I recently started reading Christopher Skinner’s travel updates on his travel weblog. His most recent entry talks about his experience is Sapa and more specifically details a point that I have given a lot of thought after my visit there almost a year ago: the minorities selling their wares to tourists.
The above picture displays this activity. The minority villagers make their way to Sapa with blankets and other such crafts and approach tourists with efforts to sell the items. This activity is not unique to Sapa or Vietnam. Such activities are as old as tourism itself and happen all over the world. But there is a very dishonest truth to these particular wares that most tourists are unaware of. Click here to keep reading…
Filed under Asia, Travel Tips, Vietnam.
This is a guest-post by my friend, Anne-Mischa van Schouwenburg. We traveled together throughout Southeast Asia in the summer of 2006.
Begging is a big problem in almost all developing countries. The thing is that travellers often contribute to the problem without knowing.
When travelling you get easily overwhelmed by children swarming around you asking for your money and it can be hard to resist those begging faces over and over again. But be conscious about the fact that by giving children money you encourage them to keep begging for money. Click here to keep reading…
Filed under Travel Tips.
Before setting off on your next adventure there is one question that you will undoubtedly ask yourself: go solo or with others? Both options have their considerations. Let us look at the latter option and discuss some of the pros and cons that I believe are important for you to consider or, at least, be prepared for.
As with every popular decision (traveling with someone is a popular choice), the pros outweigh the cons for most people. That does not mean it’s always easy to find someone to travel with. But in case you need reasons for going with someone, here are a few. Click here to keep reading…
Filed under Travel Tips.
I picked up Wednesday’s International Herald Tribune and read an article on phony life-saving drugs. I always thought it was probably a better idea to bring medicines from home simply because the certain guarantee of quality, but the fact that 53% of anti-malarials bought in Asia are fake is astounding and presents a serious health risk for us as travelers.
That is why I write today to present the following advice: If you’re thinking about visiting Asia, bring your medicines. Yes, the fact remains that the genuine medicines in Asia are indeed cheaper than at home, but often the costs of such things can be recouped by your health insurance and there is full quality accountability at home (that is to say at least in the EU and North America). Click here to keep reading…
Filed under Asia, Travel Tips.
