How to choose a Dutch-speaking bike tour in Bangkok

Bangkok has several bicycle tour operators, and a few of them have been around for decades. That is a good thing. Instead of telling you who to avoid, here is what we would look at ourselves if we were booking a tour in a city we do not know.

Group size

A bike group of fifteen people through Bangkok traffic is a different experience from a group of six. Ask how many riders per guide. We ride with roughly two to eight people, which is why we can stop whenever something interesting happens.

Language

If you want the tour in Dutch, ask whether the guide actually speaks Dutch or whether the tour is simply sold on a Dutch website. Our guides Michiel, Benjamin and Alec are Dutch speakers, and roughly six out of ten of our direct guests come from the Netherlands or Belgium.

The route, not the landmarks

The interesting part of Bangkok on a bike is not the temple list. It is the canal paths, the fresh markets, the Mon community across the river and the car-free island of Bang Krachao. Ask what percentage of the route avoids main roads.

Bikes and extras

• What bikes do they use, and how often are they serviced?
• Are there children's bikes, child seats and baby seats?
• Is water, a snack and lunch included, or added at the end?
• Can you switch to a private tour with your own start time?

Timing

Most of our guests book about four days ahead, often once they are already in Bangkok. That works. In July, August and around Christmas it gets busy, so if you travel with four or more people, book earlier.

Whichever operator you choose, cycle Bangkok at least once. It is the only way the city stops feeling like a traffic jam and starts feeling like a place where people live.