While nearby thailand gets a ton of buzz internationally because it has a well-developed tourism industry at every end of the spectrum—both high-end and budget, and everything in between—vietnam deserves a closer look for anyone heading to southeast asia.Cognitive development learning this long and skinny country has thousands of miles of coastline, every type of terrain imaginable, and arguably the best food scene in the region (them be fightin’ words for many, but you’d be hard put not to have vietnam at least in a top three list!).Cognitive development learning the country is firmly on the “banana pancake trail,” which means a plethora of budget options abound and there are no shortage of backpackers north to south, but there’s a lot more to the country than just that.Cognitive development learning

Vietnam has truly incredible things happening on in sustainable and responsible tourism. Social enterprise as a concept is firmly established in vietnam, and you can travel the country while regularly spending your money at responsible tourism-facing businesses.Cognitive development learning northern vietnam boasts remarkable ethnic diversity, and the hill tribe groups in the north are actively crafting a vibrant and local tourism industry that funnels money into nearly every remote corner that has a trail pointing in that direction.Cognitive development learning in major cities, an abundance of training restaurants work with underprivileged youth, and elsewhere you’ll find responsible tour companies, cafes, workshops, and more.Cognitive development learning

Talk to a recent SEA backpacker and there’s a good chance you’ll hear them gush about their time in vietnam. Likely because local food and culture is just so darn accessible.Cognitive development learning no matter where you travel, there’s bound to be something interesting, beautiful, and yes, responsible. That said, like the rest of southeast asia, there are overarching concerns for responsible travelers.Cognitive development learning from how to ethically interact with wildlife to avoiding human exploitation and sex trafficking, it’s a complicated topic covered in-depth in the GV responsible travel guide to southeast asia.Cognitive development learning that said, here’s what each of the key issues looks like when zoomed in on vietnam, specifically.

Human tourism & trafficking: if you’ve read our thailand responsible travel guide, than you’re aware of issues in the region when hill tribe groups become nothing more than human zoos.Cognitive development learning if the idea of hill tribe cultures excites you, then you can delight in the knowledge that vietnam is among the most fascinating places to take part in hill tribe tourism.Cognitive development learning unlike the many sketchy options in thailand, northern vietnam has a well-developed tourism infrastructure built entirely around trekking to visit the region’s various hill tribe and ethnic minority groups.Cognitive development learning the format is usually a trek plus homestay, and the length of each entire depends on the traveler.

Homestays: speaking of homestays, these are not confined to the northern hill tribes.Cognitive development learning across the country, homestays are a common and excellent way to respectfully visit rural communities, support the local economy, and learn about the people and culture of vietnam.Cognitive development learning if GV doesn’t recommend a homestay for the town you’re visiting, there is still likely ample opportunity to engage in this type of tourism (despite trying, we can’t find everything!). On your own, look out for businesses described as community-based organizations (cbos) and for hyper local businesses run by local families (and not recognizable hotel brands).Cognitive development learning

Wildlife tourism: we’ve covered riding elephants extensively on both grassroots volunteering and its sister site—the short of it is that you should not.Cognitive development learning vietnam has some options for ethical elephant interactions, but generally you’ll find a better selection in thailand (and, to an extent, cambodia).Cognitive development learning if it’s your dream to interact with these majestic creatures, consider saving that experience until you get to one of these neighboring countries.Cognitive development learning besides elephant tourism, generally avoid riding any exotic wild animal. Riding ostriches in dalat is gaining popularity, but most would not consider this a responsible travel decision: an ostrich’s body is not designed to hold an adult’s weight and these animals fully panic when ridden.Cognitive development learning

Note: in addition to these concerns around types of wildlife tourism, vietnam has a large and growing black market for products produced from illegal animals.Cognitive development learning not only are live animals trafficked to nearby china, and further afield, but souvenirs using turtle shells, skins, and ivory are available.Cognitive development learning purchasing these products contributes to the trafficking of wild and endangered animals, and should thus be avoided.

Haggling: this is a concern that falls firmly on the shoulders of travelers.Cognitive development learning negotiating is a practice new to many international travelers, and some can take the art of the haggle too far. There are some who say “no vendor would sell a product for a loss”—that is not true.Cognitive development learning when a vendor has a sunk cost (they have already bought the goods), they may actually lose money on a deal if it means cash-in-hand that day, thus being able to buy food, pay school fees, etc.Cognitive development learning bargain respectfully. And take heart that your sale directly helps the local economy—spend money and feel good about infusing your cash into the local economy.Cognitive development learning

Responsible travel dos: there’s another side to responsible travel beyond the don’ts, and we’re about to take a granular look at exactly how and where to spend your money responsibly.Cognitive development learning if you’re already doing the activity—and it fits within the framework of an ethical and sustainable tourism activity—then use this vetted list of social enterprises to ensure your travel dollars are going as far as possible on the ground.Cognitive development learning

A social enterprise sells good or services and uses a portion of the profits to reinvest in the local community by addressing social issues, improving locals’ quality of life, conserving natural resources and the environment, preserving the community’s cultural integrity, and more.Cognitive development learning the social enterprise holds its strong underlying mission above financial gain, investors, or traditional commercial business ideals. Instead, the common good is the primary focus and when a social enterprise succeeds, so too does the local society.Cognitive development learning

Supporting social enterprises is the core idea behind this site. Responsible travelers often align with the social enterprise business model because it’s not only good for travelers to understand a deeper story of a new place, but by supporting these businesses responsible travelers leave a place better than they found it.Cognitive development learning our “ what is a social enterprise” post shares a deeper-dive into the social enterprise business model, how to locate these businesses, and why they are a core tenet of responsible and sustainable travel.Cognitive development learning social enterprises in vietnam

• KOTO restaurant ( hanoi, ho chi minh city): in hanoi, dine on delicious international foods or indulge in some cake or pastries.Cognitive development learning in ho chi minh city dine on delightful southeast asian, belgian or french dishes. KOTO is working to be a self-sustaining social enterprise and trains street and disadvantaged youth in the food and hospitality industries.Cognitive development learning

• mekong quilts ( hanoi, ho chi minh city, hoi an): purchase beautiful quilts made by women from poor and rural areas across southeast asia, something you’re sure to treasure for many years to come.Cognitive development learning this social enterprise is led by mekong plus, an NGO which reinvests in local communities provides scholarships for children and micro-financing programs.Cognitive development learning

The database of social enterprises in vietnam is always expanding as GV ambassadors map the world of projects and businesses that need support from responsible travelers.Cognitive development learning wondering how we pick a social enterprise for inclusion? Make your time in vietnam a better force for good by visiting and supporting businesses committed to environment, social, and community welfare.Cognitive development learning

All volunteers should start their research by seeking to understand the nuanced issues within the global volunteering industry, and the range of potential concerns.Cognitive development learning read our piece, “ the psychology & ethics of international volunteering,” for an outline of key issues and mindsets plaguing volunteers.Cognitive development learning in essence, understand that volunteer programs should not compromise the dignity of local populations, and in many cases projects should work toward an end-goal of independence of the communities from the need for volunteers, even if it’s at a point further in the future.Cognitive development learning

If you have few concrete skills, consider instead visiting any of the many social enterprises listed above. You can use your trip as a way to learn more about the culture, as well as research specific organizations you might want to support down the line.Cognitive development learning avoid volunteering with children unless you have many months to commit to the project—numerous studies have found that short-term stints at schools and orphanages can have harmful longterm effects on the children.Cognitive development learning

All of that said, there are certainly a number of volunteer opportunities for volunteers of all skill levels and time commitments, so don’t let any aspect prevent you from researching and then assessing if you have the skills suited to a project that needs your help.Cognitive development learning research independent volunteer opportunities in vietnam. Additional resources for responsible travelers