7 of the best bike tours for community based tourism 

Part 1: What is community based tourism?

Traditional dancing at the Sarawak Cultural Village

Community based tourism is a way of travelling that puts local people at the heart of the experience.

At its core, the purpose of community based tourism is to ensure that money you spend goes directly into the communities of tourism destinations you visit – not just one family or business, but the wider collective. That could be a village, a cooperative, or a local initiative where benefits are shared fairly among households.

The benefits of tourism to the local community are huge. According to the United Nations, they “highlight tourism’s transformative potential as an agent for positive change” (source). It might create jobs and provide a source of income for locals, help to protect the local environment, and support the development of valuable new services and infrastructure that can improve locals’ quality of life. Alongside these economic benefits, community tourism also promotes cultural exchange, gives visitors a deeper connection with local traditions, and helps preserve cultural ways of life that might otherwise be lost.

This kind of tourism is not always fully community owned – sometimes partnerships with tour operators or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are needed to provide expertise and to reach an international audience. But the principle remains the same: travellers gain an authentic experience, while communities retain the power to shape their own future.

Some examples of community based tourism in action on a bike tour include: cooking with a family in rural Vietnam, visiting rural Tobacco farms in Cuba to witness the famous Cuban Cigars being rolled, or staying in a guesthouse built and run by a Bornean village. The result is a style of travel that is enriching for the rider and truly beneficial for the people you meet along the way.

Part 2: The best bike tours for community based tourism

Here’s our pick of seven of the best bike tours offering community development tourism opportunities as well as some great rides.

1. Castles and Wine, Alentejo, Portugal with Portugal Best Cycling

Best for cyclists who love combining gentle riding with food, wine, and historic towns.

Cycling in central Alentejo (photo credit: Turaventur via Portugal Best Cycling)

Tour notes: what makes it special

This cycling journey through Alentejo with Portugal Best Cycling is not just about castles and landscapes – it is about connecting with the communities that bring the region to life.

Over the course of a week, riders explore historic towns like Évora, Monsaraz and Estremoz. The real highlights, though, are the encounters along the way. The tour takes you to small, family-run producers where tradition is part of daily life, such as aromatic herb farms that have been cultivated for generations. There are opportunities to taste locally grown teas, olive oil and honey, and tours of vineyards where local winemakers share their ancient tradition of clay wine production. In such villages, time seems to move at a slower pace.

By staying in locally owned guesthouses or restored heritage buildings, the tour helps sustain rural economies that might otherwise be bypassed. It is a gentle but immersive way to experience the heart of Portugal: pedalling quiet roads, tasting regional food and wine, and learning first-hand how culture and community are tied to the land.

More information

• Read our interview with Teresa Vilas Boas from Portugal Best Cycling about how to plan a cycling holiday in Alentejo. You can also find out more about this featured tour here.
• Or check out our insider’s guide to the best cycling in Portugal for more options in the country.
• Avoid the crowds and see more reasons to try off-peak cycling in Portugal by travelling in the quieter seasons.

2. Sardinia coast to coast (road), Italy with Saddle Skedaddle

Best for riders seeking a true sense of accomplishment on a coast-to-coast journey across one of Europe’s wildest islands.

Exploring Sardinia’s quiet interior (photo credit: Lighttrapper Photography via Saddle Skedaddle)

Tour notes: what makes it special

This six-day Saddle Skedaddle journey takes you from Sardinia’s rugged west coast to its quieter eastern shores, linking a chain of landscapes and communities that few tourists ever see.

The riding is varied – from coastal lagoons and the rolling Marmilla Hills to the remote limestone peaks of the Tacchi di Usassai. But it is the human encounters that make it so memorable. As the route climbs into the Gennargentu mountains, you pass through the traditional villages of Nuoro Province, one of the world’s celebrated “blue zones” where locals are known for their longevity.

Here, life still revolves around farming, shepherding and small-scale wine production. The tour provides a chance to stop in these small, rural communities and interact with the people who call this region home. You’ll also stay in small, family-run accommodation, typically owned by locals who love their island.

By the time you roll into Bari Sardo on the east coast, you will have experienced Sardinia not as a string of tourist resorts, but as a living landscape shaped by its people, traditions and history.

More information

• Read our interview with Lieven Loots, a guide at Saddle Skedaddle, about cycling in Sardinia. You can also find out more about this featured tour here.
• We have a guide to the best coast to coast bike rides if you want more options for this type of epic journey.
• And Sardinia also features in our pick of the best Mediterranean bike tours.

3. Eastern Africa & Eswatini with African Bikers

Best for combining time on the bike with safaris, wildlife encounters, and cultural immersion.

Majestic giraffes roam freely in the golden light of sunset in Kruger National Park (photo credit: African Bikers)

Tour notes: what makes it special

This journey with African Bikers across KwaZulu-Natal and the Kingdom of Eswatini blends cycling, culture, and wildlife in a way that few tours can match. Riders move at a pace that allows for genuine encounters – whether it is pedalling past kraals (traditional homesteads) in rural Zululand, or meeting Swazi communities where cyclists are still a novelty.

The wildlife element is equally special. Instead of just game drives, you also experience a cycling safari in Mlilwane Nature Reserve, where you share the trail with zebras, antelopes and ostriches in a predator-free environment. It is an intimate, human-powered way of connecting with Africa’s landscapes and wildlife.

The tour is designed to showcase not just the famous sights – such as Kruger National Park and the UNESCO-listed iSimangaliso Wetland Park – but also the rural corners where tourism really matters. With African Bikers’ local partnerships and long-standing presence in the region, your journey supports guides, lodges, and communities that directly benefit from sustainable tourism.

More information

• Read our interview with Jens Deister from African Bikers about cycling in South Africa. You can find out more about this featured tour here.
• Read more about the best destinations for cycling safaris, if you’re also looking to encounter wildlife.

4. Cycle Cuba with Intrepid

Best for experiencing Cuba through local homestays, family-run eateries, and quiet rural roads.

Riding in Viñales (photo credit: Intrepid Travel)

Tour notes: what makes it special

Cycling Cuba with Intrepid is about experiencing the island through the eyes of its people. Each route (West, East, or the full two-week journey) is designed to connect you with everyday Cuban life in a way that big resorts or bus tours never could.

You stay in casas particulares (family-run homestays), sharing meals of ropa vieja or fried plantains at the kitchen table while learning about life under both sunshine and socialism. In Soroa, evenings often finish with cocktails and dominoes alongside locals. In Viñales, you visit a working tobacco farm and meet the farmers who still hand-roll Cuba’s most iconic export.

Alongside music, food and history, the rides pass through landscapes that locals depend on – from the fertile valleys of Pinar del Río to fishing villages by the Bay of Pigs. Stops at paladares (independent restaurants) and artist cooperatives channel your spending directly into community pockets, while your Intrepid guide opens doors to places and people you would not find on your own.

This is a tour that uses the bike as both transport and translator: every kilometre is a chance to slow down, connect, and be part of the community rhythm that defines Cuba.

More information

• Read our interview with Rainer Companioni and Frank Cheshire from Intrepid about how to plan a Cuba cycling tour.  You can also find out more about this featured tour here.
• See which other islands we’ve picked out as the best islands in the world for cycling.

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5. Gravel bike tour in Chile with Amity Tours

Best for adventurous cyclists keen to explore remote volcanic landscapes and indigenous culture with full support.

Rosita teaching some palin techniques before the match starts (photo credit: Amity Tours)

Tour notes: what makes it special

Amity Tours‘ gravel adventure in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is not just about riding through dramatic volcanic landscapes – it is about doing so in a way that connects you directly with the land and its people.

You pedal beneath ancient araucaria trees in the Kütralkura Geopark, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that is as culturally important as it is ecological. These monkey-puzzle forests are sacred to the Pewenche people, whose stories and traditions are rooted in the volcanic terrain you ride through.

The days blend wild adventure with moments of cultural exchange. After traversing gravel tracks past Llaima Volcano and the lakes of Conguillío, or rolling through the forests of Huilo Huilo, evenings bring encounters you would not find alone: a meal with a Mapuche family in the village of Quelhue, where food, conversation and tradition are shared around the table.

Amity’s long-standing presence in the region means local partnerships are at the heart of the journey – from eco-lodges run by local hosts to guides who have spent decades riding and protecting these landscapes. In a region with few signs, no mobile signal, and long stretches of wilderness, it is the community knowledge and support network that make this tour both possible and unforgettable.

More information

• Read our interview with Luc Romersa from Amity Tours about planning a Chile cycling tour. You can find out more about this featured tour here.
• Our insider’s guide to cycling in Chile is essential reading if you want to visit this beautiful country.
• Plus we have a guide to cycling the Carretera Austral in Patagonia, which delves deeper into this amazing remote region.

6. Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, Vietnam to Cambodia with Mr Biker Saigon

Best for discovering life beyond the typical backpacking trail

A visit to a coconut factory in Vietnam is one of the early highlights of the tour (photo credit: Mr Biker Saigon)

Tour notes: what makes it special

This cross-border cycling route with Mr Biker Saigon from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap is so much more than just a bike ride. Along the way, you can expect a rich mix of culture, community and immersive experiences that give a real insight into local life in southern Vietnam and rural Cambodia.

You stop off in the Ben Tre coconut region, where a visit to a family-run coconut factory reveals how this iconic local crop is grown, harvested and transformed into everything from oil to sweet treats.

In Can Tho, a boat tour of the famous Cai Rang floating market lets you experience life on the water. You’ll weave between boats laden with fruit, vegetables and household goods – it’s a buzzing, colourful scene and one of the largest markets of its kind in the Mekong Delta.

Once across the border in Cambodia, a night in a homestay in the peaceful village of Sambor Prei Kuk provides an opportunity to connect with local families, offering a unique glimpse into their way of life.

More information

• Read our interview with Thai Minh Hang, the founder of Mr Biker Saigon, on cycling from Vietnam to Cambodia. You can see a detailed breakdown of the daily itinerary of this featured tour here.
• Considering cycling in Vietnam? Don’t miss these useful tips for cyclists.

7. Sarawak Rainforest Bike Discovery with Paradesa Borneo

Best for travellers who want to combine cycling with rainforest adventures, wildlife, and homestays.

Sarawak Cultural Village has lots of different kinds of longhouses to explore

Tour notes: what makes it special

Cycling through Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a window into everyday life that most visitors never glimpse. With Paradesa Borneo’s thoughtful itineraries, you do not just pass through villages – you pause, chat, and share food with locals, giving tourism a direct benefit to the communities along the way.

The rides combine jungle trails, river crossings and village roads, often weaving through kampongs where children wave and dogs bark as cyclists roll past. Off the bike, the cultural immersion deepens. A stay in an Annah Rais longhouse connects you with centuries-old traditions, while evenings with local hosts reveal stories of headhunting history and Bidayuh life today.

Wildlife encounters add another unforgettable dimension. Spot proboscis monkeys leaping through mangroves, watch Irrawaddy dolphins hunting in estuaries, or trek to waterfalls in Bengoh Dam guided by villagers who refused to abandon their ancestral land when the area was flooded. Visits to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, where rescued orangutans roam free, underline the balance between conservation and community tourism.

What sets this tour apart is its mix of cycling, nature, and cultural storytelling. With local guides leading the way, riders gain access to hidden temples, village markets, and forest reserves that are inaccessible without insider knowledge. It is the kind of immersive journey that epitomises community based tourism – low impact for travellers, high value for locals.

More information

• Don’t miss my in-depth article about this featured Borneo bike tour, including itinerary tips.
• Read our interview with JC Chua from Paradesa Borneo about cycling Sarawak.
• Our hub page for cycling Malaysia covers both Borneo and the Peninsula Malaysia too.

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Exclusive offer: use the code below and get 10% discount on any services you book with Paradesa Borneo!

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What’s next?

Looking for more cycling tours that will enable you to avoid mass tourism? Perhaps you are seeking a bike tour that allows foreign visitors to enjoy unforgettable experiences that encourage tourism sustainability? We think you might also enjoy:

• 6 of the world’s safest countries for 2025/2026, for cyclists who consider safety and peace of mind as top priorities when travelling.
• Our pick of the best historical bike tours, for riders who prefer combining history with their rides.
• Our pick of the best cycling islands around the world, for those who love the idea of cycling on islands.

Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels - and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they're there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.

Want to connect with Clare? Find her over on LinkedIn.