Shanghai to Bangkok by train

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION
This tour takes advantage of the developed, high-speed train network within south-East Asia, enabling you to explore three countries flight-free. By using the rail network it also reduces the need for long overland car journeys, further reducing our carbon footprint within the country.

Where possible, most of the city tours and excursions are done by foot rather than driving from place to place, including in the bigger cities of Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Also, many of the accommodation are centrally located and also near the train station, removing the requirement of short, unnecessary transfers to and from hotels.
Food waste is kept to a minimum and single-use plastics are being reduced in several hotels we use, such as the Grand Hyatt in Chengdu. They also have several recycling programs in place as well as composting to keep food waste to a minimum.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
All the hotels we use on this tour have strong environmental and sustainability initiatives and values within their policies. Some of the hotels used on the tour are part of larger hospitality groups, such as Wyndham and Accor Group. Accor are working with sustainable certification programmes to gain external and independent recognition of the sustainable practices in place by their hotels. Accor are part of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and also partnered with Green Key and Green Globe which are recognised by the GSTC.

On this tour we visit important historical sites such as the Terracotta Warriors in Xian, Stone Forests (UNESCO) and Pak Ou Caves. Our visits to these places help to support local projects to conserve the area's cultural and geographical heritage.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY
We have a local partner who we use for this tour who use local guides, drivers and vehicles. This means that the money stays within the local economy, benefiting the local people rather than being outsourced to bigger companies or other countries. We believe locals know best and keep all guiding and services to the locals, with the help of our partners within south-East Asia. .

We visit a number of important historical sites on this tour. The entrance fees that we pay at these sites helps fund their preservation and ensure that this aspect of the region’s cultural heritage remains for others to enjoy in years to come – particularly important in a country where finding resources for this can be difficult. In addition to this some of these sites contain ancient and fragile religious frescoes that are very susceptible to damage. We make a point of advising our travelers not to touch these valuable paintings to ensure that they remain as they are.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
On our trips we use local guides for all tours and excursions, especially those that involve the local communities, as well visiting local markets and trying the local food. Not only does this provide our clients with a more intimate experience but also provides additional income and employment for local people that may not have other opportunities. Our local guides will carefully explain the customs and cultures of the communities visited to ensure that our travelers are able to behave sensitively towards fragile communities, and help them gain from tourism while not being affected by some of its more negative aspects. By visiting these communities, many of whom live outside the cash-based economy, you are able to contribute to their ability to trade with mainstream society and gain some of the associated benefits.

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within such suppliers means that your experience will be enhanced. We also try to engage with our suppliers on an equal basis – getting the lowest possible price usually isn’t the best outcome for local communities and is ultimately unsustainable. We aim to always treat our suppliers fairly and with respect; they are after all part of the key to our success and to us working together is much more than just a business arrangement, but an ongoing relationship that we aim to ensure truly benefits everyone involved.