All Points East
All prices are fully inclusive of transport, accommodation, meals and activities (the hotels and guest houses used have en-suite facilities and either air-con or fans). The only additional costs are local departure taxes (Bangkok departure tax is approx £8.00), money for drinks, and visas for Cambodia and Laos. There are no single person supplements or hidden extras. The only exceptions are the Vietnam itineraries which include breakfast on each day and a welcome meal on arrival in Hanoi ( but not lunch or dinner on other days on the trip).
How the minimum criteria of the responsible travel standard was met...
Economic responsibility
Local agents carry out administrative tasks wherever practicable in South East Asia. Tour leaders live in South East Asia and contribute full time to the local economies.
We use indigenous local agents (Thai, Lao, Khmer, Vietnamese and Malay as well as minority ethnic groups such as Hmong, Karen and Orang Asli) 100% of the time for tour activities and chartered transport.
Tours, wherever possible, will visit places 'off the beaten tourist trails', thus bringing associated economic benefits to those areas. Tours make use of small family-run guesthouses or locally owned hotels, small restaurants and food stalls, public transport, and the production printed matter is largely undertaken in Thailand.
All Points East contributes financial assistance to local operators and to local charities
Environmental responsibility
Full and comprehensive details of tours are available in paper-free form on our website, including a PDF version of the brochure. The UK office uses recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible. Biodegradable waste is composted in the company garden.
All Points East uses, where available, biodegradable or reusable containers for packed lunches on all tours. Refillable bottles are used to transport water while trekking. Where water is a scarce commodity passengers are made aware of the need to be frugal with its consumption.
All passengers are educated about the fragility of the ecosystems that we visit and are asked to behave accordingly. Our experienced guides provide any necessary clarification of appropriate behavior. Trekking passengers are told to bring plastic zip-lock bags in which to keep used toilet paper for disposal at an appropriate point.
Social responsibility
We are at present refraining from conducting tours in Burma, considering her political regime to be unsuitable for organized tourism. We do not wish to wish to be seen to legitimize or to contribute financially towards the regime.
Each passenger is furnished with a document advising him or her as to what constitutes appropriate and culturally sensitive dress in South East Asia.
In addition to our regular trips we help run an annual fundraiser for The Pattaya Orphanage. We support local community initiatives such as handicraft projects in Thailand, landmine clearance in Cambodia, and school projects in Laos. We also encourage our passengers to make souvenir purchases in local markets and curious rather than larger corporately own establishments.
