What does Mandalay look like beyond the city streets? The best way to find out is on two wheels. This early morning ride takes you out of town and into the countryside, where farmers tend their crops, craftspeople work with bamboo, and daily life stays close to the land.
The day begins with a transfer from your hotel to the Grasshopper Adventures bike shop. Here you choose your bike and helmet and get a short introduction before setting off. Then you ride through back lanes and side streets, passing fresh markets and lively neighborhoods on your way northeast. After only a short ride, the buildings give way to open fields, and the city feels far behind you.
You ride with a guide who grew up in the Mandalay area, in a small group, at an easy pace with time to stop and talk. Each stop is a chance to meet the people behind everyday things. At a fresh market, you learn about the different products on sale. Next, you watch bamboo weaving, a hand craft used to make everything from roofs and walls to fans and mats. Then you walk through a typical Mandalay village to learn how farming works and what daily life looks like for the families who live there.
You are encouraged to make your purchases at local businesses along the way, and to ask before taking photos of people. Please bring a refillable bottle, and fill it with drinking water at the start of the ride.
On the ride back, you stop at a local teashop for well-earned refreshments. After that, you return to the bike shop and are transferred back to your hotel, having spent the morning among the people who grow, make, and sell what they need every day.
Mandalay looks different once the buildings give way to open fields. To arrange the ride, contact [email protected].