North to South Vietnam family holiday

Environment

Throughout Vietnam we try where ever possible to use small locally owned hotels that reflect the character. We work in partnership with our local in country ground agents to introduce environmental policies which help to conserve water usage and energy expenditure. We cut down carbon emissions on this trip by using low carbon methods of travel such as cycling, rail and boat rides where possible, examples of this are in the Mekong Delta where we travel by boat, Ho Chi Minh city itself where we travel around the city in Cyclos and on day four where we get the overnight public train from Hanoi to Hue.

Waste
During the initial tour briefing all our guests are encouraged to use reusable water bottles to cut down on plastic use.

Eating out
We try and eat as locally as possible, South East Asia offers fantastic fresh seasonal ingredients on offer. Our leaders encourage groups to try community restaurants; more than just a business, these restaurants have been set up primarily to help street children receive vocational training helping them towards a better life.

Community

Whilst in Hue on day five we visit Mr Cu's house who was a national champion kite flier for Vietnam, he shows us how to make traditional Vietnamese kites which you make and decorate with iconic symbols such as dragons, birds and peacocks; it’s a great interactive activity for kids and helps put money back into the community. The following day in Hoi An we visit a local family that specializes in making traditional wood paintings and have some hands-on experience by taking part in making this craft with the local artisans.

Towards the end of the trip we spend two days on the Mekong Delta taking a boat cruise to visit Mrs Nani’s home where we learn the ancient art of making rice paper; we also sample Vietnamese Banh Tieu which most closely resembles a doughnut. By supporting small family businesses we not only generate money for the local community we also provide a fascinating insight in the way of life of communities living in the Mekong Delta. There is time to visit the Cai Be Floating Markets where families can purchase locally produced goods and see how coconut candy pop-rice, pop-corn and rice wine is made.

In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators. We acknowledge that air travel has a negative impact on our environment, so we work together with Cool Earth to offset carbon and protect our important rainforests.