Thailand private tour, culture, cuisine & beaches

Environment

On Day 5 you will visit Elephant Nature Park, a wonderful organization dedicated to conserving and promoting the well-being of elephants. It is a pioneer in elephant in the treatment of elephants in captivity. It does not support elephant riding or performances. You will have an opportunity to feed and walk the elephants through the dense mountain forests, witnessing their natural behaviours and a sense of freedom, as well as helping to renew the elephant's habitat by planting trees in the forest. Elephant’s are often working or performing in places in South East Asia. It is important to promote projects which help protect elephants and educate people on why elephants are not suited to such tasks.

We have a strict environmental policy to make sure that the environments we visit are not damaged in any way. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to each one of our trips, and as a responsible tour operator, it is something we are careful and steadfast about promoting. Each one of our guides are trained to uphold, promote and put into practice such responsible behaviour, especially in wilderness areas or whilst traveling to UNESCO heritage sites, which many of our trips undoubtedly do. We attempt to reduce plastic bottle use wherever possible by promoting use of reusable bottles. We understand this is not always possible in countries where tap water is not safe to drink.

We attempt to reduce plastic bottle use wherever possible by promoting use of reusable and filtered water bottles. Our partnership with Water-To-Go provides a discount on filtered water bottles to our clients. We do not provide water from plastic bottles to our clients in country but always ensure there is regular access to drinking water on our tours.

Community

The best way to share stories and meet new people is over a plate of great food and a drink in hand. On Day 5 you will learn about the secrets of Thai cuisine, visiting a local market to sample your fresh ingredients before joining your expert instructor as they guide you through some of Thailand's most famous and delicious dishes. Supporting the local food industry in Thailand not only maintains the cultural identity Thailand but helps supports local traders and connects cultures through the most ancient of pastimes, eating!

On this tour we work alongside Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC), a nonprofit organization working in and around Siem Reap to improve living conditions of underserved communities through health, education, economic, and emergency relief projects. JWOC empowers Cambodian communities through providing educational opportunities to those in need, and works to promote economic, educational and improved health opportunities through access to basic services such as clean water, microfinance, education and community liaison programs. JWOC builds capacity and increases self-reliance, helping struggling communities to face daily challenges and better their own future. Based on the principle of ‘Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow’, their focus is education, including opportunities at local universities, JWOC’s Community Centre and in the villages surrounding Siem Reap. By focusing on education JWOC believes they can make the greatest difference in helping those struggling to better their future and become leaders in their community.
On each Group tour we use local ground handlers. This means that all operational costs go directly into the local economy and help improve employment opportunities in remote regions. Such support can also be seen in our incorporation of homestays, locally owned hotels, family run restaurants and the services of local guides and drivers into our itineraries, which ensures that the money you spend with us goes directly into the local economy and local community.