The IndoChina Adventure 2008

 

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is where we will gather, “welcomed” by thousands of small bikes and scooters as we ride our first miles in Vietnam.  Looking at a buzzing sea of two, three and four-wheeled vehicles, the crushing and seemingly chaotic traffic in this historic city of six million people can easily overwhelm.  However, after studying the patterns, it is amazing to see how forgiving and easily the traffic actually flows.  You will see no fast-movers, no anger, and as long as you Become One with the Traffic, and go with the flow, you will have no problems.

 

 

Welcome to the start of the IndoChina Adventure 2008!

 

 

Helge, Sterling and Chris did the pre-run or "recce" for this new adventure in 2007 (you can read the IndoChina Expedition Live!Journal by clicking here).  Over the 56 days of our inaugural Adventure, we'll follow the tracks they blazed, while making some new ones of our own.

 

 

We'll begin in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), where we'll clear customs and take delivery of our bikes.  We'll then head out for a grand tour of IndoChina, with Helge and Mike as guides, followed by our chase vehicle and the tour participants it will convey.

 

For highlights of this magnificent Adventure, please read on. . . .

 

 

• Before we dive into the traffic we will visit The Mekong Delta by bus and boat, stay over-night, and return to Saigon for a final night in the big city.

• Heading North, we ride some wonderful mountain roads before making our way to the coast where we visit the ancient town of Hoi An, our first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we will take time to enjoy some wonderful beaches.

• After touring the old capital city of Hue, we visit the War Memorial as we cross the former DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) on our way north via National Highway 1.

• We will leave our bikes in Hanoi after one night’s rest, and take a private coach to Ha Long Bay, Boarding a private boat, we will spend the night on deck and in our staterooms, enjoying the natural wonder of these mystical waters.

• In northern Vietnam the region of Sapa will impress with its splendid nature and colorful Hill Tribe people. We will go hiking to some of these villages and meet these fascinating tribes in their villages.

• Luang Prabang, a World Cultural Heritage Town, will be our first major stop in Laos. Here we will visit the Pac Ou Cave and Ban Xanghai Village by boat. Every morning, at 6:00AM, hundreds of monks will gather in the streets to collect food donations from the local people.

• A side trip for those that would like to visit Phonsavan, the well-known Plain of Jars, which is currently under evaluation as a new World Cultural Heritage Site.

• Vat Phou, yet another Cultural Heritage Site that we will visit while staying in Pakse, Laoss.

• We’ll once again gaze upon the Mekong River as we look from the window of our hotel in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. Here we will visit the infamous Killing Field, and the graceful Silver Pagoda Grand Palace, in addition to others.

• We’ll head for the beaches of Sihanoukville where we will enjoy a luxury resort, or get on the bike and venture up the hill to Bokor Mountain, a former French Hill Station. There is also a nearby village called Kep where people make their living from crab fishing, well worth a visit <g>.

• Siem Reap and its nearby temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia are known throughout the world, and for that reason, are major sightseeing destinations. Despite the crowds of other international tourists, this is most definitely one of the highlights of our journey.

• Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand will be our hub for visits to the northern part of Thailand. We will find some great riding and interesting sights to explore. You can visit Elephant Camp and see these enormous beasts at work, or have a umbrella hand-made at the Umbrella Factory.

• On our way south, we will stay at River Kwai Village and visit Hellfire Pass, the Myanmar Border, and Tiger Temple.

• On the way to Hua Hin, we will visit the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market outside Bangkok, Thailand.

• As we enter Malaysia, we’ll head for the higher elevations of Cameroon Highlands with its beautiful tea plantations. The weather will be cooler here in the hills, but that will last only for a couple of days until we arrive in the jungle and the famous Canopy Walk in Malaysia’s largest National Park, Taman Negara, where we’ll spend two nights.

• The Adventure ends in Malaysia’s capitol city of Kuala Lumpur, where our bikes will be loaded in our container and shipped back to Seattle.

 

 

 

 

To participate in the IndoChina Adventure, you must be experienced and comfortable riding in both crowded urban traffic, and on roads with varying surface conditions, piloting your fully-loaded motorcycle. You should own a rough-terrain capable "dual-purpose" type motorcycle, with sturdy, lockable panniers or saddlebags, with an approved handlebar-mounted portable Garmin GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver.

 

 

The tour package fee DOES include: two-way containerized shipment of your motorcycle, outbound from our home port of Seattle, Washington, USA, to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and inbound from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, back to Seattle.   Also included are: driving permits, customs, warehouse and temporary importation fees, all accommodations, most dinners, all breakfasts, some lunches, fees for guides, drivers and lead or chase vehicles, bus transportation on sightseeing days, most en route planned group activities, and the support and assistance of trained GlobeRiders staff guides.

 

 

The tour package DOES NOT include: visa processing fees, motorcycle or shipping insurance, trip insurance, your airfare, transportation of your motorcycle to/from our home port of Seattle, Washington, USA, personal daily expenses such as fuel, consumables, lunch, tips for guides and drivers, recovery or repair of your motorcycle beyond the capabilities of the GlobeRiders and local guides, medical transport, and treatment or evacuation in case of illness or injury.

 

 

For riders living outside of the United States, GlobeRiders will assist in organizing shipment of motorcycles either to/from Seattle, or to/from the start and end of the tour.  Because our costs for shipping a container are fixed, shipment outside of our container will be at the expense of the motorcycle owner.

 

 

Double-Occupancy Cost for Rider and Motorcycle	USD$21,950.00
Double-Occupancy Cost for Pillion Passenger on Motorcycle ("Two-up")	USD$19,950.00
Double-Occupancy Cost for Passenger in Chase Vehicle* (See Note Below)	USD$20,950.00

 

 

*NOTE - The tour package fee for a passenger in our chase vehicle includes a guaranteed seat for your partner and stowage of a reasonable amount of luggage, with a dedicated driver and guide.

 

 

For additional information about our tours and processes, we strongly encourage you to read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page by clicking here.

 

 

To get a preview of what it will be like, please visit our Live!Journal (a blog) of the IndoChina Expedition 2007, the pre-run or "recce" that we conducted in preparation for the IndoChina Adventure 2008 by clicking here.

 

 

If you have any questions, or wish to make a no obligation reservation, you can send us email by clicking here.

 

 

The Fine Print: Early planning is essential.  Riders, passengers, motorcycles and portable GPS receivers must be qualified by GlobeRiders.  You will be asked to provide riding and character references. Only approved motorcycles with spoked wheels are allowed on our tours. Tour participants are required to obtain a signed certification of good health from their physician.  Participants must show proof of medical and medical evacuation insurance. Safety first; a full coverage or flip-up style full-coverage helmet, full-fingered gloves, full-coverage riding suit with protective armor and riding boots must be worn at all times when your motorbike is in motion. Priority placement is always given to GlobeRiders clients who are return customers. Final pricing for any tour may be adjusted to reflect changes in foreign exchange rates and/or the final group size.  A 10% deposit is required to confirm a reservation for any tour.  Once paid, this deposit is non-refundable should you withdraw from the tour. Should GlobeRiders cancel the tour for any reason, any deposits or tour package fees paid will be refunded 100%.