South East Asia vacation, culture and beach

Environment

This tour makes use of the effective public transport system in Asia, using many local buses and an overnight train. This is the best way to minimise our impact on the environment and also eases road congestion caused by coach tours in the area. Using local transport also exposes customers to the ways of local life and gives the opportunity to interact with not only other travelers but also the local community.

This tour takes customers to see some of the most beautiful areas of the region, including the island of Phuket, Khao Sok National Park and the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. By taking customers to experience these breathtaking corners of the world we are educating them in the importance of preserving the natural environment. Our tour leaders explain the importance of protecting the flora and fauna in these locations and advise customers not to pick wild flowers or stray off paths in the national parks. The entrance fee for Khao Sok National Park is included in the tour cost and this money goes into conservation efforts which we are happy to support - as the area is home to endangered animals such as tigers. The activities available in the national park include kayaking, bamboo rafting and canoeing - all which are excellent ways to explore the jungle while leaving no carbon footprint behind.

Travelers are reminded not to bring plastic or litter into these areas and to ensure that nothing gets left behind. In Phuket, customers are advised to be cautious of corals and marine life and not to disturb the natural environment. This includes collecting washed up coral or shells. Customers are also advised not to purchase any jewelry or souvenirs that look to contain shells or other materials that have been taken from the natural environment. If customers see rubbish and litter on the beaches they are encouraged to take it to the nearest bin.

Customers are reminded to avoid all day tours or excursions that offer animal encounters that may harm or cause distress to the animal. Thailand unfortunately still offers travelers experiences to get up close and personal with wild animals however all customers are strongly advised by our tour leaders to use common sense and avoid these practises.

Community

The street food in Asia is world renowned and our tour leaders will always expose customers to the best places for this, ensuring that we are supporting local vendors while having an authentic experience. Customers are also encouraged to purchase goods or crafts from local artisans instead of mass produced souvenirs that you find in many shops.

This tour includes a heritage walk around Penang which introduces customers to centuries of tradition and history. Educating while traveling is of the utmost importance to us and we often find travelers have a better understanding and respect for communities once they have been educated in their history and way of life. In Kuala Lumpur we include a visit to the Batu Caves and temple, an important religious site and where customers can further learn about it’s importance for the people.

The tour includes some transport in a private minivan, in order for the tour to reach off the beaten track places that public transport cannot reach. For this part we use a local provider to ensure money is going back into local businesses.

Customers are advised to learn a few words of the local language, the tour leader is always happy to assist with this, so that the divide between local and traveler is lessened. Our tour leaders will always educate customers in local customs, etiquette and ensure they are traveling with respect. This includes visits to temples and sacred sites, which there are many of in Bangkok where this tour starts.

The group size on these tours is a maximum of 19 people, meaning we can stay in smaller hotels which cannot support large coach tours. Traveling in a smaller group overall causes less of an impact on the local communities who welcome us.