Vietnamese Ecotourism: Best Way to Create Socially Responsible Experiences While Travelling
Vietnam is well known for its sustainable tourism initiatives that encourage travellers to explore Vietnamese ecotourism at least once in their life. The country has a lot to offer in terms of culture, food and scenic views. If you are a firm believer in sustainable travelling, this Southeast Asian country is surely worth a visit.
Vietnam’s capital Hanoi is great to explore centuries old architecture and the rich culture of China, France and Southeast Asia. Make sure you witness the Halong Bay’s scatter of islands that are a vision of ethereal beauty for every traveller! For a rustic experience, you could opt to stay at the Chay Lap Farmstay & Resort, lakeside lodges of the Lak Tented Camp or the beautiful eco-lodges situated between Perfume River and Ngu Binh mountains at the Hue Ecolodge. This way you will be a responsible traveller on your leisure trip.
As supporters of Vietnamese ecotourism, we suggest you to opt for train or bus travel instead of air travel as the country has some amazing land connections. This way you will help reduce carbon footprint released by planes. Also, you should hire a local guide so that your money helps to improve the local economy. It’s important to look for tour operators and guides that believe in waste management and encourage eco travelling.
For an additional help to Vietnamese ecotourism, you should focus on supporting local initiatives that will help generate money for local people. Prefer shopping artisan gifts from local shops and sip some street side tea!
As most travellers believe, Vietnam has a turbulent history due to its involvement in the American war. If you want to understand and embrace the country’s culture, you can read books that will help you to appreciate the intricacies of its culture. Some really good ones are — ‘A Dragon Apparent’ by Norman Lewis, ‘Catfish and Mandala’ by Andrew X. Pham and ‘A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain’ by Robert Olen Butler.
To witness the best of Vietnamese ecotourism, you should explore the Pu Loung Nature Reserve and the Cuc Phuong National Park. The former is a hidden spot as not many tourists have explored the place yet. Here you will find many trekking routes that pass through exquisite beautiful rice terraces and hills. The latter is better known as the oldest nature reserve in Vietnam and a favourite ecotourism destination among travellers. Its wide forest expanse is favoured by archaeologists who love to dive deep into the pre historic caves. If you are a colourful being, visit between April to May to find a realm of 280 butterfly species gathering at the park.
The best way to soak in Vietnamese tourism is to go for some yoga retreats. At Gratitude Vietnam, you can choose between general meditation, guided imagery, music journeys or a reiki healing session.
Lastly, if you want to be a responsible traveller, try not to participate in the prevalent practise of elephant riding! As they say, the world is a small place and kindness is the key to survive!
