Laos and Vietnam overland tour

Planet

When travelling in a country such as Laos that has very few 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. 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.

Our visit to Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area supports the local rangers. Clients receive a briefing by park staff about the on-the-ground efforts in protecting tigers and their prey.

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.

People

Our very small groups and limited departures in Laos means that our impact – both cultural and environmental – on the areas that we visit is small and truly sustainable. 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.

We visit a number of local villages, purchasing goods locally and supporting their efforts to remain independent. With the help of a local guide and an audio tour, we travel to Mai Chau to some of the nearby caves to see how the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party lived during the war We also visit Son Koua Village; an ethnic Khmu village were we will be welcomed by the village guide and boatmen. They take us on a short tour of the village we learn about the animist tradition of appeasing the village spirit

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 Laos.