Epic Bike Rides: My Favourite Cycle Routes Around the World
This isn’t a roundup for Lycra warriors or those chasing elevation stats. These are the rides that gave me goosebumps, made me laugh out loud, and offered a deeper connection to the places I was exploring. Most are from my personal travels—with one bucket-list dream I will get to one day.
1. Backroads & Bicycles – Viñales, Cuba
Viñales might just be one of the most beautiful places I've ever cycled through. Think red earth, lush tobacco fields, towering limestone mogotes, and farmers trotting by on horseback. The air smelt like earth and sugarcane. Our firendly guide knew every twist and turn, taking us to caves, small farms, and a little outdoor bar where we sipped fresh pineapple juice under a palm-thatched roof.
Best bit? Gliding through silent valleys with nothing but birdsong and the occasional "¡Hola!" from locals. That ride was just the beginning—we continued west to Soroa and then all the way to Santiago de Cuba in the south, and every leg of the journey felt like a deeper dive into the island’s rhythm and soul.
2. The Châteaux Trail – Loire Valley, France
Living in the Loire was like stepping into a travel brochure you didn’t know you needed. This is France at its dreamy best: sunflower fields, tree-lined lanes, and fairy-tale castles peeking out from the mist. I used to cycle from village to vineyard and back again, stopping for a pastry or glass of rosé whenever the mood struck. You don’t rush in the Loire—you glide.
Best bit? Cycling past Château de Chenonceau just as the sun hits the river. Magic.
3. Slow Miles in Mai Chau – Vietnam
Picture rice terraces, wooden stilt houses, and kids chasing chickens down winding country roads. That’s Mai Chau. I wasn’t prepared for how peaceful it would feel to ride here—no honking, no chaos, just the occasional water buffalo grazing by the roadside. It’s the kind of place that gently unfolds as you pedal through it.
Best bit? Sharing a cup of green tea with a local family after a long morning ride.
4. Manhattan on Two Wheels – New York City, USA
Okay, cycling in NYC isn’t exactly zen, but if you’re game, it’s thrilling. The Hudson River Greenway is your best friend—flat, scenic, and surprisingly chill. I loved riding all the way down from Harlem to Battery Park with the skyline beside me and the breeze off the water. It’s the kind of route where you feel like you’re in a movie, headphones in, wheels spinning.
Best bit? That moment the Brooklyn Bridge comes into view and you feel like you’ve earned your cream cheese bagel.
5. Wild Rides in Oregon – USA
Oregon has to be my absolute favourite U.S. state for cycling. The McKenzie Pass route gave me chills—snowbanks, lava fields, dense forest, then BAM—open views that go on forever. Whether it’s the coast, the wine valleys or the mountain routes, this state is made for two wheels.
Best bit? That exhilarating mix of terrain—lush, rugged, coastal, alpine—all in one ride.
Toronto Islands (and Tommy Thompson Park) – Canada
When I lived in Toronto, I was all about the islands on sunny weekends. There’s something romantic about biking along car-free paths, past beaches, sailboats, and Victorian cottages. But my real hidden gem? Tommy Thompson Park. It’s lesser-known, wild, and a bit windswept—with a tiny, unassuming lighthouse at the tip that completely stole my heart. Open all day on weekends only, it’s perfect for early morning solitude.
Best bit? That final stretch to the lighthouse—tiny and not at all grand, but absolutely worth the ride.
The South Island Dream – New Zealand
This is the only one I haven’t ticked off yet, but it’s firmly on the list. The Alps 2 Ocean Trail in New Zealand is everything I love in a long ride—alpine lakes, rugged peaks, small towns, and stargazing stops. I’ve read about it, dreamed about it, and highlighted the page in my cycling book so many times it’s almost translucent.
Best bit (so I’ve heard)? The contrast—from snow-capped silence to wide ocean vistas. It’s a ride that literally takes you from mountains to sea.
Why Bike Travel Still Wins! Cycling offers that sweet spot between effort and reward. You’re not racing through the landscape—you’re part of it. You hear the birds, feel the breeze, smell the bakeries before you see them. And on top of it all, it's one of the most sustainable ways to explore.
What surprised me most wasn’t how far I travelled by bike—but how differently I experienced everything along the way. The pauses felt longer. The landscapes lingered. Even ordinary moments had a way of becoming vivid. And it makes me wonder—if a simple shift in pace can change the way we see a place… what else are we missing when we rush?
