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Tailor Made Holidays with our travel experts
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DAY 01: LUSH COUNTRY RIDING -
Hoi An to Bho Hoong (110 km)
Delve into the heart of central Vietnam with this 2-day adventure. We set off from Hoi An on what promises to be an unforgettable voyage of rugged roads, rustic villages and stunning highlands. Pack your sense of adventure and leave behind those preconceived notions of touristy villages: this journey is the real deal. With the wind in your hair, we zip through the Hoi An countryside to Marble Mountain where the thrill-lovers among us can opt for an abseiling adventure into Hell’s Cave. We then head west and climb our way into the mountains. As we wind our way up into the hills towards the Lao border home to the Co Tu minority, we take a break to visit one of the few remaining Co Tu woodcarvers and enjoy a home cooked lunch in his stilted house before continuing our journey deep in to the mountains, meandering through isolated villages where the culture and traditions remain untouched by time making this remote and staggeringly beautiful region home to one of the most authentic hill tribes to remain in Vietnam.
Arriving mid afternoon at Bho Hoong, a traditional Co Tu village, we find our digs for the night. Little has changed in the past hundred years in Bho Hoong and it is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Central Vietnam. A light trek through the village outskirts takes us into the surrounding jungle and to rivers, where we can go for a refreshing dip. The evening is highlighted by a superb dinner of Co Tu traditional dishes, a traditional dancing performance and a chance to interact with the villagers, gaining more insight into their rich culture. Afterwards, retreat to your stilted Co Tu hut where the serene setting and clear mountain air will lull you to sleep.
DAY 02: HO CHI MINH TRAIL
- Bho Hoong Village to Hue (195 km)
Day two of your adventure begins with breakfast in the village and a chance to watch the morning activities of the Co Tu. Bidding farewell to our hosts, its then back on the road to resume our journey through the rugged highlands of Central Vietnam. This time we follow a new section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail toward the Lao border, crossing through lush rainforests and over mountain passes on roads perfectly suited to jeeps. Keep your camera handy as the views are certainly photo-worthy.
Midday we take a break for a picnic lunch in the shade of a mountain waterfall. Take a swim in the cool waters or simply lay back and relax in the solitude. We then begin the last stretch of today’s journey, descending down to Hue. But the adventure isn’t over yet! The landscape continues to change as we make our way to the flatlands, passing through A Shau valley- an area that played a key role during the American war- and then catching glimpses of the iconic Perfume River from the hills. We cruise into Hue’s centre in the early evening.
Responsible Travel with Ethnic Voyage
Our main goal with our responsible travel ethic is to provide a sustainable income stream for Bho Hoong village without sacrificing the traditional beliefs and customs of the local people. At the same time giving visitors a unique chance for cultural interaction and exchange.
In order to achieve this goal, Ethnic Voyage has worked with the villagers and their leaders to ensure that they believe in, understand and value the projects we help set up. The key to any project such is this is creating a sense of ownership among the local people, involving them in a project that they believe in. Without ownership a community-based project such as ours cannot not last and it makes future projects all that more difficult to initiate. The more aware the locals are of the value Western tourists place in their unique culture the more enthusiastic they are about preserving it and sharing it with others.
During the building and day to day running of Bho Hoong Bungalows we source all of our supplies, food and materials from local communities. We also employ indigenous villagers to help throughout the duration of stay. A key part of the Bho Hoong Bungalows initiative, and one that we are very proud of, is guide training. We educate and train enthusiastic locals to be our guides and this provides an additional income stream for the village and gives them valuable experience for future pursuits. Finally, the revenue generated from our Bho Hoong Bungalows is put back into the community through educational, health and environmental initiatives.
Every traveler who stays at Bho Hoong village pays a compulsory fee. This goes directly to the Bho Hoong village management committee, a local committee established by the ILO (www.ilo.org) to manage tourism development within the village. This fee is covered within the tour price and helps build a sustainable future for the local villagers. Through these responsible travel initiatives we hope to enhance the living conditions of the community, maintain and improve the local natural environment whilst enriching the travellers’ experience.