Indochina 4 week tour

Planet

This trip takes in the three fascinating countries of Indochina - Laos , Vietnam and Cambodia.

In contrast to its neighbours, Laos is still relatively little-visited so the income we bring to this area really helps local development; particularly as we use locally owned services throughout the tour. This trip blends some of the country's stand-out highlights with travel through more rural areas and past rural communities.

In Vietnam, tourism is steadily increasing and we therefore want to ensure our groups are having a positive impact on the country, and are leading by example. We do this by recycling and re-using wherever possible, and ensuring that all waste is disposed of appropriately. We manage water consumption and reduce waste on this trip by encouraging people to bring along re-usable bottles and by supplying a large tank of fresh drinking water on our coach, available for refills.

We also include an overnight train journey on this trip. Traveling by public transport is not only a great way to get a flavour of the country and mix with local people; it’s better for the environment as it reduces our reliance on specially chartered vehicles.

As a travel company 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.

People

When amongst the rural communities, we’ve factored in time to get the chance to meet the local people, learn about their traditions and daily life and interact with them in a manner which is both insightful yet respectful. Your local tour leader will be a great facilitator in this regard. Buying crafts directly from them cuts out the middle man and enables them to supplement their income in an area where the economic opportunities are few.

We are always very sensitive to the impacts of visiting rural communities. One of the reasons we prefer to use local tour leaders is they can give a real insight into the local culture; anything from learning about the education system, to making sure we don’t fall foul of any taboos. It is our policy to generate business and employment opportunities in the countries we travel to by employing local people. All our leaders in Laos are locals and we’ve trained them all too so they are comfortable in their work and you get great service.

As a company 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 the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.