A Green Travel Guide to Eco-friendly Vacations in Vietnam

In recent years, sustainable travel has become significant in parallel with sustainable development goals all over the world. As a consequence, global adventurers are eager for the ways to be green travelers, but most of them don’t know how to exactly do during their eco-friendly vacations. So, what is to be done if your next destination is Vietnam? Let’s figure out an in-depth look at what Green Travel is, why it matters and a comprehensive guide to set your mind on eco-friendly travel in Vietnam.

What is Green Travel?

Dating back to 10 years ago, the concept of “Green Travel” or “Ecotourism” was mostly unknown to average travelers. Have you ever imagined someone sleeping in a treehouse or cooking on a solar-powered camp stove to be considered an eco-friendly traveler? Actually, that’s not what an eco-adventure is for. There’s no need to sacrifice your comforts or go into the wild to become a green traveler.

Then, what does “Green Travel” mean? It’s referred to the fields of responsible travel and local conservation. All you have to do is being responsible for your behaviors and actions while traveling anywhere, urban cities or rural villages, luxury resorts, or budget homestays. In other words, you need to minimize your footprint by reducing negative impacts on the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the places you visit. Try to get into the habit of responsible travel practices, such as respecting local cultures, contributing to local communities, conserving biodiversity, wildlife, and other resources.

Green Travel is referred to eco-tourism which is friendly to nature

Why go Green Travel?

The fact of Mother Nature being devastated by the act of tourism industry is the most important reason why the whole world needs to take an eco-approach to green travel overseas. You might not know that beautiful oceanfront hotels can cause beach erosion; rising numbers of tourists threaten the fragile ecosystems of unspoiled beauty spots, or carbon dioxide emissions from air travel contribute to global warming.

Individually, each of you can’t control the chemicals used by the hotels, the carbon emissions from the planes, or the plastics used in souvenir shops. However, you can choose more eco-friendly accommodation, transportation, and tour operators for green purposes. Together, all these little choices can encourage great innovation in sustainable travel.

A guide to Green Travel in Vietnam

Like other countries, Vietnam’s tourism industry has offered a wide range of eco-friendly tours, hotels, resorts, and other services with the orientation of sustainable travel. As an individual, you should change the attitude towards responsible travel in Vietnam. For those in pursuit of eco-friendly and green adventure, this part will give you 5 basic tips for green travel guides in Vietnam.  

Green destinations in Vietnam

Vietnam’s government has adopted several regulations designed to encourage sustainable travel and lessen the negative impacts of the booming tourism industry. With the aim of ecotourism, more eco-friendly places and less traveled roads are allowed for visits.

Outstandingly, Vietnam is home to numerous national parks and local communities spanning across the country. No matter where you visit, you’ll have an opportunity to explore the awe-inspiring beauty and refreshing air into nature in Vietnam. Here’re a few recommended eco-friendly destinations in Vietnam.

• Cat Ba National Park is situated on Cat Ba Island, 60 km from the center of Hai Phong city. This is the most protected area of Vietnam, which has marine conservation zones including marine ecosystems, forest ecosystems, mangrove ecosystems, and many lagoons, limestone. To preserve the natural property of Cat Ba National Park, you should keep in mind that every single behavior can directly affect the diverse and unique biotic flora and fauna here.
• Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is one of the highlights in Ninh Binh province, located in the southern margin of the Red River Delta. Known as the Halong Bay on land, Trang An consists of majestic mountains, wetland ecosystems, limestone caves, and wild streams in the scenic atmosphere. It’s perfect to take a Ninh Binh eco-tour by boat and get lost in the mesmerizing beauty of Trang An and other green destinations in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.

Trang An offers many eco-tours and green vacations in Vietnam 

• Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park features the cultural value and uniqueness of a protected area in north-central Vietnam. This is home to the huge Son Doong Cave and Phong Nha Cave, where the limestone karsts, tropical forests, underground rivers, and rich wildlife are part of the contributor to natural conservation. Go green and adore the magical and captivating beauty inside the cave with the Phong Nha-Ke Bang itinerary. You’ll find yourself much more inspired and responsible for green travel in Vietnam.

Green tours in Vietnam

Who doesn’t like a green tour to conserve the ecosystem, natural heritage, and local culture in your favorite destination? To be a smart traveler, you’d rather look for Vietnam’s eco-friendly tours and activities that don’t involve the use of fossil fuels and energy consumption in general. Take a look at this guide on eco-friendly tours in Vietnam.

• Cyclo tour: Cyclo is a three-wheel bicycle taxi that is perfect for a city tour around the old quarter of Hanoi and Hoi An. Alternatively, Hanoi offers city tours by electric cars which is a great way to go green without carbon emissions.
• Cycling tour: It’s easy for green travelers to find a cycling tour in any region of Vietnam. No matter where you go, hustle cities or tranquil villages, the lowlands or highlands, beaches, or mountains, biking is the most eco-friendly way to enjoy fresh breezes and do gentle physical exercise.
• Trekking tour: Needless to say, Vietnam is a dreamland of fantastic trekking and hiking trails, especially Northern Vietnam offering impressive mountain views of the entire Indochina peninsula. Being a responsible traveler, you should stick to the path without harming native flora and bring along a small bag to pick up any trash along your green trek.  

Trekking is one of the most eco-friendly activities for green travel in Vietnam

• Kayaking/ Snorkeling/ Boat tour: Any activities related to waterways are great for cooling down and immersing in nature. Whenever you look for a green tour in Vietnam, why don’t you try kayaking in Halong Bay, snorkeling, or scuba diving in Nha Trang and boating in Mekong Delta? Just remember to travel green and preserve the fragile ecosystem and wildlife of the country.
• Farming tour: Vietnam is known for its long-lasting farming and agricultural traditions. Hence, you can go on a farming tour to work as a local farmer in most parts of Vietnam. Among those green destinations, Hoi An is an ideal place to get deep insights into the local communities by taking an eco-tour.

Hoi An is a green destination for eco-tourism in Vietnam

Green transportations in Vietnam

Getting around Vietnam is so easy that you can search for tons of alternative means of transportation to travel green in Vietnam. It goes without saying that air travel is the most convenient but the most negative way for eco-friendly travel. To minimize your environmental footprint, you should consider the offset of carbon emissions produced by your flight and choose the most eco-friendly airlines in Vietnam. Additionally, many international airports have free water dispensers for money saving and plastic bottle reduction.

For long-distance, taking a plane is necessary; but for shorter trips, taking a train will give you a different perspective of green travel in Vietnam. Besides, renting a hybrid car or an energy-efficient vehicle not only costs you less gasoline but also contributes to eco-friendly travel in Vietnam.

Whenever possible, go green by public transportation or work out by walking and cycling around. Once again, these green transportations in Vietnam are both economical and healthy anyway.

Cyclo is an eco-friendly way to get around the Hanoi Old Quarter

Green accommodations in Vietnam

Vietnam is a perfect blend of locally-owned homestays and eco-friendly hotels and resorts with a view to building the sustainable tourism industry of the country. How do eco-friendly hotels and resorts stay green? At first, they should be locally owned or operated. Then, they offer eco-friendly programs to recycle and reduce consumption in the area. For example, they use energy-saving equipment, alternative energy sources, water-saving system, green materials such as paper, bamboo, glass, etc. instead of plastic. To have an ideal green travel itinerary in Vietnam, you may contact BestPrice team for the best arrangement.

Eco-friendly toiletries are perfect to travel green in Vietnam

Besides, it’s essential for you to go green during your stay in Vietnam. In case no eco-lodge or green hotel meets your standards, you can follow these green guidelines to make your stay more eco-friendly.

• Switch the electric devices off whenever you don’t use them or leave the room. Similarly, unplug your devices when they’re not charging. If something is plugged in and switched on, it can still draw energy even when your device is fully charged.
• Take showers, not baths. The amount of water used for baths can up to 70 gallons, while showers only waste 10-25 gallons of water. Remember to shut off the water if there’s no need.
• Bring your toiletries. You can equip yourself with shampoo bars, soap instead of shower gel, bamboo toothbrushes, and organic cotton towels. Not only are these green stuff friendly to the Earth but they also take up less room in your suitcase.
• Sort your trash accordingly and consider taking your empty bottles and other items home with you to recycle them if there’s no recycling program in your hotel.

Green behaviors in Vietnam

Last but not least, your behaviors can change the green status of the places you visit and even others’ attitudes towards green travel in Vietnam. Maybe you know what to do, but you haven’t been motivated for a green lifestyle. Here’re a few inspirational tips to guide your green behaviors in Vietnam.

Buying local handicrafts is a green behavior for an eco-friendly vacation in Vietnam

• Bring along your bottle, eco-bags to cut out trash consumption; use reusable straws, or just say no to plastic straws. Today, more and more Halong Bay cruises run the eco-friendly program by providing customers with glass bottles and straws during the tour itinerary. 
• Save paper tissues, limit take-way cups, and plastic bags. All plastic things are extremely destructive and causing harm to the ocean and wildlife in the world.
• When you visit any attractions, follow this basic rule: Take nothing but photographs, and leave nothing but footprints. Obviously, it'll be easier and better with an environmentally eco-tour. 
• Go green shopping. That means you should buy locally made products, preferably handmade ones. Don’t buy imported items or anything made from endangered species. In this way, you’re helping to support the local economy and their traditional culture.

All in all, Vietnam is one of the best destinations for eco-friendly vacations. While global travel is a trend, green travel is a choice. Follow our green travel guide, plan a green itinerary, and go green with BestPrice Travel.

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Hong Nhung

(Images source: Internet)