Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong

Tataikrom Nature Tourism Community Site in Koh Kong province

Take a boat along a river and soak in the greenery. Arrive at the water fall where you can go swimming, have a picnic, hike around and cool off.

What tourists can see and do there:

The Tataikrom Nature Tourism Community Post offers a pleasant boat ride (with a covered boat to provide some shade) to a pleasant waterfall where both locals and tourists like to go swimming. Along the river, it is possible to hear gibbons sing in the[...]

Banteay Chhmar

Go visit a potential UNESCO world heritage site before it makes the big times. Soak in impressive faces of Jayavarman VII carved into stone. Enjoy the carvings of Lokesvara with 32 arms, as well as the beautiful Hall of Dancers.

What tourists can see and do there:
Visitors can explore the temples and barays and have a picnic there. Food will be prepared by a local women’s group. Visitors can also discover the surrounding rural life by ox-cart, bicycle or Koyun, meet[...]

Chambok Community-based Ecotourism site

Leave behind the noise and pollution of Phnom Penh and get out to nature where you can burn off some calories with the fun and beautiful hike up to a stunning 40 meter waterfall. Swim in the refreshing pools at the base of the waterfall and have an unforgettable experience.

What tourists can see and do there:
The most breathtaking attraction people come to Chambok for is to swim at the base of the 40 meter high waterfall. That being said,[...]

Phare Ponle Selapak

Be entertained in the evening with good old fashioned fun. Children and teenagers doing back flips, juggle more than seems possible, and walking on a tight rope. Hear some jokes from young Khmers and learn more about the community while sharing a laugh and helping the community with your tourism spending.

What tourists can see and do there:
Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS) – meaning “the brightness of art” – is best known for its circus school, which trains children and teenagers that[...]

Chi Phat Community Based Eco-tourism in Koh Kong province

Escape into nature, fill your eyes with green, and get to know some nice and friendly rural Cambodians while making a difference. Your tourist dollars will show community members that the trees are an asset worth protecting.

What tourists can see and do there:

: Rural life of Chi Phat Community

Chi Phat is a remote village located in Koh Kong province that offers a number of activities for those looking to travel off the beaten path. The site is located within the Cardamom[...]

Peam Krassop Mangrove forest and Eco-tourism Sanctuary in Koh Kong province

Stay in a nice , comfortable and cheap guesthouse in Koh Kong province, eat fresh crab on the waterfront, and then head out for a day’s adventure in the awe inspiring Peam Krassop Mangrove forest.

What tourists can see and do there:

: Peam Krassop Mangrove Forest

After paying your entrance fee for Peam Krassop Sanctuary, walk along an elevated footpath through the mangrove forest. At the end of the path, there is a suspension bridge and a three story high elevated platform where[...]

A Jumbo Adventure in the Land of a Million Elephants

Activity: Elephant Adventures
Location: Hongsa District, Sayaboury Province.
Tip: Be prepared to live life as a real Lao mahout

Logging elephants have been retrained to offer a more environmentally and economically sustainable source of income for local Lao mahouts – tourism.

The experience: Elephant Adventures offers visitors two- to three-day elephant treks through the forests and rice fields of the stunning yet remote province of Sayaboury, Laos. Departing from Luang Prabang or Pak Beng, visitors can experience life as a Lao mahout, learning traditional elephant commands, participating in[...]

Mekong ‘Responsible’ Site Wins ‘Gold Award’

This site, the ‘Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong’ at ExploreMekong.org/responsible has won the 2009 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in the website category.

This year’s PATA Gold Awards program attracted 236 entries from 120 organisations worldwide. Each PATA Gold Award is judged by a panel of industry experts.

“This Award sends a message of support, encouragement, and inspiration to responsible tourism operators in the Mekong,” said Mekong Tourism Executive Director Mason Florence. “They now have an opportunity to be featured[...]

… And is Eligible for the ‘Spotlight Award’. Vote Now!

[Update: Ecotourism Laos garnered the highest popular vote and won the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award. Congratulations Laos! The landlocked nation is part of the Greater Mekong Subregion and is a leader in global responsible tourism, particularly ecotourism.]

Voting is open for the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award. Government websites that educate visitors about ecotourism and responsible travel options are eligible. Vote ‘Mekong’ now.

Nominees include the ‘Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong’ (Mekong Tourism’s PATA Gold Award-winning website), plus websites from Ireland, Laos, and[...]

Off the Beaten Path in Northeast Thailand

Activity: Fully catered accommodation by Gecko Villa
Location: In the countryside outside Udon Thani, Northeast Thailand
Tip: Experience untouched rural Thailand from the heartlands of Isan.

The villages of Isan are rarely visited by tourists and offer a marked contrast to Thailand’s developed mass tourism destinations.

The experience: Gecko Villa offers guests the chance to experience traditional rural life in the rice-farming heartlands of Northeast Thailand, yet in comfort and without the normal language barriers encountered in the area.

Rice field

Guests may participate in traditional activities,[...]