Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
See Vietnam through the eyes of a local, as your Vietnamese tour leader gives you a first-hand insight into the colourful and diverse tapestry that makes up this unique country. Wandering around historic towns and visiting pagodas gives travellers an awareness of these important cultural relics and the importance of them being preserved and protected, so that future generations can continue to appreciate them. A prime example is the old trading port town of Hoi An, which has a timeless feel about it that is sure to make any visitor feel as though they have been transported back to bygone era.
The concept of tourism in Vietnam is fairly recent when compared to other countries in Asia and to support programs there, this operator is training their tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills.
They are involved in assisting a number of community projects in Vietnam aimed at bettering the standard of living for many of the local people. One of these causes is the Loreto Vietnam-Australia Project, based in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), which provides shelter for street kids and has also established a school for the blind. A highlight of this trip is enjoying lunch at the KOTO restaurant in Hanoi. KOTO stands for 'Know One, Teach One' and is based around a restaurant that was established to provide vocational training and experience in the hospitality industry to underprivileged youths. The food there is delicious!
As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
