjoyable roads to take, we found that a stopover in Sukhothai made a lot of sense. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th century. We will now pass through the three capitals of Thai history – Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and, of course, modern day Bangkok.

We will cycle straight through Sukhothai Historical Park where many well preserved stupas and temples remain. As described on the UNESCO page, it contains a “number of fine monuments and works of monumental sculpture, illustrating the beginning of Thai architecture and art known as the ‘Sukhothai style.'”

Reach Out! I’m Happy to Help

If you are considering joining the Golden Buddha Ride, please reach out to me anytime. I am happy to answer any specific route questions you might have. If you would like to have an updated tour schedule (including all the new elevation data) please let me know ([email protected]) and I can send this to you in a few weeks.

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Throughout 2022, as travel started opening up, there was a surge in interest in our tours and many of you were disappointed to find yourself looking at a list of sold out tours and wishing you had registered sooner. We do expect the interest to continue well into 2023 and in fact some of those tours are already reaching capacity – both the Tour d’Afrique and the Journey to the East for 2023 are sold out and waitlists have been started. Many other tours are marked as ‘limited space’ remaining, while some others have several places left, but have a history of selling out.

Here is our list of tours (and tour sections) for 2023 not to miss out on…

Hippie Trail – Cycling Across India

Several places remain but there has been a sharp uptick in registrations over the last two weeks. We would recommend to register soon to secure your spot. Watch our video series to see what it’s like…

Read more about the Hippie Trail…

Magical Madagascar – the ‘8th Continent’

We only have 3 or 4 spots remaining on this tour, so we recommend registering as soon as possible. Many of the hotels we use in Madagascar are quite small so we have a hard cap on the number of people who can participate and this tour nearly sold out in past years. You can watch our videos from the 2019 tour to get inspired…

Read more about Magical Madagascar…

>>>RELATED: Find the tour that’s right for you

The Fabled Silk Route

Our re-imagined Silk Route – which starts in Almaty, finishes in Istanbul, and includes Khiva, Uzbekistan for the very first time – is nearly sold out! Just a few spaces remain. Historically the Silk Route has been one of our most sought after tours. While the 2023 Silk Route is not our traditional Beijing to Istanbul route (which we have scheduled for 2025), we highly recommend not missing out on the incredible highlights of our 2023 route. Watch one of our most popular videos, Cycling the Silk Route…

Read more about the Silk Route…

North American Epic – Arctic and Northern Canada Sections

The 2022 tour had overwhelming interest. The tour is soon to cross into Mexico after having cycled all of Canada and the USA top to bottom. The section that started the tour – along the famed gravel road from Tuktoyaktuk – sold out early and there were some interested riders who missed out. So now is an ideal time to secure your spot for the northern sections or the full tour. Watch our video on cycling the Inuvik-Tuk Highway…

Read more about the northern sections of the North American Epic…

Golden Buddha Ride – Newest Tour of SE Asia

Southeast Asia continues to be a very popular destination for our cyclists. This year’s Bamboo Road, starting next month, sold out in August. The Golden Buddha Ride – our newest tour in SE Asia covering Vietnam, Laos and Thailand runs in October, 2023. This is shaping up to be equally popular and has a good chance of selling out by next spring. Watch our Bamboo Road videos to get a taste of SE Asia cycling…

Read more about the Golden Buddha Ride…

What’s Next?

You can review all the 2023 tours on our calendar. Remember that registration is $150 US and you can pay this with a credit card on our website. This holds your place until the payment deadline and gives you access to myTours where you will see a series of bulletins with important information on preparing for the tour including travel insurance, what to pack and much more. See you in 2023…

For almost 200 years, the famous Golden Buddha of Wat Traimit in Bangkok sat undiscovered, gathering dust in a minor temple, its true significance just waiting to be revealed. While its origins are murky, it looks like it initially appeared in Thailand’s first royal capital, Sukhothai, before being moved at some point to Ayutthaya, the country’s second capital. Now, this Buddha is not just gilded with gold – it is made of pure gold! Five and a half tons of it. So when, in the late 1700’s, Burmese invaders were approaching, the statue was covered in stucco and cheap pieces of coloured glass in order to avoid it being captured and removed from the city.

The ruse worked, but a little too well. The Burmese sacked the city and left with all the valuables they could find but overlooked the disguised Golden Buddha. It sat, unnoticed, in the ruins of Ayutthaya until King Rama I, in the early 1800’s, ordered that all Buddha images in ruined temples around the country be brought to the new capital, Bangkok. This included the still unknown Golden Buddha. It sat, undiscovered, for another 150 years, cloaked in stucco. In 1954, it was being moved from one temple to another when a support rope broke and the statue crashed to the floor. The resulting chip in the stucco finally revealed the golden treasure underneath and the Golden Buddha’s true nature was thus, rather miraculously, revealed.

South East Asia is full of such incredible discoveries and the Golden Buddha Ride will allow you to explore some of these from the seat of your bicycle. In addition to the Golden Buddha waiting for you at the end of your ride, here are some other treasures just waiting to be uncovered.

Former French Hill Station of Dalat

Known locally as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ due to its moderate climate (17.8C annual average), it was created by the French colonial rulers of Indochina in the early 1900’s as a place to escape the country’s tropical climate. It was barely touched by the Vietnam War and is known for its verdant forests and spectacular views. Dalat is also famous for its biennial Flower Festival, its delicious coffee and its French architecture. One local building not to be missed is the Hằng Nga guesthouse, better known as the ‘Crazy House’. Designed by a Vietnamese architect, its incredible look has been described as a mix of Antoni Gaudi, Walt Disney and Salvador Dali (Wikipedia).

Limestone Caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

This amazing system of limestones caves and caverns, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has long been known for its beauty and religious significance, as far back as the ninth century. More recently, the North Vietnamese used it to store weapons during the Vietnam War. Individual caves include the Phong Nha Cave which is over 7,000 m long and features a 14,000 m underground river as well as a number of spectacular rock formations like ‘The Lion’ and ‘The Royal Court’. Another cavern, Hang Son Doong, is the world’s biggest cave and, incredibly, was only discovered in 2009!

Vinh Moc Tunnels

Are you claustrophobic? You’ll certainly find out on a visit to this Vietnam-era tunnel system. During the war, this underground system, located close to the North/South Vietnamese border, was home to almost 100 families who lived completely underground for years! They had moved their entire village beneath the earth over a 6 year period in order to avoid incessant American bombing. The limestone soil meant no structural supports were required and the villagers created kitchens, hospital beds, wells and rooms for families to live in. During their time underground, babies were born and, unbelievably, no villagers were killed.

Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park

With ruins dating back to the 14th century, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is beautifully situated along the banks of the Ping River. The town once served the Sukhothai kingdom as an important outpost, guarding against any potential Burmese attack. Its riverside location was also an important attraction for the community of forest dwelling monks who once made its temples and pagodas their home. The ruins also reflect a unique blending of 2 distinct ancient design styles – Sukhothai and Ayutthaya – which created a genre not seen anywhere else in Thailand. Many of the Chedi (stupas) were made of brick and feature sculpted elephants around their bases.

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Our founder, Henry Gold, has a favourite saying, “Man plans, God laughs.” This has certainly been the case over the last two, very challenging, years! We recently re-routed our 2022 Bamboo Road tour due to some lingering COVID border restrictions and the change gives us great confidence that the tour will go ahead as planned. Now it is The Road to Shangri-La’s turn.

With China’s zero-COVID policy, it seems unlikely that we would be able to reach the fabled Shangri-La within its borders. As a result The Road to Shangri-La is now called The Golden Buddha Ride. The first 2 sections remain the same, running from Saigon to Hué and then from Hué to Vientiane. The big change occurs during the next section, After a wonderful rest day in Luang Prabang, the route turns west, instead of northeast towards China, crosses northern Laos and continues on into northern Thailand, renowned for its incredible scenery and laidback mountain culture. A stop in historic Chiang Mai signals the start of the final section to Bangkok, and the eventual conclusion of our ride at the famous Golden Buddha of Wat Traimit Temple.

>>Dates, details and prices for the 2023 Golden Buddha Ride

As in the case of the recent changes to the Bamboo Road, this adjustment has unearthed a number of incredible highlights. From the hill tribes in Northern Laos to the stunning temples of Chiang Mai, from the Monkey City of Lop Buri to the ancient ruins of historic Ayutthaya, the new route is full of incredible sights and experiences.

The Golden Buddha Ride will allow the riders to experience the bustling streets of Saigon, to pedal into the French colonial hill station of Dalat, to wander through the streets of the ancient trading port of Hoi An and to explore the historic sites of the Imperial City of Hué. It will take them along the shores of the mighty Mekong River and on into laid back Laos and its sleepy riverside capital Vientiane before heading into the country’s northern hills and the picturesque city of Luang Prabang.

We are very excited about the Golden Buddha Ride and hope you will join us on this amazing cycling adventure across South East Asia.

Hill Tribes

The Northern area of Laos is home to many of the country’s 49 ethnic groups and the riders will have the opportunity to experience the distinct cultures of the various tribes. Notable amongst them are the H’Mong, Laos’s largest minority group, who were recruited by the US during the Vietnam War to fight against Hanoi’s allies, the communist Pathet Lao. Today, they tend to be settled on or near mountain tops and are distinguished by their exquisite silver jewelry and stunning embroidered outfits.

Chiang Mai

The beautiful city of Chiang Mai is set amongst the mountains of Northern Thailand and is known for its moderate climate and incredible collection of temples, notably the hilltop Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, located about 10 km outside the city. Energetic riders can cycle up to enjoy its amazing views over Chiang Mai on one of their rest days. Once back in the city they can enjoy a bowl of its signature dish, Khao Soi, egg noodles fried with curry, beef or chicken with chutney, pickled cabbage, pepper, and lemon. Yum!

Lop Buri

Do you like monkeys? Yes? Well, you are going to love Thailand’s ‘Monkey City’ of Lop Buri. There are estimated to be over 2,000 long-tailed macaques, largely clustered around a couple of Khmer temples in the city’s centre and are fed by the residents. They are celebrated each year during the Monkey Buffet Festival when they are provided with tons of fruits and vegetables. The monkeys are fearless and will attempt to steal any food or items left in the open so the riders should be sure to lock up their belongings when they visit.

Ayutthaya

A UNESCO Heritage Centre, the historic city of Ayutthaya dates back to 1350 and was the Siamese Kingdom’s second capital – the first was Sukothai, the present one, Bangkok. Located on an island at the confluence of three rivers – the Chao Phraya River, the Lopburi River and the Pa Sak River – the city was a major trading centre, greeting traders from China, the Middle East & Europe and was considered one of the world’s most striking cities. Riders can explore the ruins of temples, monasteries, palaces and reliquary towers – all that remains today, Burmese invaders having burnt the city to the ground in 1767.

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