Travel responsibly: Thailand

Thailand is Southeast Asia's most visited country with its rich past, thriving culture, and stunning scenery. As showcased in our Thailand travel guide, there are UNESCO-protected historic towns, pristine coastlines, and lush forests to explore responsibly. Amid its enduring appeal, My Way Travel dedicates itself to combating issues like marine habitat devastation, animal cruelty, and plastic waste while empowering and supporting local communities. Travel responsibly: Thailand awaits your visit and positive impact!

Animal Welfare

Kui Buri National Park

In Thailand, animal welfare is a significant concern. Our team and local partners have thoroughly verified all the elephant initiatives we support to ensure they adhere to our strict animal welfare guidelines. We do not permit elephant riding as part of our policies. Here, you may learn more about the company's stance on animal welfare.

Supporting the correct sanctuaries and conservation initiatives is vital since many of them are supported primarily via tourism, and without them, many of these domesticated elephants would be working on the streets of Bangkok or in horrible circumstances in unethical tourist camps.

We deal with a few vendors that still allow elephant riding in the area for visitors who are not staying at Audley, and we are using our influence to get them to stop. We have given these vendors until the end of 2021 to halt elephant riding, or we will cease using their other services.

Some sanctuaries we work with still let people bathe elephants, while many others are phasing out this practice. We only permit this in carefully controlled settings, where the elephants are not overcrowding and the encounter is brief.

Our strict animal care policy means we only work with a few of the hundreds of elephant initiatives and sanctuaries in Thailand. We're sure that they provide a variety of meaningful interactions with this remarkable species while adhering to our strict welfare requirements.

Our blog details some of our most memorable elephant experiences in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

Supporting local communities

Chinese temple in Chiang Rai

People often see the nation of Thailand as a whole, but it has a wide variety of ethnic groups, religions, customs, and lifestyles. Thailand is a melting pot of ethnic groups, from the Lisu, Lahu, and Hmong of the northern hill tribes to the Isaan region on the border with Cambodia to the seafaring Moken of the southwestern islands.

Seeing different parts of Thailand is a great way to taste many cultures. Lanjia Lodge, located in Chiang Rai, and Anurak Community Lodge in Thailand's Khao Sok National Park are community lodges catering to the more adventurous traveler. By staying at a lodge, you may support the local economy and get a deeper feel for the culture.

Visiting rural settlements does not have to include an extended stay and may be accomplished as a day trip from more popular destinations, especially in northern Thailand. Spend a day traveling across the rolling hills of the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar all meet, and make pit stops in outlying settlements to learn how the Royal Projects have improved people's lives there. King Bhumibol Adulyadej established these to safeguard Thailand's abundant natural resources and enhance living standards in the country's remote northern regions.

Plastic reduction in Thailand

Koh Samet

Plastic garbage and its disposal have reached a critical point in Thailand, as they have across Southeast Asia. Plastic bags, straws, and bottles litter the country's rivers, beaches, and seas as a byproduct of its thriving tourist business.

During your time in Thailand, we will offer you a reusable water bottle and stop at refill stations (a reusable tank of filtered water to fill up on the go) so that you can avoid adding to the problem. Some outlying areas still lack adequate infrastructure, but we are actively trying to address this issue with our local partners.

To find free refill stations at participating hotels and restaurants, of which there are a growing number in Thailand, even when you're on your own without a guide or driver, we recommend using resources like the Refill My Bottle app or the Refill Not Landfill website.

The sustainability efforts of hotels around the United States are also our focus. Eliminating single-use plastics like straws, switching to renewable energy sources, and supporting the local community are all examples of how hotels may become green.

This practice is gaining popularity, especially in regions with delicate marine ecosystems. Koh Samet, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand excellent since it has outlawed plastic bags and Styrofoam packaging. The Paradee and other resorts on the island have enthusiastically welcomed this move.

Overtourism and emissions

Koh Yao Island Resort

The Koh Phi Phi Leh beach, known as Maya Bay, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Beach," closed to the public in 2018 and will remain off-limits until at least 2021.

Hundreds of boats were entering the area daily, destroying the delicate coral and aquatic life without regard for conservation or preservation. Restrictions on the number of people and boat traffic have been set for when it reopens to minimize environmental damage.

We plan our vacations so that we don't visit any more crowded beaches, and many less populated spots still provide a genuine Thai experience. Guests at the Koh Yao Island Resort on Koh Yai Noi, a beautiful island with white sand beaches and karst limestone formations, may explore nearby fishing communities.

If you've ever visited Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, you know how crowded it can become throughout the day. Recently, we've designed a trip that takes kayakers away from the main Chao Phraya river channel and into its quieter side channels. It is a trip with minimal environmental impact that gives you a fresh take on life on the river.