Exodus Travels May 5, 2017 From al fresco spas to barge voyages, serene temples to ancient wonders - take a journey by bike, and it’s often the time off the saddle that lingers longest in the memory. The best reward after a long day’s ride? Has to be one of our cycle trips with rest and relaxation built in. “Personally I can never get enough of riding my bike. There’s no better antidote to an office-based job than logging some overseas miles,” says Exodus Head of Product, Andy Ross. “That said, a cycling holiday should still be a holiday, so it’s equally important that you make the most of some downtime out of the saddle too.” TAKE AN ISLAND CRUISE Sleep in Vietnam’s bay of dreams It’s otherworldly and ethereal - and the only way to experience Halong Bay is to park up your bike, and take a cruise around its forest-topped, sheer-sided islands. It’s a suitably soporific reward after a week spent cycling from Saigon in the south. And it’s a cruise that will revive and recharge your spirits - as will your kayak expedition into the bay’s hidden nooks and anchorages before spending a night aboard your boat. CAST OFF IN A CATAMARAN Island-living, Cuban style Tiny Cayo Macho is where Cuba meets the Caribbean: an idyllic offshore island fringed by soft sands. Take a day off, jump onboard a catamaran and enjoy a day spent snorkelling the clear, emerald seas, and a beach barbeque lunch of the freshest seafood you’ll ever eat. This is Cuba at its most laid-back and lovely - just the ticket after soaking up the island’s dizzying history and culture. And relax... EXPERIENCE A HAMMAM Moroccan massage hits the spot! Cycling in the foothills of Morocco’s fabled Atlas Mountains is its own reward - it’s a magnificent experience. But give your tired muscles a treat, and submit them to the tough love of a traditional hammam. Steamy relaxation suites offer the ultimate top-to-toe MOT, perfected over many centuries. Sit, soak, let your masseur soothe your saddle-sore body, and emerge ready to cycle another day! SINK INTO THERMAL POOLS Recharging in Reykjavik Blue Lagoon Forget your hot tubs and Jacuzzis. For sheer bliss, few things in life come close to a dip in Iceland’s geothermal pools. And after a day’s cycle in this elemental land, it’s the perfect prescription for saddle-weary muscles. The thermal pools at Laugardalur, Reykjavik’s spic-and-span bathing facility, pump water directly from the crust of the Earth, into a series of increasingly hotter tubs. Instant relaxation guaranteed. FEAST ON THE FINEST Gastronomy in the heart of France If France is a magnet for food lovers, then surely the Dordogne is the main course. Eating (and drinking) in this rural, farm-studded region is all about terroir - that authentic sense of place you only get from passionate local producers. And you can sample the best of it at day’s end: the rich, earthy flavours of the Dordogne showcased in the region’s bistros, farmer’s markets and vineyards. This self-guided tour takes in gastronomic hot spots such as Les Eyzies - try the ‘canard confits’ – sautéed duck on a warm salad, drizzled with walnut oil. Delicious.