Amazing Bangkok Cyclist (ABC) has now been offering bicycle tours of Bangkok’s rural areas for more than ten years.
While the casual, first-time visitor to the ‘City of Angels’ might not initially see much potential for hopping on board a two-wheeled vehicle, it should be pointed out that a good deal of the cycling during an ABC tour takes place on elevated pathways and through smaller side streets and alleyways, far away from the gridlock many people associate with Bangkok.
This writer set off recently on an ABC day tour (1,500 baht [US$46]), hosted by the company’s charismatic Dutch owner Michael Hoes.
Fitness and fun
While it’s been said that the Dutch make 20 times as many journeys by bike than people in English-speaking countries, this doesn’t mean you need to be “super fit” to participate in an ABC cycling tour.
Hoes provides a sensitive form of cultural tourism on his tours, and, in what could be termed a very “Asian” style, it’s really the group that comes first.
This means that when you set off from ABC’s offices in Sukhumvit Soi 26, a “gentle but steady” pace is quickly adopted to make sure everyone can enjoy the tour without struggling to keep up.
It should be pointed out that the only group of people who aren’t welcome on ABC’s cycling tours is children, since they’re rarely proficient or confident enough to take on some of the trickier maneuvers.
The ‘other side’ of Bangkok
ABC’s cycling tours aim to provide an impression of the “real” Bangkok. You get to cycle through neighborhoods where you’d be unlikely to venture alone secure in the company of your highly-experienced host.
ABC says its tours “start where mass tourism stops“ – in other words, by setting off by bicycle in small groups, it’s possible to reach the city’s more interesting rural areas.
We began our tour by heading off into Klongtoey district, close to ABC’s office, where we were able to experience life alongside the city’s famous klongs (canals). As we cycled past on elevated pavements, some people waved or shouted greetings, while others simply ignored us as they were busily carrying out their day to day chores. Almost without exception, we received warm and friendly smiles, suggesting that Hoes is careful not to impose too much on the lives of members of the local community.
After a while, we came across some vendors selling some homemade ice cream. Your host will look after all costs, including snacks, drinks, and lunch so all you need to bring along with you, according to Hoes, is “a camera and a sense of humor”.
Before long, it was time to hop across one of the larger canals in order to continue our adventure. Fortunately, ABC has access to its own long-tailed boat, and so participants, and their bikes, were quickly loaded on board. After a short ride of about 10-15 minutes, we continued our bicycle trek.
About another hour or so, after making steady progress, we stopped off for lunch at a restaurant. Lunch was a basic Khao Pad (Fried Rice) dish, accompanied by an omelet and some fruit and drinks. Lunch offered participants the chance to learn about each other’s backgrounds, as well as hear some of Hoes’ fascinating stories about life in the capital. The genial chat also gave us plenty of time in which to digest our lunch before heading off on the final leg of the trip.
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A flexible approach
ABC cycling tours don’t really feature highly-formalized, step-by-step agendas. The Dutch people are renowned for their highly pragmatic approach to life, and this applies to Hoes’ tours. Fortunately, his rich vein of experience, having led such tours for nearly a decade, means that he can easily find alternative routes or activities should something not quite run to plan.
“But surely Bangkok’s too hot for cycling?” I had some doubts myself before setting off, but fortunately many of the rural areas alongside the elevated pavements are naturally shaded by trees so I hardly noticed the sun or the heat.
 
Home and dry
Before long I began to notice familiar landmarks and I realized we were coming towards the end of our tour. I had my reservations that five hours on a bicycle in the heart of Bangkok might be too much, but I can say, quite categorically that this is not the case.
Boring activities generally seem to “drag”, while the fun ones seem to come to an end too soon – suffice to say, I would put an ABC day tour into the latter category.
For further information, contact Amazing Bangkok Cyclist (ABC) on Tel: +66 (0)2 665 6364 or visit the Real Asia website at http://www.realasia.net.
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