Principles are important everywhere – even in travel. The Mekong Sub-Region can be a challenge to ethical travelers who want to stay on the straight and narrow: how do you know you’re doing the right thing, and more than that, doing right by the people of the countries you’re visiting?
As you travel throughout the Mekong Sub-Region, commit yourself to following ethical travel principles, starting with these four easy-to-accomplish rules:
Respect local traditions. Be mindful that you’re only a guest in the countries you visit. Treat locals as if they’re the owners of a house you’re only visiting.
This means dutifully removing your shoes at certain temples that require this, like in Myanmar’s Bagan; paying respect to monks; or keeping any culturally sensitive tattoos hidden. (The Burmese are quite sensitive about tattoos of the Buddha in the wrong places, for instance.)
Consume ethically. Make sure your travel budget goes straight to the grassroots: when choosing vendors, prioritize small community-based businesses over large corporations run from far away.
This means when you go shopping, you should buy locally, preferably from local artisans, or choose shops that build their brand on the ethical choices they make in sourcing or production.
This also goes for where you stay: avoid chain hotels or international brands; choose family-owned hostels, B&Bs or homestays instead. When you’re dining out, choose street food stalls or family-owned restaurants, instead of large chain outlets.
Kid in Cambodia
Photo by Akara Yoth Tat on Unsplash
Minimize your carbon footprint. It’s unavoidable that you’ll consume resources and generate trash as you travel, but that doesn’t mean you have no choice in the impact you make on the local environment. You have the responsibility to keep your carbon footprint to a minimum as you travel.
For instance, when traveling short distances, you can choose to walk instead of taking motorized vehicles. You can also take public transportation for short- to medium-range trips, instead of hiring a car to take you places. Finally, you can carry your own water bottle (with water taken from a trustworthy source) instead of buying bottled water and throwing away the empties when you’re done.
Any trash you generate along the way should be carried until you find a suitable receptacle for your garbage.
Be kind to animals. As much as possible, avoid attractions where animals are treated cruelly or confined unnaturally. This means, for instance, choosing ethical elephant sanctuaries (like Cambodia’s Mondulkiri Project) over those that permit elephant rides.
You may wish to go even further, if your principles dictate it. You might disdain any animal rides whatsoever, even including horses; vegetarians or vegans may draw the line at any tourist attractions that involve any meat or animal products – but your mileage may vary.