One of the best ways to connect with the local community and gain a rich travel experience is through supporting local CSR initiatives or volunteering for important causes. From making smart purchases to staying in remote villages to help teach, there are a number of ways travellers can give back while experiencing all that Vietnam has to offer.

For instance, Diethelm Travel Vietnam offers handicrafts from Hoa Ban Plus to clients as welcome or farewell gifts. The Hanoi-based social enterprise employs disabled and underprivileged women to weave and embroider a variety of handicrafts. Along with giving these women meaningful employment and the ability to earn income for their families, Hoa Ban Plus also offers homestays and tours to help fund other parts of the business. It’s well worth visiting the Hoa Ban Plus workshop (plus a great place to pick up souvenirs) so Diethelm Travel has added a stop at Hoa Ban Plus on most of our tours to Mai Chau.

Diethelm Travel Vietnam also supports a number of volunteer projects and programmes throughout the country by selecting travellers interested in a volunteer trip to Vietnam where they are required to pay for their own flights, accommodation, food and transfers. Diethelm Travel Vietnam can propose a well-structured volunteer project, where volunteers will be given clear direction about how to help and what to do, or a non-structured volunteer project during which volunteers can create their own schedule. Translators can also be arranged to assist guests during the length of the programme.

Additionally, travellers on Diethelm Travel Vietnam’s packaged tours can extend their experience by volunteering at one of these projects with the assistance of Diethelm Travel.

Volunteer organisations and programmes include:

• Volunteer for Education (VEO) – a network of young people around the world who share a passion for contributing to the development of community
• Endangered Primate Rescue Centre (EPRC) and Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC)
• Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station (WRS)
• Teaching English or IT to children while living in Sapa
• Teaching free English classes supported by the Stand By You organisation
• Teaching English, helping with childcare, feeding the homeless and more in Ho Chi Minh – supported by International Volunteer HQ
• Volunteering at an orphanage, working with disabled children and helping with a food project for the poor through Volunteer for Asia

IF you are interested, please contact our expert team here for more information.