Palawan vacation in the Philippines

Environment

When you hit the road with us, you leave lighter footprints, invest in local communities, show respect and curiosity for different cultures and traditions, and experience genuine connections with the people you meet along the way.

To help reduce the use of plastic water bottles, everyone on this trip is given a refillable flask. Potable water is available in many local restaurants and accommodation at no charge. We have worked with many of our suppliers to provide potable water throughout this trip and our leaders will always point out to our travelers where this is available. By offering this service our travelers save money on buying bottled water and contribute to the overall reduction in plastic waste.

Protecting and preserving the environment is really important to us. On this trip you spend a full day island hopping and snorkelling off stunning El Nido. No plastics are allowed to be brought on any of the boat tours in this area in order to protect the environment and to reduce the use of plastics. We welcome this government initiative and ensure our boat suppliers are adhering to these regulations.

We only work with suppliers who share our values especially with regard to animal welfare, and avidly oppose any exploitative or illegal practices. As a company we work towards promoting the five freedoms that should be available to all animals, wild or domestic: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury and disease, freedom to express normal behaviour, freedom from fear and distress. We conduct appropriate research to ensure we do not promote, visit or participate in any activities that are failing to uphold these five freedoms. Traveling to the Philippines you can encounter wild animals being used as tourist attractions.

Community

We want to “spread the love” when it comes to shopping in local markets. Instead of having the entire group buy their fruit, snacks or souvenirs from one stall holder the leader encourages our travelers to split up and buy from multiple stall holders. This allows many local business owners to benefit directly from our travelers.

We encourage our passengers to support local industries by showing them around and explaining the work behind the products sold. Rather than buying souvenirs and keepsakes from hotels, the group would be asked to buy from the places where we take them so that money goes directly to the community. We point out the benefits—price, quality and interaction with their creators, which enriches the shopping experience.

We employ leaders from the Philippines which gives our travelers the best local knowledge and allows them to experience the country through the eyes of an expert. All of our Philippine trips are run by a local operator based in Manila who employs many admin and operations staff, directly benefiting the Philippines’ economy. All staff are paid a fair wage and are provided with ongoing training and career development.