Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TREKKING ETIQUETTE
While it is possible to organize trekking on your own, it is safer, more rewarding and - as-
suming you use a registered agency - of greater benefit to local communities to book it via
an
agent
. Registered outfits will donate a significant percentage of your fee to the local vil-
lages, usually both as direct contributions to village funds and as money for development;
you should always check where your money goes in advance, and trustworthy organiza-
tions will always be open to sharing this information.
If you book with a reliable agency, your experience will be greatly enhanced by having a
local
guide
and
interpreter
. Though standards of English can vary, a good guide will be
able to explain customs and activities that you might otherwise find incomprehensible and
can help you to interact with the hill folk, who may be unaccustomed to or apprehensive
of outsiders. If you do decide to do a trek independently, using a bit of common sense and
following a few rules should make for a smooth, memorable visit.
1. Never trek alone. While Laos is a relatively safe country in terms of violent crime,
there have been
robberies
of Western tourists in remote areas. Owing to the gov-
ernment's total control of the Lao media, word of these incidents is suppressed,
making it impossible to ascertain just how much risk is involved in solo trekking.
Encountering armed men while hiking through the woods does not mean you are
going to be robbed - they are more likely to be hunting - but it is best to treat all
such encounters with caution. If you are approached by armed men and robbery is
clearly their intent, do NOT resist.
2. Most hill-tribe peoples are animists.
Offerings
to the spirits, often bits of food, left
in what may seem like an odd place, should never be touched or tampered with.
3. The Akha are known for the elaborate
gates
which they construct at the entrances
to their villages. Far from being merely decorative, the gates are designed to de-
marcate the boundaries between the human and spirit worlds. If you come across a
spirit gate at the entrance to a village, you should find another way to walk, skirt-
ing the village to avoid disrupting it while it is being “cleansed” of bad spirits. It
goes without saying that climbing onto such a gate to pose for a photograph is poor
form.
4. Many hill folk are willing to be
photographed
, but, just like everyone else, do not
appreciate snap-and-run tactics. Old women, particularly of the Hmong and Mien
tribes, are not always keen on having their picture taken. You should always make
clear to a potential subject that you wish to photograph them and to gauge their
response before taking a photo.
5. Don't give out sweets or pens to village children, which often leads to them beg-
ging the same things off future tourists, and insults the self-sufficient nature of
