Adam Platt-Hepworth, Australian director of leading Asia-based cycling tour specialists Grasshopper Adventures says:

TRAVEL TRENDS

Cycling tourism is so hot right now. While there has been a steady growth in cycling tourism in general, the most noticeable surge in interest is from travellers looking for short rides of 30km or so to explore cities and their surrounds in more depth. It's like a walking tour, but a whole lot quicker and more fun.

So, in Bangkok for example, a tour like Where Bangkok Began peels back the layers of history in the city as you cycle the backstreets to meet members of diverse ethnic communities and visit their temples after-dark, when they're crowd-free.

For longer cycling tours, there's a growing trend for trips in more remote, less developed and slightly unusual destinations. These trips often allow for more authentic interaction with locals and provide a true sense of discovery, away from the more convention travel route.

Our pioneering Uz-biking-stan trip is a case in point – it takes travellers through the mountain gorges and desert oases of Uzbekistan in Central Asia, past ancient fortified cities, bustling bazaars and very remote villages where camping is the only accommodation option.

DESTINATIONS

Laos
Laos is getting a lot more interest, with the bulk of that focused on Luang Prabang and Northern Laos. We've also seen health and well-being activities, such as attending a yoga retreat before or after our bike rides, or taking cooking classes, gaining in popularity in Laos. Northern Laos Discovery is a five-day trip that starts and ends in Luang Prabang, and includes cycling through the stunning valleys and peaks of this remote region and boating along the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers.

Cambodia
Cambodia is continuing to see increased bookings and Siem Reap – home to Angkor Wat – in particular is gaining in popularity. The profile of Siem Reap is starting to change from being all about temples, to being about so much more. Yoga, food, adventure activities like zip-lining, horse riding, trekking and, of course, cycling are all in vogue.

Cycling is a great way to explore the temple areas as you can avoid the main roads, which can become congested with traffic at peak times. Interestingly, families are leading the charge on Cambodia – there's easy riding, it's quite flat and there are pools all over the place so it's incredibly family-friendly.

Angkor in Style lets you experience the best Siem Reap has to offer over four fun-filled days. See Angkor Wat at sunrise, ride through the forest to meet villagers tending to their crops, kayak on Tonle Sap Lake, get inspired with a Cambodian cooking class and enjoy a massage at one of the city's best day spas.

Myanmar
Overland travel into Myanmar is really taking off. This was impossible for so long due to closed borders, but travellers can now cross at selected points so many people are embracing the opportunity.

We are taking advantage of this with our new Bangkok To Yangon On Two Wheels pioneering tour. This 13-day, 661km ride crosses from Northern Thailand into eastern Myanmar, taking in the ancient ruins of Sukhothai, the northern Thai highlands and Mawlamyine, the first capital of British Burma. Travellers will be astounded by the stark differences between these two neighbouring countries, brought about by Myanmar's decades-long economic and social turmoil.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is experiencing a sudden burst of interest at the moment, mainly from solo travellers, something that is well deserved. This small island boasts incredibly diverse landscapes and experiences, including beaches, mountains, lush tea country and fascinating historic towns such as Galle. With lots of national parks and a government committed to conservation, wildlife can be seen everywhere; peacocks wander around all over the place and it is not unusual to see elephants feeding by the side of the road.

Fantastic food, elegant accommodation and some of South Asia's best cycling can be had on the seven-day Sri Lanka by Bike tour, which explores the southern half of the 'teardrop' island. Visit Kandy's sacred Buddhist temple, Yala National Park, cool hill station towns and bird sanctuaries, taking in the beauty of the tea plantations and coastline along the way. The 13-day Cycle Serendib trip extends the adventure into northern Sri Lanka, adding in the lakes and pagodas of Anuradhapura, the ancient palace of Sigiriya Rock and Knuckles Nature Reserve.