 
How far should you plan to cycle in a day?
LONG ANSWER: There are many different factors which affect your daily distance. One of the major factors is the topography of the area in which you are traveling. If you are planning a day's ride, you should always consult a map which shows elevation. You don't want to get caught, after riding 80 or 100 Km, with a big mountain between you and your rest stop for the evening. Mountains, hills and undulations will always cut your daily distance, often by as much as a half. On a flat, or reasonably flat, ride you will certainly cover more distance. Some of the mountains in northern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam can take their toll on your planned distance. I once made a serious mistake when I was planning a day's ride between Vang Vieng and Phu Khun in Laos. The distance I had planned was reasonable by my normal pace (about 100Km), however what I failed to realise was that passed Kasi there was a 34 Km section of mountains, serious mountains. The mountains were mostly uphill as well as the night's stop would be nestled in the mountains in Phu Khun. The last part of the ride became a serious challenge. I ended up arriving in Phu Khun at dusk, a sweaty, disheveled, exhausted mess! Always check the topography and gradients. Another hindrance to achieving a decent distance of about 100 km in a day is the road conditions. In most countries in South East Asia you will find poor roads when you turn off the major highways. The most notable countries are Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. The road conditions can be terrible, they can slow you greatly. In dry conditions you will have to deal with dust, pot-holes and bumps. In the wet you will have to deal with mud and sludge. All of these things will slow you and may hinder you achieving your target of 100 Km. On my first trip to Cambodia I entered through the Moc Bai border. I had previously been cycling on good, sealed roads in Vietnam. Immediately after the border I found out why Cambodian roads have the reputation they have. Instead of smooth, sealed tarmac, I found myself weaving through a minefield (metaphorically speaking) of pot-holes and a blinding haze of red dust from the unsealed road. There are some fantastic roads in the region, most notably in Thailand, but the awful ones are the ones which slow you down. There are some other factor which will slow your pace; heat and tiredness. In South East Asia it is hot, sometimes you will be cycling in 35C heat. Coupled with an unrelenting sun and humidity, you have a slower pace each day than if you were touring in some other parts of the world.
Overall, if you plan your trip with the 100 Km
objective per day, you will be able to find accommodation in most
cases. You will also arrive at your destination within your bodies
physical limits.
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