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Sustainable travel: A guide to travel responsibly in Southeast Asia

Hanoi Voyages > Travel Stories > Sustainable travel: A guide to travel responsibly in Southeast Asia

Why you should choose sustainable travel to save Southeast Asia

Going to Southeast Asia is definitely the best of both worlds. You can be enjoying the magnificent nature and be stunned at fast-rising skyscrapers. Tourists love Southeast Asia, without a doubt, but it is unclear whether they equally care about its state after enjoying it. For instance, a famous Thailand beach where Leonardo DiCaprio filmed has just been shut down for maintenance due to severe environmental damage from litters of millions of tourists.

Maya Bay was closed down due to pollution
Maya Bay was closed down due to pollution

That is just the tip of the iceberg. If we don’t change the way we travel, there would be neither beaches nor mountains for us to explore. Follow us to understand the current situations, and join Hanoi Voyages for the complete guide to sustainable travel in Southeast Asia!

Sustainable travel in Southeast Asia

Facts and challenges for visitors

Tourism in Southeast Asia is reaching its peak these recent years, with high potential for prosperity. But do you know that this boom is also one of the major contributors to global climate change?

Approximately 27% of CO2 emission is reported to be coming from this region alone. The situation is even worse as there are no strict regulations from these countries. Furthermore, environmental crimes such as animal poaching are still prevalent. These make travelling to Southeast Asia quite intimidating for those with a responsible mindset.

As a leading travel agency in promoting Authenticity and Sustainability, we cannot stand still. We try to be sustainable and eco-friendly in every of our operation, educate our clients on how to reduce plastic litter, carbon footprints and so on.

If the situation resonates with you, you can follow our easy tips below to make a difference and travel sustainably!

How to travel consciously

Utilize the 3R: Refuse - Reduce - Reuse

It’s important that conscious travellers keep in mind this 3R’s principle: Refuse – Reduce – Reuse, since this helps in preventing waste which would have ended up in landfills.

  • Refuse: It’s easy to turn down free promotional goods, samples, flyers, or restaurant disposables. By doing this, you will help decrease the demand for products that are needless and waste natural resources.
  • Reduce: Sustainable travel does not only rely on external matters, but it also comes from within oneself. Try to declutter and apply a minimalist approach to packing. Challenge yourself by bringing only the essentials. If possible, utilize your smart devices to store information like itineraries, tickets or boarding pass. This makes travelling a lot lighter, hassle-free and minimizes trashes as you don’t have to throw away your items if overpacked!
  • Reuse: most Southeast Asian countries still rely heavily on plastic and unrecyclable items, so reusing is the final option to prevent waste. Try avoiding plastic products and bring your own cloth bags (for shopping), handkerchief (in place of paper towels), a durable thermos bottle instead of plastic ones, and a set of cutleries for yourself.
Example of a sustainable travel kit
Bring your own sustainable travel kit and save the environment!

Research an area before visiting

Read reviews of reservation sites, animal parks, and so on online and see whether their operation is ethical or not. As a rule of thumb, you should avoid any business that relies on animal exploitation. Instead, head to animal sanctuaries or conservation centres.

If you are unsure about the area you intend to go, feel free to Contact us. We are always available to answer your questions!

On the other hand, spending your money effectively is a good way to travel to Southeast Asia responsibly. We know that responsible travellers are looking for authentic travel experiences, and the best way to find them is to connect with local cultures. Visiting local museums, joining homestay programs or doing local exchange activities are the most impactful activities. This truly helps local businesses grow and their communities prosper.

Engage with tour companies that commit to sustainable travel

Do you know your contribution can have more impact and result if you choose a reliable sustainable travel company?

Tourism can be a cause for good and an agent for great change, support and development of Southeast Asia. Remember that each and every activity you engage in impacts your trip and the country of your destinations. It requires much time and effort to do thorough research and compare prices for every destination you’re planning to visit, especially if it is a long journey. Therefore, a better alternative is to book your trip with tour companies that commit to sustainable travel.

A good travel company will equip you with reusable kits. For example, reusable water bottle, sustainable toothbrush, eco-friendly bag, and provide you with other tips to stay waste-free.

How Hanoi Voyages create sustainable travel

The team behind your next sustainable travel to Southeast Asia
The team behind your authentic tailor-made tours

Understanding the subtle, yet powerful changes in tourism within Southeast Asia while keeping our social responsibilities in mind, we Hanoi Voyages strive to give you the best private, refined and authentic tailor-made tours for you.

We from Hanoi Voyages are guaranteed to bring you the most ethical activities that will do no harm to the wildlife. An example is the Elephant Park in Chiang Mai – one of our destination, where they preserve and protect the elephants.

We also engage with experienced local guides and support local businesses to give you the best holidays, giving positive and sustainable impacts to our host countries. Interested in our activities? Read more to find out how we create sustainable travel now!

Creating sustainable values in Southeast Asia

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