Sticky Rice
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Trip Highlights
- Helping create a community based tourism initiative; projects include public washrooms, rest pavilions, bridge crossings for mountain bike trails, accommodation for community-lodge
- Vientiane's Victory Monument
- Vang Vieng - kayaking, cave exploring, Tubing
- World Heritage Luang Prabang
- Cooperative silk weaving artisans workshop
- UNESCO presentation on the history of Luang Prabang
- Kuang Sy waterfalls
Your ''Taste of Volunteering'' Project
Building various structures to help establish a sustainable community-based eco-tourism operation for the elimination of poverty.
Projects include public washrooms, rest pavilions, bridge crossings for mountain bike trails, accommodation for community-lodge.
Despite rapid progress over the past decade up to 80% of the project area population
along the Seuang River live in poverty.
Poverty, combined with rapid population growth and unequal distribution of economic development are dramatically increasing demands on remaining forest cover and wildlife. Simply, when no alternative is available, environmental conservation and wildlife protection are less important to those living in poverty.
This project will create capacity and build infrastructure necessary to develop a sustainable community-based, eco-tourism site for use by international school, university and community-service groups. In doing so, the project will provide alternative livelihoods to hunting and logging while creating awareness and support for environmental conservation and cultural preservation.
This will be accomplished through the Seuang River Community-Based Tourism cooperative agreement that applies ‘Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty’ principles to a business venture between the Villages and the Company under the auspices of provincial government agencies.
The main project activities will be implementing the cooperative agreement, establishing strong communication among stakeholders, survey of important environmental and cultural assets, awareness building, training and infrastructure development. Through these activities villagers will become active stewards of their environmental and cultural resources. The project will further create alternative livelihoods to logging and hunting to establish a direct link between poverty alleviation and environment protection.
Please note that actual work conditions and tasks are subject to change due to the season, progress of project, villagers’ schedules and other factors beyond our control. We ask all volunteers to be aware we are visitors to another’s home a must respect their wishes. Open and flexible attitudes are always necessary to create the incredible experiences volunteering can bring.
Trip Summary
Starting from Vientiane, after a city tour and a visit to an incrediible silk-weaving cooperative, our exciting adventure moves north to Vang Vieng. A small beautiful town with countless activities; from kayaking and caves exploring, to floating down the river on inner tubes, Vang Vieng has it all.
On day five, we visit the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang and tour its peaceful wonders. Over the next three days, enjoy an insightful presentation by UNESCO on the history of this spellbinding town, and marvel at the stunning Kuang Sy waterfalls. The Pak Ou caves, mountain biking and hiking are all on offer for your free day.
Your next six days will no doubt be the most rewarding as you assist on setting up a sustainable commuinity-based tourism site, about an hour north of Luang Prabang.
The time will fly by and before you know it you will be bidding sad farewells to your new friends, and having another free day in Luang Prabang before your trip ends, or you can join us on some incredible hikes amongst ethnic minority villages in areas such as Luang Nam Tha.
* Comfort Level: Accommodation is in up- market boutique 4-5* hotels in Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, with 4 nights in simple accommodation whilst volunteering. You have an English speaking guide and private transfers throughout.
For more information please contact us.
Other Fantastic Trips
China - The Road to Shangri La
Indonesia - Lombok Love Affair
Nepal - Everest Bound
Thailand - Thai/Lao Explorer
Vietnam - Hanoi & Hilltribes
Feel free to contact us if you have any enquiries about this trip.
