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This tour combines luxury with environmental and cultural conservation. In Sapa, we use ethnic minority local guides and accommodation and pay directly to the individuals involved. The Eco-Lodge is an example of good practice sustainable development. All the bungalows use solar panels to generate energy for heating water. To avoid pollution, wastewater disposal facilities have been installed.
Building materials and supplies were sourced locally, and the employees are ethnic minority people.
The Evason is one of Vietnam’s most environmental hotels. For example, all its building materials and employees are resourced locally. Timber is from sustainable sources. No combustion engines are allowed in the resort area - small solar-powered buggies carry luggage and customers. All furniture, fixtures and fittings are made by hand and by trained local craftspeople. Ingredients are supplied by a large on-site organic garden, supplemented by produce from local farmers and other suppliers. Mosquitoes are suppressed by organic insecticide, harmless to other species and plants. Water is supplied from reservoirs high on the cliffs and a treatment plant ensures that nearby coral reefs are not harmed by pollution. Solid waste is treated and transported to a hygienic disposal centre inland.
Many of the actions listed above apply to Le Domaine, but the smaller resort has also gone to great lengths to blend the resort into the local culture. Local shamans were recruited to ensure that all the local geomantic principles and religious ceremonies were applied to the full, and artisans on the island were employed to build the villas in local style. The exception was the resort’s high thatched roofs. The traditional skills on the island dwindled away, so an expert from the original source in Malaysia was brought over to train the locals, thus re-establishing a forgotten craft and a new source of income.
Shining examples of best practice of sustainable development and environmental conservation are rare in Vietnam. As a company deeply committed to responsible tourism, we are very pleased to work with these three establishments. This tour fits our philosophy admirably. It’s a means of alleviating poverty, conserving our indigenous culture, protecting the natural environment and, at the same time, providing our customers with an unforgettable luxury holiday.
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