TOP 5 ASIAN BIKING CITIES

Bicycles in Beijing inspired the song "Nine Million Bicycles" found on Katie Melua's album called "Piece by Piece" released in 2005. The last decade saw a proliferation of cars in China but Beijing still remains one of the top cities when it comes to infrastructure for cyclists. In fact, there are bike lanes that can be found in each and every area of the city. There is no place in Beijing that cannot be reached with the help of a bicycle.

What's more, you don't have to worry about your bike breaking down because you will find repair shops everywhere you go. However, safety is an issue because people prefer not wearing helmets which is surprising for a city predominantly using bikes for transportation. To make things worse, bikers also flout traffic rules leading to accidents.

If you are new to Beijing a good idea would be to start with ‘hutongs’ which have lesser traffic. Hutongs are narrow alleys that go through areas with residences which have traditional courtyards. This will give you enough practice of Beijing's traffic and you can venture out to larger streets once you get a feel for the city's traffic.

When you land in Kyoto the first thing that you will notice is the large number of people who commute on bicycles. For a bike enthusiast this is one of the best sights that he or she can see. Some people even hitch a ride on bikes as you will notice when you see passengers sitting behind the rider.

Although the roads are narrow the cyclists seem to be adept at maneuvering their way around the city. What helps is that traffic is much disciplined and the city itself does not have too many steep roads or inclines that could make it difficult for cyclists. In addition, there are a plethora of short cuts through narrow alleys that save time if you ride a bicycle in Kyoto.

What makes it even easier for someone who might be new to the city is that the city has an orderly grid design which makes it difficult to lose your way.

One of the best places to ride a bicycle is Jeju. Korea's biggest island is also a very popular tourist destination. With a total of 182 biking tracks the island is one of the best rides in Asia and what makes it even more interesting is the gorgeous beauty that you can view during your ride.

The thin flow of traffic and the moderate climate encourages cyclists to visit. Route 12 encircles the entire island and is ideal if you would like to take a tour around the place. The road has bike lanes on two sides and is very safe for cyclists.

Taiwan is really proud of its most bike-friendly city although traditionally the Taiwanese are known for using scooters for city commutation. Cities like Kaohsiung have an amazing network of specially made bicycle lanes that extend to over 150 km.

It is easy to use a bike in Kaohsiung because of the presence of C-bikes all over the city. C-bike is a popular bike rental program with 50 kiosks in the city from where a person can pick up a bike for a reasonable rental. If you are a tourist you will be happy to know you can get detailed maps laying out the bike routes and specifying details about the service on the company's website. One of the most scenic routes is the ride to Taitung City especially if you take the route through the South Cross Island highway.

Although the city is known for the famous F1 night races, it also remains a favorite amongst bikers all over the world. In fact the number of bicycle enthusiasts is increasing in Singapore. The government is promoting bikes as a part of its environmental promotion and has stressed that bikes be used as a formal mode of transport in addition to leisure riding.

To prove its seriousness it is covering the city with bike lanes with additions to the main routes being made every week. The government's aim is to have dedicated bike lanes by 2014 in 7 towns in Singapore. If you are in the city in the near future you can ride bikes in Bishan Park as well as in the East Coast area.

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