Ha Giang Charity Trip

Exotic Voyages also help improve communities by direct contact with local people. Every year, we collect and buy warm clothes for the local children in Ha Giang and other rural surrounding areas, organize our own trips to bring to them directly with the hope to “keep the winter warmer.”

Ha Giang is a mountainous province in North Vietnam, close to the border of China. The local inhabitants are the Black Hmong; most of them don't have many ressources and work hard in the rice fields. Tourism there is becoming more and more important and in the future it will probably permit the communities to get higher revenue and send the children to school.

On the Charity trip last year, we carefully planned to visit local houses, we listened to the situations of each local family and brought them bags of gifts such as clothes, books and pens. We had the great chance to talk with them and to learn about their way of living and expectations in life, for their children and community. It was also the opportunity, as a responsible travel agency, to know about their vision of tourism, and know what would be the best way for tourists to travel there, the best advices to enjoy the trip, respecting the environment and the inhabitants.

These 4 days were very enriching: we shared a lot, laughed, learnt and discovered. We had friendly and open minded conversations. Their warm welcoming, generosity and smile made us definitely want to go back with a clearer idea of how we can help.

If you wish to join us to bring happiness to the communities in Northern Vietnam, please support us for our next trip this coming winter. You also make your donations to Exotic Voyages or give any clothes you might not need or dislike.

No help is too small!

Marion Nourrisson

Sun in my Heart: The Hope Float

Exotic Voyages collaboration and friendship with Sun in my Heart began through this idea, when Exotic Voyages’ founder and Kim McCluskey decided to work together to help 3 sisters get a shelter and a new life. Exotic Voyages’ team not only helped in financing the project, but also in finding the workers and materials to build the house.

 

Everything started in April 2003, while paddling with tourists in the fishing village of Vung Vieng in Vietnam, Kim McCluskey and Exotic Voyages' founder discovered three orphans living in an unkempt house. Their raft was very fragile with gaps on the raw timber floor. The two older girls, Lan, 15, and Xuan, 13, were struggling to survive by harvesting shellfishes: a though job, that implies scrambling over jagged limestone, holding on to slippery rocks and hand bleeding from breaking open shells.

On a good day, a girl might gather 50 pounds of oysters, yielding four pounds of meat — and earn 30 cents. This couldn’t afford the $1 a month it would cost to send Mai, their little sister, to the one-room schoolhouse.  Kim folded some money, about $80, and pressed it into Mai’s hand. That modest amount would feed them for three months.

Five months after that first visit to Vung Vieng, they returned with another tour group. As the village came into view, McCluskey’s saw the plastic and plank shelter was still there.  

This time they had to take action. They decided to build a house for those three little girls!

They consulted the village chief who estimated a simple house could be built for the equivalent of $3,000. Then and there the two men made a pact. McCluskey would provide the money; Huy would manage logistics of building the houseboat. Exotic Voyages Team get things started. Back in the US, Kim McCluskey started the fund-raising.

Exotic Voyages team had lined up workers and the building materials for the little house, but a problem rose. The legal age for owning a property in Vietnam was 18 and we didn’t want the girls’ father to show up and lay claim for the building. As we were not resident of the village, we couldn’t put ourselves down as caretaker owners either.

After some time contacting people and trying to find a solution, the Red Cross agreed in becoming the legal caretaker of the house until Mai was 18. The joint property would then turn over to all three of them.

By the end of the month, the house was done.

On a sunny fall afternoon on November 3, 2003, Lan, Xuan and Mai were summoned to the front porch of a 12-by-12-foot floating cottage, where a local official presented their new home. Mai called out “It’s my house! It’s my house!”

Marion Nourrisson

Exotic Voyages’ Running Hero Returned From Half Marathon Angkor 2013

Our “Running Hero” – Andy Carroll has just come back from Half Marathon Angkor 2013. The highly anticipated event of the year has final happened on December 1, 2013. Exotic Voyages team is extremely proud and happy that our Head of Global Sales & Marketing Andy Carroll ran and finished the 21kilometers around the Angkor Wat.
The run was very hard and far exceeded the total number of runers with the attendance of an incredible number 7579 in total. Andy was very surprised that so many people traveled thousands kilometers to Siem Reap to join the Angkor Half Marathon. Each of them had a certain reason and motivation to run. Some running for environment, for children, the poor, communities like Andy, others ran for their running passion in combination with an active tour to Cambodia. This was a special chance for sporty people to join a meaningful running tour through a World heritage site, possible one of the only chances in the world. Although it was very hard to finish 21 kilometers of the marathon, the route was beautiful with shades both sides, passing through magnificent temples of Angkor ruins. 

Running map through Angkor Park

Lucky for our “hero” from the cold land of United Kingdom, it was not too hot and humid. The marathon commenced very early, at exact 5 am, when it was still dark. Everybody gathered to prepare for the run at 5, watched the spectacular sunrise over Angkor Wat and set off at 6:20 am. 

Watching sunrise over Angkor Wat before setting off 

Although a lot of people join the run, after first 3 kilometers, some started to stop running and began to realize the huge task ahead of them. However, the runners were encouraged as local children lined the route clapping their hands and gaving them a lot of high-fives. It took Andy 3 hours 4 minutes and 20 seconds to reach the finish. It was really a tough challenge that it’s amazing to overcome in your lifetime. Talking to us, Andy said he didn’t believe that he would finish such a difficult task and was very proud of himself although his feet wereseverely hurt and blistered after only halfway, making it tough to run at all. Also, he met a lot of new friends with the same feelings and would like to invite more people to join him and Exotic Voyages team in the event next year.

Andy when reaching the finish

To finish this challenge, Andy was received a lot of help from friends in Siem Reap. We would like to say a big thank to Sokha Angkor Resort and LaResidence d’Angkor for perfect accommodations, Heritage Suites hotel and Sofitel SiemReap for excellent food and drink  and John McDermott photographer for all their help during the time Andy was in Siem Reap for this half marathon. It was more than kindness from our friends and hotels in Siem Reap, it’s their valuable spiritual and materials support to help us realize our promise with the Green Gecko Kids.

Finally, we have raised a fund for the Green Gecko Kids. Big thanks to all kind-hearted people, our beloved supporters.

List of fund raisers for the Charity Project

Green Gecko Kids are extremely happy when they heard about the fund. Although we hoped a little bit more, it’s excellent to see our result after months fund raising and we can aim to beat this next year!
For the charity campaign for next year, we are going to invite more and more hotels and friends in tourism and hospitality to join us. A CHATIRY TOUR will be created soon as promised for people to travel and support local charities at the same time. A lot of tours will be planned for runners to travel to Asia next year for half marathon. 

Let's join us at our facebook to keep updating our Charity projects

Thu Huyen

Very Proud Moment Of 6 Green Gecko Kids Graduating National High School

Exotic Voyages has been just informed a GREAT news from Green Gecko Kids by Tania. Tania has never been more proud and happy, she couldn’t hide her excite when tell us how amazing it is when she saw her lovely Kids graduate from National High School. 

In her email to announce this special news to Andy, she was really excited: “Last week we had a VERY proud moment, and that was when 6 of our children National High School Exams, to think just 6 years ago they had never been to school or even saw it as a possibility, now they are graduating. It is why we do what we do. I hope you like it, Tania”.

6 Green Gecko Kids Yoeurt, Sokoun, Pov, Srey Nao, Vit and Vun have sat their National High School Certificate Exams last week and are going to graduate soon. Tania is right, 6 years ago, the kids had never been to school, they must have thought they never had a chance to do this. However today they are going to graduate. That’s a magic! 

Exotic Voyages are very happy to see the how mature the kids are and what we can help them to go further in the future. This news motivates Tania and us a lot, we are looking forward to the Half marathon in Siem Reap and totally confident and ready for this event :)

The way Green Gecko House motivate the kids is so cute, which sounds like a warm family. 

“BEST OF LUCK to Yoeurt, Sokoun, Pov, Srey Nao, Vit and Vun as they sit their National High School Certificate Exams this week. You have worked so hard and come so far. We are so proud of you all xxx”

Let's wait for more good news from the Kids!

Thu Huyen

Photo Collection “Say Good Luck to Exotic Voyages Run Program”

These days are amazing days to our “athlete” Andy and the whole Exotic Voyages team as we are receiving more and more support from friends and new donators who make big contribution to our Charity Run Program. Thus we have created a small “race” for our photo collections from the kind-hearted supporters.

It's time you showed yourselves! This is a chance for the rest of the world to know your kindness to the former street children in Cambodia and your great support to Exotic Voyages Charity Run Program.

* WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Very easy

- Just write down or print out some motivation words to encourage our Charity Run Program.

- Then take your photo and post it on our Facebook timeline.

Each photo will be a valued support for us

Example of our latest photo from supporters

* WHAT CAN YOU GAIN ?

- Your amazing faces and your unique words will appear on our album of "supporters"

- We will choose the MOST BEAUTIFUL, FUNNY, AND MEANINGFUL to be OUR COVER PHOTO for 2 WEEKS. The one having the most like will be the winner!

Your lovely photos will be displayed here on this blog and on our Facebook fanpage

Let's raise your kind voice and share your nice images today!

Good news after good news for Exotic Voyages Run Program

Another donation has just been made for Exotic Voyages Run Program by one of our kindhearted donators named Andy Barrow. He is the latest hero to Green Gecko Kids and the newest supporter to your program. 

The amount of 10 pounds is soon to be used in a meaningful work to help Green Gecko Kids. We are going to talk to Green Gecko Team to see what we can do for their wish list with his a donation.

We would like to say a big thanks to our donator Andy Barrow for his generosity for the kids in Siem Reap. God bless him!

We would love to see our charity fund rising daily. It is incredible motivation for us to implement ExoticVoyages Run Program. There are only 111 days left to the Angkor Half Marathon, our marathon hero Andy Carroll is still practice hard for his race.  We are updating his run practice soon, keep follow us! 

Thu Huyen

Great Support From Hotel Friends in Luang Prabang, Laos

After the great motivation sign from Green Gecko Kids, Exotic Voyages Run Program has just received another excellent encouragement from our close friends in Luang Prabang, Hotel de la Paix and 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel. Exotic Voyages Run in December has been supported widely so far from individuals, other travel partners and hotels, they all find this is a great idea to help the community and help us a lot to fulfill our plan.

Motivating sign our Andy from Hotel de la Paix

Motivating sign from 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel Team

As one of the leading hotels in luxury hospitality and responsibility for community, Hotel De La Paix is now standing by Exotic Voyages as our significant supporter. They are not only giving spiritual support for our “Marathon Hero” – Andy Carroll but also making practical donation of USD 200 for Exotic Voyages Run Program. Thank you Hotel de la Paix and 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel for this great motivation!

“We are proud to be a part of Exotic Voyages Run Program and will try our best to help Green Gecko Kids and community in Laos and Cambodia in general.” – said General Manager of Hotel de la Paix and 3 Nagas Boutique hotel. This is one of the most meaningful words that make Exotic Voyages Team more confident in their mission.

As we said, to realize the Exotic Voyages Run Program and bring back real support to Green Gecko Kids, Exotic Voyages team cannot do everything alone, we need helps from anybody who would like to contribute to a better social in Indochina. Therefore, the very first support from our friends in Luang Prabang is the biggest gift ever to motivate us. The Exotic Voyages Run Program is now really promising to be fulfilled as this is not our mission only; it’s the mission of travel community in Southeast Asia. This is just the beginning for a Charity program supported by the biggest hotels and travel companies ever. If your team would like to add your names into our program, please contact us here for contributing to our project or donate us directly here. Any support will be highly appreciated.

About Hotel de la Paix 

Hotel de la Paix Luang Prabang is a reputable luxury hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos, an uncommonly rare resort experience; a century-old French fort and World Heritage wonder, a colonial moment preserved in amber, and a showcase of award-winning contemporary design. It is also a living gallery, with world class exhibitions by our Art Ambassadors and Guest Artists.

In the heart of the former royal capital of Laos, just 23 spacious suites distinguished by the 'world's best luxury hotel interior design'* await, some with large private pools, all with sun-dappled walled gardens. As a featured supplier of Exotic Voyages, Hotel de la Paix offers the highest standard of luxury services and accommodations in Luang Prabang, Laos. They are not only professional in luxury hospitality but also have nice concern about sustainable community development along with doing business in Luang Prabang. This is the same target which leads to its close relationship with Exotic Voyages.

About 3 Nagas Boutique Hotel

The 3 Nagas Luang Prabang is a small charming boutique hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos, comprises three superbly restored historic UNESCO World Heritage buildings more than a century old. Restored in 2003, this Laos hotel blends contemporary style with the buildings' original architecture, seamlessly connecting the past and the present. Embark on a timeless cultural journey of discovery amid the hotel's warm and inviting ambience, in the luxury of its exclusive collection of spacious Rooms and Suites, and in its authentic Lao cuisine – offering some of the finest destination dining in Luang Prabang. This is a nice address for luxury clients who love to stay in a true boutique hotel during your Laos trip.
Thu Huyen