Overview:
Travel into Cold War history to learn of the legacy of a secret that continues in modern day, peaceful Laos. Visitor Centres are now open at popular tourist destinations in Laos - a country known as the last bastion of Indochina. At the centres learn how despite rapid economic and social progress over the past 15 years specific areas of the country still must live with contamination of unexploded ordnance (UXO). This contamination hinders poverty alleviation and social progress and requires your help to end the legacy of destruction.
Sightseeing choices – Luang Prabang UNESCO World Heritage town & temples, treks, elephant rides, Mekong river boats and more
Learning opportunities – UXO contamination, Cold War history, Peace Education, Global Studies
Outdoor activities –multi-day trekking & overnights in rural villages, river rafting, caving & more
Visitor Centres have been set up in strategic tourist destinations in Laos. Designed to educate, the centres provide a perfect starting off point for groups interested in learning more about Laos and how global events impact the lives of people in local, rural villages. At the UXO Visitor Centre you can experience?
• ‘Fly’ over Lao PDR using software that shows aerial bombing data. A version of Google Earth has been combined with bombing records to give a bird’s eye view of the incredible quantity of ordnance dropped.
• Examine a comprehensive UXO collection with detailed information regarding the intended purpose of the ordnance, the quantity dropped and the methodology used for demolition.
• Watch slideshows featuring photo essays by professional photographers, on subjects such as scrap metal collection and MAG’s all-female UXO clearance teams.
• Learn about the UXO story – what UXO is, how it got there, how it affects people and how to clear it.
• Watch the highly-acclaimed Bomb Harvest documentary.
The visitor centres also provide an introduction to volunteer groups interested in assisting communities that are finally safe from UXO contamination after being cleared by specially trained multi-skilled teams who detect and remove the remnants of conflict. Once an area is cleaned it is safe again for villagers to start farming as well as volunteers to support the local efforts in school building, village water supply & sanitation and income generation projects.
In this way your travels are providing a unique education opportunity to learn of the realities of life on our planet, as well as an experience in the very best of humanity through sharing and giving with others.
Location:
On this trip you will travel from the capital Vientiane into the heart of central Lao to Xieng Khouang Province home to the ancient relics known as the Plain of Jars. In the city of Phonsavan visit the UXO centre and conduct community development volunteer projects before traveling on to the cultural centre of Luang Prabang UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Trip notes & Inclusions:
Lao PDR is the most bombed country in the world per capita. Throughout the 1963-1974 conflict, more than two million tonnes of weaponry was deployed over the country, with up to 30 per cent failing to explode as designed.
Today there still remains villages in Lao PDR are affected by unexploded ordnance, which includes big bombs, mortar, cluster munitions and submunitions, and landmines. These weapons continue to disrupt communities and socio-economic development.
UXO diminishes food security and denies access to basic services, resulting in widespread poverty amongst rural populations. The massive scale of contamination requires long-term strategic planning and prioritisation.
Volunteer and Educational Travel groups can play a crucial role to assist villagers rebuild their communities and reclaim important agricultural land lost to UXO.
As each program is unique, so to are the tours and costs. As a rule of thumb programs cost between $75 to $95 per day per person and varies greatly due to number of participants, length of program, services required, type of sightseeing and accommodations provided. Our school tours usually include two teachers free of charge.
Group size: minimum 10 people – maximum 20 people
Tour duration: customized for group requirements within 7 to 20 days
To provide an accurate quotation we encourage you to contact us to discuss various options.
Typically our tours include:
- Supervision by experienced community facilitators
- All activities during volunteer project
- All meals during programme
- Accommodation in village homestay or local hotel
- English speaking guide
- Bottled water
and excludes:
- International and domestic airfares
- Visa and visa charges
- Travel Insurance (compulsory)
- Items of a personal nature such as beverages at homestay
- Donation for any community service projects
Lao PDR is the most bombed country in the world per capita. Throughout the 1963-1974 conflict, more than two million tonnes of weaponry was deployed over the country, with up to 30 per cent failing to explode as designed.
Today there still remains villages in Lao PDR are affected by unexploded ordnance, which includes big bombs, mortar, cluster munitions and submunitions, and landmines. These weapons continue to disrupt communities and socio-economic development.
UXO diminishes food security and denies access to basic services, resulting in widespread poverty amongst rural populations. The massive scale of contamination requires long-term strategic planning and prioritisation.
Volunteer and Educational Travel groups can play a crucial role to assist villagers rebuild their communities and reclaim important agricultural land lost to UXO.
As each program is unique, so to are the tours and costs. As a rule of thumb programs cost between $75 to $95 per day per person and varies greatly due to number of participants, length of program, services required, type of sightseeing and accommodations provided. Our school tours usually include two teachers free of charge.
Group size: minimum 10 people – maximum 20 people
Tour duration: customized for group requirements within 7 to 20 days
To provide an accurate quotation we encourage you to contact us to discuss various options.
Typically our tours include:
- Supervision by experienced community facilitators
- All activities during volunteer project
- All meals during programme
- Accommodation in village homestay or local hotel
- English speaking guide
- Bottled water
and excludes:
- International and domestic airfares
- Visa and visa charges
- Travel Insurance (compulsory)
- Items of a personal nature such as beverages at homestay
- Donation for any community service projects