3 of the best luxury eco retreats in the Maldives

With the Maldives introducing a new ‘green tax’ to fund conservation efforts, here’s our pick of three of the best sustainable and eco-friendly hotels and resorts in the region…

Soneva Fushi

This resort lives by the ‘S.L.O.W. L.I.F.E’ philosophy (Sustainable Local Organic Wellness, Learning Inspiring Fun Experiences). With a carbon offset programme, its own organic food production and facilities for on-island bottled water production, this beautiful resort pairs great eco credentials with ‘intelligent’ luxury. Secluded chic beach villas and a ‘Mr Friday’ butler service are available for guests, and wildlife fans will appreciate the stretches of undeveloped shoreline that have been left to encourage turtles to continue nesting on the beach.

Soneva fushi
Soneva fushi

Coco Palm, Dhuni Kolhu

This resort is ideal for those passionate about marine wildlife. A ‘Manta Ray Day’ is held every Wednesday, where guests are led by Coco Palm’s resident marine biologist into the shallows to observe the island’s beautiful creatures. As well as manta rays, the house reef provides excellent snorkelling opportunities with chances to spot whale sharks and dolphins too. Coco Palm is also located in the Baa Atoll, a designated UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve whose resorts work together to conserve the area.

Coco Palm resort
Coco Palm resort

Kuramathi Island Resort

There’s a long list of green initiatives being undertaken  by Kuramathi, one of the biggest islands in the Maldives. There is an education eco-centre, filters and ozonators to save water in the modern Jacuzzis, water recycling system, energy saving air-con in the newer villas and a hydroponics garden where fresh salads and herbs are grown for the resorts kitchens.

Eco Kuramathi
Eco-friendly Kuramathi

A closer look at the Indian Ocean, like you’ve never seen before…

The many islands of the Indian Ocean are famous for their white sand beaches and beautiful turquoise waters. Although gorgeous to look at, these paradise beach images can give the impression that the Indian Ocean islands are all very similar to each other. In fact, when you take a closer look, the Maldives, Mauritius and other destinations are all very different from each other.

Maldives close-up
Maldives close-up

In November, luxury travel experts Kuoni launched their collection of microscopic sand photographs taken from their seven resorts in the Indian Ocean. The initiative behind the project is to show travellers that when you take a closer look at the smaller details, the islands of the Indian Ocean are all completely unique from one another.

The different sand grains reflect the geology of each island, giving clues as to what kind of activities you can enjoy there. For example, the sands from La Reunion (an island just west of Mauritius) have yellow lava crystals and black grains made from volcanic basalt. These point to the volcanic origins of the island and travellers here can indeed trek through the forests to see amazing craters and live volcanoes. On the other hand, the grains from the Maldives show six tiny snail shells and a rod spine from a sea urchin, pointing to the amazing snorkelling and diving opportunities to be found in the coral reefs of the Maldives.

Seychelles close-up
Seychelles close-up

 

 

See the eye of the tiger on a responsible safari

Your chance to see one of the world’s most elusive and beautiful creatures in the wild…

Finally, some good news about the tiger population in India – recent reports suggest that the number of Bengal tigers in the wild is slowly growing. Some conservation groups have credited responsible wildlife tourism in the region for this rise.

One such responsible tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, has now created a new itinerary for its 12-day Grand India Wildlife Adventure tour, giving tourists the opportunity to see the majestic Bengal tiger plus a host of other incredible wildlife on the Indian subcontinent.

Asian tiger (photo by Toby Sinclair)
Asian tiger (photo by Toby Sinclair)

By keeping safari groups deliberately small, and travelling to some of the lesser known (and certainly less crowded) national parks, Natural Habitat Adventures promises to have created the ideal India odyssey for nature lovers. It’s an increased chance to see Bengal tigers on a trip that aims to cause minimum distruption to wildlife and the environment, work together with local communities, and support ongoing conservation efforts in the region.

What’s on the wildlife tour?

The tour explores three of India’s top national parks spending three days in each park including the tiger-rich Bandhavgarh National Park, plus Kanha and Kaziranga National Parks which are more remote with far fewer tourists.

Guests join multiple game drives in open 4x4s to safari with a naturalist expedition leader in search of tigers, one-horned rhinocerous, Asiatic elephants, over 600 bird species and a host of other Indian wildlife.

While most safari is done via Jeep, if conditions permit you can also explore Kaziranga on elephant back, the most traditional way to experience this natural jungle setting.

Spot peacocks in India (photo by Toby Sinclair)
Spot peacocks in India (photo by Toby Sinclair)

Bush ecolodge accommodation

Alongside 5-star hotel accommodation in Delhi and Kolkata on arrival and at departure, the safari accommodation is in remote, secluded and eco-friendly bush lodges which offer luxurious comfort and the special experience of sleeping out in the bush.

Tiger safaris in India (photo by Toby Sinclair)
Tiger safaris in India (photo by Toby Sinclair)

Supporting India’s tiger population

After years of precipitously declining tiger numbers, India has charted a 30% rise in its 2014 tiger census, compared to four years before. Conservation groups attribute a share of that increase to responsible nature tourism. The sheer economic value of visitors to India’s tiger reserves benefits the communities around the reserves, offering local people an incentive to protect the wild creatures they share the land with. Given that India is home to 70% of the world’s remaining wild tigers, and India is the only country currently seeing a rise in tiger numbers, the presence of wildlife tourism here is integral to that continued success.

India's birdlife (photo by Toby Sinclair)
India’s birdlife (photo by Toby Sinclair)

Natural Habitat Adventures is the WWF’s (World Wildlife Fund’s) official travel partner.

The 12-day Grand India Wildlife Adventure departs regularly from November 2015 until April 2016, with prices starting from £5,900 ($8,995).

For more information including full itinerary, prices, dates and booking visit www.nathab.com

 

5 of the best…Luxury wellness holidays

From educational eco-forest walks in Bali, to dining on nutritious organic cuisine grown in New Zealand, Paul Joseph, co-founder of wellness holiday specialists Health and Fitness Travel, picks five healthy eco-friendly holidays to make you feel more connected to yourself and nature…

These luxurious wellness retreats boast superb eco-design and green-friendly awards, meaning you can travel abroad happy in the knowledge that these retreats actively support sustainable tourism.

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Italy: Lefay

Situated on the shores of magical Lake Garda, this eco-friendly holiday destination values the connection between personal and environmental wellness. From the heat insulation and local natural materials used in the eco-designed architecture, to the use of renewable alternative energies, Lefay actively promotes eco-sustainability. Begin your holiday boosting your health and fitness by personalising your stay with activities from personal training to Pilates and Tai Qi. Ideal for a singles holiday, make the most of complimentary group fitness classes from yoga to circuit training, before unwinding with a relaxing spa massage.

New Zealand: Aro Ha

Encircled by New Zealand’s stunning Southern Alps, luxury wellness retreat Aro Ha fuses eco-friendly accommodation with self-sufficient cuisine, using locally produced organic ingredients from their on-site garden. Enhance the connection between yourself and the environment around you with sub-alpine hiking and kayaking across the lake to the natural bird sanctuary of Pigeon Island. Complement TRX, yoga and meditation sessions with daily therapeutic spa massages and unlimited use of the water therapy suites, to ensure you return home in optimal wellness from this breath-taking eco-friendly holiday destination.

Bali: Zen

Escape to this luxury holistic and eco-friendly wellness holiday destination in Bali, surrounded by pristine tropical gardens. This green retreat offers a range of healthy cuisine, using only the freshest ingredients, with fish caught in the nearby sea and fresh fruit and vegetables grown at the on-site farm. Get closer to nature with a sunrise dolphin sail, rice field trekking and educational eco-forest walks to learn more about local wildlife, flora and fauna. Escape the stress of everyday life with sunrise yoga, sunset mediation and holistic spa treatments.

South Africa: Karkloof Safari Spa

Working with environmental and wildlife professionals to restore the region to its natural splendour, the surrounding eco-system of the eco-friendly Karkloof Safari Spa in South Africa, is happily once again home to a diverse range of indigenous fauna, flora, wildlife and birdlife. The perfect destination for a luxury spa holiday, enjoy indulging with unlimited spa treatments using natural ingredients, from a Maldivian black pepper scrub to a coconut body polish. Explore your natural surroundings by hiking, fishing, mountain biking and spotting local wildlife with private guided safaris.

Greece: Porto Carras

Make a healthy getaway to the white sandy beaches of northern Greece where this eco-friendly holiday destination boasts Blue Flag beaches and respected awards such as the Green Key Eco Label. Using natural ingredients for relaxing therapies, such as mud and clay treatments, pamper yourself at a choice of two luxury spa centres. Ideal for a fun-filled activity holiday, relish in the variety of sports and activities you can enjoy from tennis to windsurfing and meditation. Take advantage of complimentary group fitness classes, including yoga and aerobics, to improve your fitness levels and leave you feeling renewed and revitalised.

For advice, guidance and booking visit www.healthandfitnesstravel.com or call 0203 397 8891

About the author: Paul Joseph is co-founder (with Adam Heathcote) of Health and Fitness Travel, the leading experts in tailormade healthy holidays worldwide. He searches for the rare and hidden gems around the world and puts together exclusive and trend-setting holidays for those who would like to improve or maintain their health and fitness whilst on holiday. As well as a love of all things travel, Paul’s other love is exercise, cycling and yoga. Paul also contributes to the travel pages of various high-profile newspapers and magazines where he offers his expert advice on wellness holidays.

Help save sea turtles in Bali, Indonesia

Guest blogger Rebecca MacDonald-Taylor, of NGO Frontier, tells us how you can help threatened sea turtles in the Indian Ocean…

Picture this: Dark ashy shades created from the towering volcanic mountains contrast with a rainbow pallet of coral reefs shimmering through the clear blue waters. The Indonesian island of Bali really is stunning!

Bali, Frontier

Working with turtles

Bali is under huge pressure from Indonesia’s growing tourism industry. It’s understandable – Bali is gorgeous and everybody wants to see it for themselves, but the more people visit, the more the fragile environment and its wildlife is damaged.

Frontier helps provide a solution by operating the Sea Turtle Conservation project which provides a hands-on approach in the conservation of these majestic and enchanting creatures. It’s a unique experience, and one that you can join.

sea turtle on Bali, Frontier

Life as a volunteer on the project

Litter left on the beaches can be a big choking problem, especially for the young, and so volunteers monitor the weaker turtles in a natural enclosure for support and rehabilitation until they are ready for release. The project also needs people to collect vital baseline data on turtle populations.

During the day, volunteers also have the opportunity to teach English at one of the local schools which is a fantastic chance to immerse yourself in the Bali culture. Support, particularly in English language fluency, has a lasting impact on the community.

volunteering in Bali, Frontier

Food

Volunteers enjoy three meals a day of traditional Balinese cuisine, an exciting fusion of Indonesian and Chinese styles. Some of the most popular dishes are Nasi Goreng (Indonesian fried rice with a fried egg on top) and Mie Goreng (fried noodles with egg).

Accommodation

One of the added bonuses of volunteering on this project is that you get to live right next to the beach! You can stay at a volunteer house with all the basic facilities that you’ll need.

There is a mix of both Western and Asian-style toilets and I would definitely suggest making use of the outdoor showers. There are indoor ones, but you may as well take advantage of welcoming a cold rinse in the tropical temperatures. You would never be able to do that in the UK! (‘We agree’ – Editor)

accommodation on Bali, Frontier

Recommended for… Anyone who is desperate to escape to a tropical dreamland and immerse themselves in a diverse culture, helping the local community. A love of turtles wouldn’t go amiss either!

Be aware that… Some activities are seasonal. Turtles lay their eggs throughout the year, but the opportunity to collect eggs and monitor nests is often highest between July and October when the sea is calmer.

For more information, including a full programme, prices, departure dates and booking, visit the Sea Turtle Conservation project page on the Frontier website.

About the author: Rebecca MacDonald-Taylor is an Online Journalism Intern at Frontier, an international non-profit volunteering NGO. Check out Frontier’s blog ‘Into the Wild’ for more gap year ideas to help make your time out meaningful. For more information about travel and volunteering opportunities available please visit www.frontier.ac.uk.

Enjoy the view from Pokhara Lodge, Tiger Mountain in Nepal

This stunning mountain hideaway, set amoungst the Nepalese Himalayas, is leading the way in responsible tourism

Perched on a mountain ridge 1,000 ft above the Pokhara Valley in Nepal, the Pokhara Lodge at Tiger Mountain demonstrates daily why it has won TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence every year since 2011. Guests rave about the beautiful setting, the friendly staff and the delicious food – but it’s a dedication to supporting local community initiatives, and helping preserve local wildlife, that really sets it apart from the rest.

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Since the beginning, the Lodge, its staff and guests, have been involved in supporting various projects including funding local schools, school teachers, health posts, community forestry projects, forest rangers and a forest nursery,

The lodge’s trained guides are regularly involved in conservation research by monitoring butterfly and wildfowl populations for organisations including Birdlife International.

Accommodation

The lodge consists of stone cottages, clustered in the style of a Nepalese village, around a central lodge, bar and dining room. All cottages have en-suite bathrooms, private verandas and Himalayan views. Each cottage is furnished with Tibetan rugs, handmade wooden furniture and original artworks.

Facilities

Will you ever have a swim in such a glorious location as this? The outdoor swimming pool reflects the snowcapped mountain backdrop making a morning dip even more exhilerating! For cosy evenings the main lodge offers the chance to snuggle up to a warm log fire and browse the Colonel Jimmy library full of mountaineering literature.

Infinity Pool

Food

You can enjoy breakfast with a view from the terrace, while in the evening, the terrace is candlelit for cocktails and dinner. Daily menus include Nepali and continental dishes made using fresh, local, organic ingredients such as homegrown herbs and garden salads. And the bar remains open until the last guest retires…

Things to do

Guests can take day hikes or bird walks with local, trained guides. Yoga and meditation sessions are available, as well as Ayurvedic and Shiatsu massage. The more adventurous can try paragliding or microlight flights for a truly awesome experience in the mountains. Trips to nearly Pokhara can be arranged for sightseeing, museums and to visit the lively lakeside area.

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Pokhara Lodge and guests’ donations pay for an additional teacher at the local Shiva Shatki Primary School
  • The Lodge and guest donations have also funded the rebuilding of the school block at Amar Jyoti Secondary School, providing electricity, whiteboards, improved classrooms and desks – this means more children can complete their main schooling in the local community
  • The Lodge works with the International Trust for Nature Conservation and its Shillinge Project, which aims to combine non-timber forest product development with longer-term community forest management practices.
  • Guides monitor butterfly and wildfowl populations, providing data for conservation charities and projects including Birdlife International

 

For more information, availability and booking, visit www.tigermountainpokhara.com or e: info@tigermountainpokhara.com

 

Go on an ethical adventure in Tibet

Guest blogger Jack Plumb, of NGO Frontier, explores “Roof of the World” Tibet on this ethical adventure…

To the north east of the highest mountain range in the world lies Tibet. Despite its tumultuous history and ongoing struggles, Tibet has managed to retain much of its cultural heritage and is a country like no other. This secretive corner of the world has only recently become more accessible to travellers.

Ethical adventure in Tibet (Frontier)

Here, Frontier operates the Tibet Ethical Adventure Trail giving adventurous travellers the opportunity to experience an ancient and untouched culture amongst the stunning beauty of some of the most savage mountains in the world: The Himalayas.

What to expect on the trail

Upon arrival in Beijing you will be greeted by a Frontier representative. All in-country travel is included and much of it is by overland train giving you an unrivalled opportunity to see stunning Chinese countryside. You’ll travel to Lhasa, the residence of the Dalai Lama prior to his exile and capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. While in Lhasa you will visit the stunning Potala Palace, the bustling Barkhor Square and pious Jokhang Temple.

When travelling to more rural areas, the striking, timeless life led by the villagers is a humbling experience, and as they gather in the local tea-houses you will feel steeped in their wonderfully stoic lifestyle. Journey further, and herders enveloped in the shadows of birds of prey circling towering mountain peaks, is an awe-inspiring vision of ancient Tibet.

Accommodation

Accommodation during the tour consists of comfortable hostels, hotel shares, homestays and tea houses.

Food

Traditional Tibetan food consists of cured meats, barley and dairy products. Meat is often of very high quality and spiced with salt ginger and other spices. Tibetans enjoy tea and a Tibetan liver sausage is definitely worth a try! Food is not included in the tour costs but with many restaurants and street food vendors, there is a plethora of interesting and delicious delicacies available. Vegetarians can be catered for comfortably and much of the tradition cuisine is vegetarian.

Recommended for… Anyone interested in the local customs and culture of Tibet

Be aware that… The trip lasts for four weeks (with monthly departures), and you must be 18 years or over to join

We acknowledge that tourism in Tibet can be a contraversial subject, but there are ways to visit Tibet responsibly – here are some tips on ethical travel to Tibet:

  • Tourism to Tibet is encouraged by the Dalai Lama (see more here).
  • When visiting Tibet, ensure your custom goes to local small businesses operated and owned by Tibetans.
  • When visiting temples and other culturally significant areas, a donation is encouraged. Make sure you donate directly to a monk or nun.
  • Refrain from talking about the Dalai Lama and engaging in any conversations of a political nature while in Tibet.
  • Be careful when taking photos – photography of security staff is strictly prohibited.
  • Make sure your ethical adventure is well planned to avoid any scrutiny from Chinese officials regarding your itinerary – this ensures no Tibetan national is subjected to any uneccessary contact.

 

About the author: Jack Plumb is an Online Journalism Intern at Frontier, an international non-profit volunteering NGO. Check out Frontier’s blog ‘Into the Wild’ for more gap year ideas to help make your time out meaningful. For more information about travel and volunteering opportunities available please visit www.frontier.ac.uk.

touring Tibet (Frontier)

 

Get back to nature at the new Gal Oya Lodge, Sri Lanka

Swimming elephants and a walk with the Vedda tribe – we’re ready for this new eco lodge in Sri Lanka…

At the northwest boundary of  Gal Oya National Park is a new high-end eco lodge ready to show you the real Sri Lanka. Gal Oya Lodge, spread across 20 acres of private forest, promises a luxurious stay in the jungle, with strong eco-friendly credentials.

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Accommodation

Eight spacious bungalows sit nestled in the forest canopy, each with its own breathtaking view thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and private verandas. Each bungalow has a private living room, bedroom with king-size bed, and en-suite bathroom (complete with both indoor and outdoor showers, and ‘his’ and ‘hers’ basins).

Also available is a two-bedroom villa perched at the highest point at Gal Oya Lodge. A large open-plan living space connects the two bedrooms which each have their own wraparound veranda allowing you to gaze at both sunrise and sunset.

Facilities

The lodge has its own restaurant and bar, plus a small organic kitchen garden so you could pick your own chillies for dinner! An outdoor swimming pool, set against the backdrop of the low-lying mountains, offers a refreshing spot for a morning dip.

Excursions

This is where Gal Oya Lodge comes into its own. The owners work with the local Vedda community (the aboriginal people of Sri Lanka) to offer guests unique opportunities, such as walking with the tribal chief to hear more about their way of life. Proceeds are given back to the community through medical and educational schemes.

Being a National Park, this area is a wildlife-lover’s paradise. Guides from Gal Oya can take you on safaris by foot and by boat – the country’s largest lake provides a wonderful vantage point for wildlife spotting, including the sight of swimming elephants!

Alternatively, take a jeep drive through the jungle to the mightly Nigala River which flows under a boulder field.

Recommended for… Wildlife lovers and those interested in the real Sri Lanka

Be aware that… The lodge is in a very beautiful but also very remote location – don’t expect wifi or mobile signal (great for a digital detox!)

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Solar-powered hot-water system
  • ‘Grey’ water from the rooms and kitchen used in the gardens
  • Anaerobic waste treatment system
  • No air-con required as polished concrete floors and high illux roofs provide a naturally cool environment
  • Tables and chairs made by local craftspeople
  • Produce grown by the lodge, or sourced from small, local farmers
  • Medical and educational schemes set-up to help the local Vedda community

 

For more information, including prices and booking, visit www.galoyalodge.com

New teaching summer camp launched in India

If you’ve always wanted to take a career break or add another experience to your gap year, it’s time to plan ahead for summer 2015 and two potentially life-changing weeks…

Volunteering organisation PoD has just announced details of a new summer camp working with children in India. The two-week placement is a great opportunity for first-time volunteers to join a supported and structured programme running activity sessions for local children in the city of Udaipur in the north of the country.

teaching children in India, with PoD Volunteer (2)

The aim of the project is to provide additional support to local staff and to improve the level of education of the local children in order to help them break the cycle of poverty. Udaipur is one of the most underdeveloped states with below average income and literacy rates in comparison to the rest of India, with less than 50% of females being able to read and write.

The work and what to expect

The volunteer team will run educational activities and games in schools and children’s homes. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to experience Indian culture through Hindi lessons, cooking sessions, optional yoga classes and henna workshops. The placement includes trips to famous Indian landmarks including the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, temples and palaces.

Accommodation

Volunteers will live in an apartment with each room having its own bathroom. The accommodation is simple but clean and has a TV room, dining room, kitchen, resources and lesson planning area and has Wi-Fi.

Recommended for… Those who enjoy working with children and experiencing the local culture in India

Be aware that… You should be realistic about how much you can achieve in two weeks, but your contribution is an essential part of the on-going project and support for the local community.

The two week placement starts on 12 July 2015 and costs £895. For full details including booking visit the project profile on www.podvolunteer.org

teaching children in India, with PoD Volunteer (1)

PoD is a specialist non-profit volunteering organisation with over 10 years’ experience arranging volunteer placements overseas who are committed to a responsible volunteering approach which they have carefully defined to guide us in the way they work. See more about their responsible volunteer policy here.

Get involved with creative arts in Nepal

Do you love arts and crafts? Or enjoy getting kids involved in dance, music and drama? Then you could be the perfect candidate for a new volunteering project in Nepal.

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Creative Arts, Nepal, run by the charity PoD, is looking for volunteers with skills in drawing, painting, music, drama, dance, creative writing, pottery, puppetry, story-telling, anything your creative mind can offer! Volunteers will be teaching young children at the Street Children’s Centre in the Himalayan city of Pokhara, running creative classes to break from the norm of rote learning. The creative classes help broaden the children’s imagination, improve self-confidence, open up new ways of learning, and most of all, add an element of fun!

Schools and children’s centres in Nepal rarely have the budget to fund arts-related classes meaning additional support from charities and their volunteers is greatly welcomed.

The work

Volunteers work for around five hours a day, five days a week, at the centre and are encouraged to come prepared with their own lesson plans and activity ideas for children of all ages. Approximately two to five other volunteers will be working with PoD in Pokhara at the same time, and everyone will receive support from PoD volunteer manager and resident Chrissie. Volunteers receive a Nepali language lesson during their first week, with placements lasting from two to 16 weeks.

Accommodation

Volunteers stay in the beautiful Himalayan lakeside city of Pokhara, surrounded by mountains. Accommodation is at a family-run guesthouse – basic but clean and comfortable, with your own en-suite room. Owner Bindu and her family always provide a very warm welcome for guests.

PoD has been working in Nepal since 2007 with two members of staff who are based in Pokhara. The Street Children’s Centre rescues children from a life on the street. The children here could have run away from home, been abandoned by their families or have grown up on the streets as orphans. The centre is home to around 15 orphaned and disadvantaged children between two and 15 years old. The orphanage uses its limited resources to provide the children with accommodation, food, education and support. The child care centres allow low to middle income families to work while their children are at a day care centre in a safe and secure environment.

For more information about the project, including fees, dates and how to book, visit Creative Arts, Nepal.

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Lost in Laos? Volunteering in Vang Vieng

Guest blogger Ellie Cambridge, of NGO Frontier, lifts the lid on the Laos Volunteer Adventure project

the beautiful landscape of Vang Vieng150km north of Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, you will find the quaint town of Vang Vieng which sits within a breathtaking and mesmerising location – it’s no surprise that this town has become a hot destination on the tourist and backpacker trail. The town is completely surrounded by limestone cliffs, at the foot of which you can find the town’s most famous natural resource – the idyllic Nam Song river. Tourists and locals alike gather here for kayaking or tubing – and you can hop off your chosen river transport and explore the numerous caves that Vang Vieng boasts. The town, which still manages to maintain a peaceful lifestyle, despite its popularity, also has several lagoons which are every bit as exotic as you’d expect.

But for those wanting to also make a positive difference to the area, Frontier’s Laos Volunteer Adventure makes the most of the beautiful surrounding while getting volunteers involved in work that greatly benefits the local community.

The project has one clear and precise goal – the sustainable development of the children in Vang Viengcommunity. This is reflected in the project itself uses environmentally friendly building methods and farming practices (bio-gas, permaculture, and mud-brick), which will all assist in encouraging sustainable future development and will help preserve the natural environment for future generations.

Teaching for the future

The activities that volunteers get involved with on a daily basis are teaching, sustainable building, organic farming, bio-gas technology, water supply, and waste management. Teaching is valuable tool in terms of creating awareness and will help change the way that future generations approach sustainable development and farming. Volunteers on the project can make a real difference in the way the community flourishes by teaching (as creatively as possible) the importance of sustainability. Teaching English to young and enthusiastic children and young adults at the projects community centre is also conducted on a daily basis, which is important for their further education.

delicious local food in Vang ViengFarming the land and new technologies

An emphasis is put upon the ideals and practises of organic farming within the community. An important part of the project is to tend to the various crops of fruit and vegetables that are grown naturally in the fertile soil found on site. Tasks will also include replanting and harvesting when necessary, and volunteers will of course get to enjoy the fruits of their labour by eating the produce during meals! Bio-Gas technology is something that the project is currently setting up, and it is hoped that in the future all of the local homes will use this form of technology for energy; it decreases the use of firewood and generates natural fertiliser that can be used as part of the organic farming programme.

Click here to find out more about the Laos Adventure Volunteer project.

Recommended for… Anyone who wants to be submersed within a new culture and get hands on experience making a tangible difference in the lives of villagers.farmland in Vang Vieng

Be aware that… Accommodation is clean and comfortable, but sleeping arrangements are shared dormitory-style.

‘Good’ credentials:

  • Grassroots, authentic volunteering experience
  • Long-term and sustainable green development

 

About the author: Ellie Cambridge works for Frontier, an NGO dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities in the world’s poorest countries. Find out more about Frontier’s volunteer projects, ethical adventure trails and gap year planning.

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