Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia heritage tour

Planet

We carefully choose suppliers in Southeast Asia who reflect our responsible and sustainable ethos. Our current supplier not only has a foundation that works with, supports and advises many different projects and NGO’s in Asia, they are also Travelife certified. Travelife is an internationally accredited certification scheme that helps organisations improve their social, economic and environmental impacts that they have as a business.

In this itinerary you will also learn about conservation projects happening in the UNESCO town of Hoi An, where restoration of historical buildings is tied to environmental projects aimed at protecting the town and local environment from annual flooding. Where possible, we have also tried to minimize use of transport, with walking tours included in Ho Chi Minh City and Hoi An, as well as cycling in Luang Prabang.

During your time in the Angkor Archaeological Park, we have included lunch in a local village located within the park boundaries. Most visitors to the temples will head back to their accommodation in town for lunch, adding to the traffic jams and pollution affecting the local area. By eating at a local village within the park you are reducing your negative impact and providing new opportunities for the local people to generate income by servicing visitors to the area.

People

Wherever possible, we encourage you to spend as much time as possible in local communities, interacting with local people to find out more about their way of life and traditional, cultural practices.

In this heritage itinerary we take you to historical sights which are often overlooked by foreign visitors, but which are important cultural landmarks for the locals and will enrich your understanding of these countries and their peoples. You’ll get to meet those who play a key role in the preservation of local history and culture, which will provide more opportunities for cultural learning and contribute towards the preservation of the heritage of these countries.

You’ll also get to support community projects in Luang Prabang which aim to promote and preserve important cultural traditions, such as traditional weaving at Ock Pop Tock and the cultural events and workshops run by the Traditional Arts & Ethology Centre.

We always ensure we use local English speaking guides wherever possible. Our guides are fantastic ambassadors for their own regions, whether it’s explaining the history, culture or food etiquette, but best of all, they act as a bridge to the local people you meet along the way.