Responsible Travel & Sharing

What is Responsible Travel?
Responsible Travel is all about traveling in a way that environmentally, culturally and socially responsible that helps our destinations retain their natural character and cultural diversity for future generations. Travelling to remote and off-the-beaten-track destinations and immerse oneself in another culture brings travelers great fun and memorable experiences, but may inadvertently have negative impacts on the local communities and environments. It is common knowledge that the economic gain from tourism can be vital for a country, but this should never be at the expense of that country's culture or environment.

Responsible Travel & Asiana Travel Mate
"Responsible Travelling & Sharing" is Asiana Travel Mate's slogan, we endeavor to create programs that aim to positively benefit both travelers and local people, that respect and protect local communities and environment. Asiana Travel Mate is strongly committed to responsible travel and true sustainability. Our commitment was formed from the company's inception, and today, in the face of a multitude of threats to the environment, our commitment is stronger than ever. We have developed a set of guidelines that provide you tips and advice on how you can play a part in reducing the impact on local environment and cultures. For more detailed information please contact us: info@asianatravelmate.com .

Responsible Travel & Your Role
Our Company’s policies and guidelines mean little without YOUR participation. With little effort on your part, you will find yourself coming to a warmer welcome, having a deeper understanding of local cultures and people, and feeling pleased to have left positive marks on the communities you visited. We follow these guidelines and hope that you will too.

Responsible Travel Guidelines

Cultural Issues

• Respecting Cultural Differences

Things are done differently in different cultures. While they can bring you some nuisances, they reflect the lifestyles of the local people. Please try to accept these differences and not try to change them for your own benefit or comfort. Loosing your temper, showing your impatience, will not gain you respect but cause you to 'loose face'. Smiles and courtesy are keys to open 'many doors' in Asia.

• Interactive Cultural Exchange

While not trying to change the locals' culture and way of life, it is good that you help them to gain a better insight into your Western culture. You can help people understand the negative influences that come from increased material wealth on the family and the community. Assist people to achieve a balanced view of development.

• Personal Questions

Be prepared for lots of personal questions such as: What is your name? Are you married? How old are you? How much do you earn a month? Don't consider it as rude or an invasion of your privacy. Not only it is a matter of pure curiosity, but also Asians generally think they are things that help to build a good friendship. Please bear in mind that Asians are used to living in close-knit communities, which everyone knows everyone, and that concepts of privacy in Asia are very different to those in the West.

• Dressing codes

Please be aware that dressing standards are conservative throughout Asia. It is important that you dress modestly, avoid revealing clothes, particularly when visiting rural areas and religious sites. Loose, lightweight, long clothing are appropriate in most occasions. Avoid body hugging thin clothes, singlets and tanktops. Shorts (knee-length) are OK, except for religious sites. Best way for how-to-dress is to observe how the majority of locals are clothed. Please note that nowhere in Asia that nude bathing and sunbathing are accepted.

• Camera & Video Camera

Just make sure you ask for permission before taking pictures or filming someone, and please respect their wishes if they refuse. Minority group/hill tribe people are not generally happy having their pictures taken by tourists. Some of them believe that their spirits may be captured in the pictures. Please avoid giving money for taking photos, as this will encourage the begging mentality among the locals.

Some Important Etiquette

• Crooking your finger to call somebody is considered rude. Asian people generally use a subtle downward waving motion to summon someone.
• Avoid gestures’ such as: pointing your fingers, your feet at people, touching heads.
• Avoid showing affection to your partners in public, esp. no kissing. The people will not tell you as a matter of politeness, but they will see you as setting bad examples to their children.
• It is polite to remove your shoes before entering people's home and at temples or religious sites. Look for shoes at the front door as a clue and follow suit.
• Avoid criticism if possible, if not, criticism is best to be put among praise and not in public.
• Avoid talking in a raised voice, as this can be mistaken as you are talking in a mood of anger. Also, as said above, loosing your temper, showing your impatience will not gain you anything but embarrassment.

Social Issues

• Prostitution

Asiana Travel Mate strongly oppose to travelers visiting prostitutes while travelling with us. It is against our philosophy of mutual respect towards all communities we take tourists to. Please note that Prostitution is illegal in Vietnam, and tourists will be expelled out of the country if found using prostitutes. Be aware that prostitution in Indochina is usually a gross infringement of human rights, as the sex workers are often sold/ forced into the industry by their families, debts, and are "imprisoned" in brothels. The use of condoms is not widely enforced, and many end up with drug problems and sexually transmittable diseases (HIV/STD).

• Alcohol

The use of alcohol need to be carefully put under control. Drunken travelers will not be able to control their temper and actions, and may damage the image that locals have about Westerners, as well as can have negative impact on the group dynamics. At minority villages, it is a matter of customs that guests will be offered some welcome rice wine, it will please the host if the guests take them, but it is not compulsory.

• Drugs

The laws of Indochinese countries are harsh on drug use and trade. Travellers may be expelled out of the country if found using drugs, worse still may be imprisoned if found with large quantity (Highest penalty: Death penalty applies to foreigners and locals alike). Asiana Travel Mate do not allow travelers on trip with us to use drugs. Our tour guide/leader withholds the right to expel a member out of the group if drugs are found in their possession.

• Donations and Gifts

Do not give children, beggars candies, sweets, money or other items, this will encourage the 'begging mentality' among the people. This, in turn, will distort the image of travellers as purely 'money givers', and future tourists will not be as warmly welcome if they don't give. Still, there are many ways that you can make positive donations to the communities that you visit.

» For large donations, please contact us or consult your tour guide/leader for appropriate projects that we currently support or we can help guiding the donations to the right people.
» For small donations, please ask your tour guide/leader to help contacting community chiefs, school headmasters, teachers, local doctors, charity organizations...your donations are best distributed through these channels.
» Money may not be the best donation you can think of, when visiting hill tribe villages, essentials like pens, notebooks, clothes...are highly appreciated.
» Please note that you are expected to give a small donation when visiting temples, pagodas or religious sites. There are always donation boxes at these places for the purpose.
» Avoid having the feeling that you need to give some 'material' things to please the host, friendship can be achieved through conversations, sharing knowledge, jokes…

Dining & Shopping

• Local delicacies forms part of the joy of travel. Eating local food and have local drink is not only part of your memorable travel experiences, but also your money will support the locals. Throughout Indochina, you may find quite a few wildlife restaurants, especially when it comes to mountainous places. Trying these wildlife food will encourage the local supply, and in turn, may lead to extinction of several rare species, as there are virtually no farm that supply these products but hunting. Asiana Travel Mate runs a few culinary and gourmet tours, please contact us if you are interested in this kind of trips.
• Handicrafts are better priced and more authentic when bought at local village makers. Asiana Travel Mate support community cooperatives and handicraft centre run by disabled or handicapped people.
• We discourage the purchase of endangered fauna or floral products; this will contribute to illegal trade in wildlife and damage the local environment and biological diversity. Please also note that these wildlife products may not be allowed to go through customs when you get home.
• Bargaining is common in most Asian countries. Just keep in mind that it is not a matter of life and death, and a few dollars will not be a big amount to you but to the local sellers. Bargaining with a smile will not make you any less tougher as a buyer, and please remember that once the bargaining is set, then you must buy.
• Be careful to be the first client in the morning. First clients are believed to bring good lucks or bad lucks of the day, better that you buy some small things for the shops if you are not really interested in their goods.

Environmental Issues

• Waste management in Indochina is a huge problem to the environment. Disposal system and recycling of plastic are not yet properly in place. Also the awareness of people on environmental protection as well as littering is still not widespread. you can then set good examples for the local to follow.
• It will be no problems that you refuse plastic bags offered for wrapping food or souvenirs.
  While trekking or travelling through remote villages, it is recommended that you keep all the plastic bags and water bottles and dispose them safely at the next town.
• Avoid using soap or shampoo when bathing at rivers, streams, or lakes.
• When visiting National Parks or Protected Nature Reserve, please make sure that you follow the NP guidelines. Please keep in mind the saying for National Park: "Take nothing but photos, Leave nothing but footprints, Kill nothing but your time."

Our guidelines are not intended to be overbearing but informative; we need your participation to make your holiday a memorable experience, to bring benefits to local communities, and to protect the environment.
Please kindly inform us anyway that we can make our guidelines better, and how we perform with these Guidelines.
For further information, please email us at info@asianatravelmate.com