Self Guided Tours self guided adventures self guided adventures Go your own way Self guided tours are the perfect way to find your own adventure, without having to invest in the research to find the best possible experiences and local connections that make travel so life changing! Destinations We can arrange self guided adventures in Laos, Samoa, Cambodia and Vietnam. Click on the links to your right to find the standard Social Cycles itinerary, then create your own possibilities. Self guided tours are flexible in daily cycling distance, accommodation style, departure dates, length of adventure and even cycling route. Cambodia and Vietnam Cycling Holiday Our experience. Your adventure FAQ's Most frequent questions and answers How does 'self guided' work? ‘Self guided’ gives you the chance to create your own adventure, with the benefit of our experience and contacts. Cycle the most incredible routes in remote regions of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam with the comfort of having everything booked and taken care of for you. We’ll give you the maps for you to navigate your way across the country, with a telephone number for local support, should you need it. We’ll transfer your bags for you on a daily basis and sometimes, when the distance is too far to cycle the whole way, we’ll be there to pick you up and transport you from one place to another. It is all the adventure of independent travelling, without the hassle of research and with the comfort of local support. How much does it cost? It’s difficult to give a straight answer, as there are so many variables involved that can influence the price, primarily, the amount of people in your group! To give you a ball park figure, think about 50% to 80% of the full tour price. We’ll build each package individually, to make sure it’s the perfect fit for you, then price accordingly. Alternatively, we can create a self guided experience around your budget. Get in touch for more info. What's included in the price ? The price includes all your accommodation, breakfast in most hotels, NGO experiences, Social Cycles route maps, baggage transfer from hotel to hotel each day, bike hire (with pannier bags and racks), boat transfers when planned, on call mechanical support and emergency transfer. What are the accommodation styles like ? As this is a self guided experience, you have the option to upgrade the accommodation in the bigger cities. In smaller towns, we’ll book you in the best hotel. All hotels have air conditioning and are of at least a 3 star standard. There may be opportunity in some places for home stay experiences, should you be looking for this. Do I need a visa & medical vaccinations ? In Iran, you will need a visa and we will help you with this. All other countries you will need to organise your own visa prior to the start of the trip. Cambodia and Laos can be obtained on arrival. Vietnam (if required) needs to be obtained prior to arrival. Few nationalities need a visa for Samoa. See your travel doctor for medical vaccinations and advice. How flexible is the experience? Extremely flexible, in regards to dates of departure and for the duration of days you’re looking for. You can go for three days, or even thirty. It’s totally up to you. The self guided adventures are also quite flexible in regards to when you’d like your adventure to start and finish. What's NOT included in the tour price ? Not included are your flights, travel insurance, visa fees, most food, personal transport to smaller destinations, ferry crossings and incidentals. What should I pack? We’ll send more info for each specific tour, but generally… pack light. A few light weight shirts – one or two long sleeve shirts to avoid any unwanted sun burn, sneakers, shorts (it can get pretty muddy). You’ll need to be prepared to carry some tools for basic bike mechanics. It’s easy enough to purchase any last minute amenities like toothpaste and moisturisers in the larger cities. You’ll find that it’s handy to carry a small bottle of sunscreen, insect repellent and bandaids. Take a convertible adapter so you can charge your cameras and phones etc. What if something goes wrong? We might not be with you the whole day, but we’ll always know where you are. You’re expected to be able to perform basic repairs to the bikes (flat tyre etc), but we’ll be able to assist you should you have a bigger problem. You’ll have a phone number of a local SC representative who will assist your self guided adventure. you can call your SC rep for anything at any time during your adventure. Can I speak to somebody for more info? Of course! Brett Seychell, Social Cycles founder, is a great place to start. Call Brett via Whatsapp or Viber (or regular old telephone) on +61479108222. You can also email [email protected] Health & Safety At Social Cycles, we take your health and safety extremely seriously. If you have any specific concerns about an issue, please do not hesitate to get in touch for an in depth discussion. Pre trip preparation First Aid Kits Local hospitals Cycling briefings Dehydration Water Safety Food Poisoning Political Unrest Security Pre trip preparation All riders are advised to consult with a travel doctor at least six weeks prior to travel. Some countries will require specific vaccinations and it is best to speak to a professional in regards to this matter, to choose what is right for you.Malaria is not prevalent in the travel areas of our Cambodia and Vietnam rides, although some riders do choose to take them. We are happy to provide route maps for your doctors reference.It is important to be healthy, more than fit for our rides. We always have a support van on hand for you to take a break, should you feel you need it. It is very much about the journey, more than the destination and as a result, the pace is casual and relaxed on our rides. First Aid Kits A first aid kit is available for use on all Social Cycles tours, however, it is advisable that you ALSO bring your own. All Social Cycles guides are trained in the use of first aid.Your first aid kit should consist of:plasters/band aids (for blisters)triangular bandagesalcohol wipesgauze padsbandages for sprainssun screenpain kilers (asprin etc)anti-diarrohea tabletshydralite Local hospitals A hospital or medical centre is never far away, however, the standards may not be the same as what you may be used to, depending on where we are.All guides and drivers are familiar with the nearest hospital, for whatever emergency may occur. However, as we get quite off the beaten track, it could be 2-3 hours away (at most).If you have any conditions that may put you at greater risk of medical attention, it is imperative that you are transparent in your communication with Social Cycles so that we can account for it in our risk assessments.All rides are required to submit their travel insurance details to Social Cycles prior to the start of the adventure. Cycling briefings We’ll conduct in depth cycling briefings on all tours, before all rides. Different countries have different road rules (written and unwritten), so it’s imperative that all riders are focused and pay attention during these times. We’ll go through the terrain, traffic conditions and distance for every ride, but we’ll also cover road rules, hand signals, group cycling etiquette & best practice, cycling pace and timing.All riders MUST wear a helmet and closed toe shoes at all times during the trip. We also recommend cycling gloves and padded shorts.All Social Cycles routes are undertaken on quiet back roads. We do not cycle on highways. Unless specified, we take the support van out of and into major cities. All bikes are serviced in between tours. A mechanic is present at all times during all tours and on all rides should there be any issues with the bikes. Dehydration Dehydration is potentially one of the biggest risks in cycling adventures as it is often the least considered. The countries we ride through are often humid and dehydration can creep up on you.All bikes are fitted with at least one water cage. You are advised to bring your own water bottle. You should be drinking somewhere between two and four litres of water each day of riding. It’s advisable to carry hydralite to assist in hydration, but if you drink enough water, early enough, you should not need it.The van carries a drum of water at all times, available for refilling your water bottle. Water Safety We sometimes travel by boat when the road is either flooded, or just simply ends. All boats will have life jackets for riders who are not comfortable in the water. At times, we may need to catch smaller boats for short rides (less than 1km) due to unplanned flooding. There is no guarantee that these boats will have life jackets. If you feel uncomfortable in the water, it is imperative that you inform your guide.There is to be no swimming in rivers and lakes. Opportunity restricted due to the schedule and program of the itinerary, however, these are the main areas for insect borne illnesses. Food Poisoning Food poisoning is the most common cause of illness during travel. Sometimes it is due to local hygiene of the food, but can also be from cross contamination (from your hand) or simply due to a change in diet.We recommend bringing hand sanitizer for use before meals to reduce risk. You should only eat in restaurants that are busy and have a high turnover of customers, and therefore food. If possible, try and inspect the kitchen.Foods that are cooked to order generally carry less risk (fried rice is better than rice from a ‘buffet’). Ice is generally safe to consume in all countries we visit, although do not drink water from the tap. Political Unrest To obtain an independent assessment of poitical turmoil in the countries we visit, we refer to the Australian Government website, Smart Traveller, over media sources.Iran currently has the highest risk of political turmoil, however, this is still considered to be quite low. The sentiment towards Westerners from the local people is highly positive. The majority of angst is domestic and against local leadership. This has nothing to do with travellers and easily avoided, should anything arise whilst we are there.Cambodia is facing elections in 2018 and could potentially see demonstrations over what is essentially a dictatorship government. As with Iran, these demonstrations are domestic and easily avoided as travellers. Security No country in the world is completely safe. And as a result, you will need to take precautions.The biggest risk in countries with a high motorbike population (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Iran) is snatch and grab crime. Tourists are targeted for their cameras and mobile phones from passing motorists. Theft from assault is rare. Some hotels will have a safe in the room. Even those without, valuables can either be left in the room or with reception.It is not advisable to consume too much alcohol whilst on tour (or ever, for that matter!) Pre-trip preparation All riders are advised to consult with a travel doctor at least six weeks prior to travel. Some countries will require specific vaccinations and it is best to speak to a professional in regards to this matter, to choose what is right for you.Malaria is not prevalent in the travel areas of our Cambodia and Vietnam rides, although some riders do choose to take them. We are happy to provide route maps for your doctors reference.It is important to be healthy, more than fit for our rides. We always have a support van on hand for you to take a break, should you feel you need it. It is very much about the journey, more than the destination and as a result, the pace is casual and relaxed on our rides. First aid kits A first aid kit is available for use on all Social Cycles tours, however, it is advisable that you ALSO bring your own. All Social Cycles guides are trained in the use of first aid.Your first aid kit should consist of:plasters/band aids (for blisters)triangular bandagesalcohol wipesgauze padsbandages for sprainssun screenpain kilers (asprin etc)anti-diarrohea tabletshydralite Local hospitals A hospital or medical centre is never far away, however, the standards may not be the same as what you may be used to, depending on where we are.All guides and drivers are familiar with the nearest hospital, for whatever emergency may occur. However, as we get quite off the beaten track, it could be 2-3 hours away (at most).If you have any conditions that may put you at greater risk of medical attention, it is imperative that you are transparent in your communication with Social Cycles so that we can account for it in our risk assessments.All rides are required to submit their travel insurance details to Social Cycles prior to the start of the adventure. Cycling briefings We’ll conduct in depth cycling briefings on all tours, before all rides. Different countries have different road rules (written and unwritten), so it’s imperative that all riders are focused and pay attention during these times. We’ll go through the terrain, traffic conditions and distance for every ride, but we’ll also cover road rules, hand signals, group cycling etiquette & best practice, cycling pace and timing.All riders MUST wear a helmet and closed toe shoes at all times during the trip. We also recommend cycling gloves and padded shorts.All Social Cycles routes are undertaken on quiet back roads. We do not cycle on highways. Unless specified, we take the support van out of and into major cities. All bikes are serviced in between tours. A mechanic is present at all times during all tours and on all rides should there be any issues with the bikes. Dehydration Dehydration is potentially one of the biggest risks in cycling adventures as it is often the least considered. The countries we ride through are often humid and dehydration can creep up on you.All bikes are fitted with at least one water cage. You are advised to bring your own water bottle. You should be drinking somewhere between two and four litres of water each day of riding. It’s advisable to carry hydralite to assist in hydration, but if you drink enough water, early enough, you should not need it.The van carries a drum of water at all times, available for refilling your water bottle. Water safety We sometimes travel by boat when the road is either flooded, or just simply ends. All boats will have life jackets for riders who are not comfortable in the water. At times, we may need to catch smaller boats for short rides (less than 1km) due to unplanned flooding. There is no guarantee that these boats will have life jackets. If you feel uncomfortable in the water, it is imperative that you inform your guide.There is to be no swimming in rivers and lakes. Opportunity restricted due to the schedule and program of the itinerary, however, these are the main areas for insect borne illnesses. Food poisoning Food poisoning is the most common cause of illness during travel. Sometimes it is due to local hygiene of the food, but can also be from cross contamination (from your hand) or simply due to a change in diet.We recommend bringing hand sanitizer for use before meals to reduce risk. You should only eat in restaurants that are busy and have a high turnover of customers, and therefore food. If possible, try and inspect the kitchen.Foods that are cooked to order generally carry less risk (fried rice is better than rice from a ‘buffet’). Ice is generally safe to consume in all countries we visit, although do not drink water from the tap. Political unrest To obtain an independent assessment of poitical turmoil in the countries we visit, we refer to the Australian Government website, Smart Traveller, over media sources.Iran currently has the highest risk of political turmoil, however, this is still considered to be quite low. The sentiment towards Westerners from the local people is highly positive. The majority of angst is domestic and against local leadership. This has nothing to do with travellers and easily avoided, should anything arise whilst we are there.Cambodia is facing elections in 2018 and could potentially see demonstrations over what is essentially a dictatorship government. As with Iran, these demonstrations are domestic and easily avoided as travellers. Security No country in the world is completely safe. And as a result, you will need to take precautions.The biggest risk in countries with a high motorbike population (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Iran) is snatch and grab crime. Tourists are targeted for their cameras and mobile phones from passing motorists. Theft from assault is rare. Some hotels will have a safe in the room. Even those without, valuables can either be left in the room or with reception.It is not advisable to consume too much alcohol whilst on tour (or ever, for that matter!) Get in touch Brett Seychell +61 479 108 222 [email protected] Name Email Message Send Name Email Message Send Get in touch Fill out the form on your left, or get in touch with us via the contact detail below: Brett Seychell +61 479 108 222 [email protected] Read the T&C's Terms & conditions Read the T&C's Terms & conditions Brett Seychell +61 479 108 222 [email protected] Hub, 696 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000 about us How we started Our purpose Your donations Responsible travel Meet the team NGO partners Private adventures Corporate teams Self guided destnations Cambodia Laos Iran Samoa Vietnam Mongolia Colombia connect Name Email Let's stay in touch Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube responsibletravel recommends Social Cycles Brett Seychell +61 479 108 222 [email protected] Hub, 696 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000 connect Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube Name Email Let's stay in touch!