Philippines holiday, small group adventure

Environment

When travelling in a country such as the Philippines that has few if any tourists, there is an additional responsibility on us as a company and on our clients visiting the country to do everything possible to minimise our impact. We do everything possible to reduce our waste while travelling, using local cafes and restaurants, for example at Café Leona located on the ground floor of a traditional Vigan house.

We also work extremely closely with our locally owned suppliers to inform and educate their staff about a range of issues, including litter and waste disposal, and the recycling of material. Clients are advised to bring their own water bottles rather than purchase plastic.

Wherever possible we use environmentally friendly local accommodation. If this is not possible we make every effort to alert the management of the accommodation in question to ways of improving their service with the environment in mind. Many of the hotels and lodges we use are in extremely remote areas and are therefore almost entirely self-sufficient, using local sources of food, labour and construction materials.

Community

Our very small groups and limited departures in the Philippines means that our impact – both cultural and environmental – on the areas that we visit is small and truly sustainable. We are investing in the future, in the belief that along with our local colleagues we can create sustainable social benefits. All of the guides we use are local, and most have been working with our local team in a full time role for a number of years, rather than just as seasonal jobs.

Our suppliers in the Philippines are small and locally owned, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within our local team means that your experience will be enhanced.

All of our trips include visits to local markets, craft shops and fairs. As well as being good for the local economy this gives travellers to the country a real feel for the life and culture of Haiti. A highlight for many on the tour is Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm. This is a prototype of a sustainable community dedicated to ending poverty by empowering people to develop useful skills. We spend time discovering how the lives of the residents here have benefited from the enterprise, and have the opportunity to assist in the activities such as organic farming, cheese-making, making toys, etc. We will sample farm to table meals prepared by the Enchanted Farm residents.