Go Lightly: 5 x Conscious Travel Tips

Inspired by Nina Karnikowski’s book, Go Lightly- How To Travel Without Hurting The Planet, here are 5 x ways I’m traveling more consciously through Vietnam.

1. GO SLOW

   Taking fewer but longer trips lessens your carbon footprint (less transport), and gives you a better chance of giving back to local communities via your valuable travel dollars, and through exchanging information and knowledge.
   
   
   My Action: Rather than trying to squeeze in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, I decided to spend 3.5 weeks traveling around Vietnam. There is so much to see here alone and the slower pace allows me to immerse myself in the culture, with more time for rest and relaxation.

2. GIVE BACK

   Whether you’re getting involved in a conservation or rewilding program while you’re away, shedding light on a particular issue by talking about it or fundraising on your social media, or working on something like a permaculture farm, ‘going lightly’ is all about reciprocity.
   
   
   My Action: Pollution is a major issue in Vietnam. You don’t see blue sky in Hanoi because of the smog, and there is rubbish everywhere, even in the middle of remote bamboo forests. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start, but I’ve begun the conversation with both travellers and locals, and have started researching how I can support.

3. CHOOSE LOCAL

   According to the UNWTO, just 5 percent of money spent by tourists stays in the local community. But by choosing locally-owned hotels and restaurants, Indigenous guides and locally-made handicrafts, you can put your travel dollars directly into the pockets of locals.
   
   
   My Action: The indigenous Hmong people of North Vietnam are known for their beautiful textile making. I like to buy one or two small keepsakes when I travel, and chose to spend my money on a textile wrapped notebook that I can use for my poetry.
   

   I initially booked most of my accommodation through Airbnb and Booking.com, choosing smaller homestays and locally owned accommodation, but forgetting about the cut these websites take. So I cancelled on the third party sites and booked and paid direct (which often ends up cheaper anyway).

4. FOCUS ON NATURE

   By putting nature at the centre of your journeys, choosing things like hiking and biking trips, camping adventures and boat trips, you’ll feel more awe for the natural world, which will in turn encourage you to forgo your own interests for those of others and the planet.
   
   
   My Action: Mass tourism can really take away from the beauty of a natural site. With swarms of people, selfies and hawkers, I'm being reminded to avoid the main attractions/visit times. I’ve chosen to do an alternative to Ha Long Bay, with a boat tour that is committed to environmental protection and local community development.
   
   

5. GO PLASTIC-FREE

   Almost every piece of plastic ever made is still on the planet, including 70 billion or so plastic water bottles. Do your bit to reduce disposable plastics by packing your reusable water bottle, stainless steel food container, and hemp tote for shopping and picking up trash.
   
   
   My Action: I couldn’t bear the thought of buying bottled water which would have resulted in approx. 50 x 2L bottles for my trip. I invested in a Larq water bottle, which allows me to fill my bottle from the tap and uses an inbuilt UV light to purify the water to kill 99.9% of bacteria. It recharges like a phone, self cleans and has a beautiful design too.

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Interested in learning more?

Pick up a copy of Nina Karnikowski’s book from a local bookstore or library.