Ecotourism in Thailand: A Guide

The tourism industry in Thailand is booming, with significant consequences for the environment. This is a comprehensive guide on how to minimize the impact of your holidays in Thailand by employing ecotourism and sustainable/responsible tourism practices.

Recommendations on the best national parks, attractions, and islands/beaches in Thailand.

Introduction

Ecotourism as a concept started to appear in Thailand in the late 1990s.

It is based on the belief that the tourism industry in Thailand should develop in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on local communities and the environment.

A foundation of Thailand’s ecotourism is ensuring a positive interaction between hosts and visitors/tourists. Responsible travel in Thailand also promotes respect for the original inhabitants (e.g., Chiang Mai area hill tribe villages), as well as the reduction of the environmental impacts of travel.

An ecotourism experience in Thailand can also be enhanced by participating in volunteering to assist local villages/families or environmental agencies (e.g., Lampang Elephant Conservation Center on the Chiang Mai Highway).

On the financial side, responsible tourism in Thailand should always benefit the final service provider and local communities, as opposed to international booking agents or resorts.

How to Minimize the Impact of your Thailand’s Holidays?

Nowadays, you have many options to minimize the impact of your holiday and make sure your money goes to locals.

Here’s a list of suggestions:

How to Minimize Your Traveling Impact:

• Avoid Internal Flights: Since they are destructive to the environment and usually benefit only a few foreign multinational companies.
• Use Train Travel: When possible, use trains. They are safe, clean, and reliable in Thailand. Trains offer a great way to reduce your impact on the environment and also provide an excellent way to engage with real Thailand.
• There are many sleeper trains running from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in the north as well as to Surat Thani in the south (going as far south as Malaysia), allowing you to travel overnight without losing precious time.
• Use Minibuses that Run on Natural Gas: If you need to use a minibus, choose one that runs on natural gas. The Thai government is promoting alternative fuels like natural gas and ethanol to replace gasoline, so any support for this direction from the tourist industry will be even more beneficial.

Choose the Most Eco-Friendly Accommodation:

• Avoid Big Resorts: These resorts waste huge amounts of energy in construction and operation, produce large amounts of waste, and often exploit local workers. They also reduce your ability to interact with locals and experience the real Thailand.
• Large resort centers like Phuket, Pattaya, and Koh Samui are starting to resemble overcrowded western resort beaches, with little left to remind you of Thailand.
• Sleep in a Homestay: Homestay projects are gaining popularity in Thailand. Essentially, you’ll sleep in a traditional family home, sharing meals and activities with your host family. This is a great way to experience traditional Thai life while benefiting local communities.
• Homestays are slowly gaining popularity, and it’s now possible to find reliable ones in every region, from historical cities like Ayutthaya to southern jewel islands like Koh Yao Noi.
• Sleep in National Park Accommodation: When visiting marine or land-based national parks, sleep in the accommodation offered by the park authorities. You can choose between comfortable bungalows and tents closer to nature. All the profits go toward sustaining and improving national park conservation.

Accommodation in the most famous parks like Similan National Park and Mu Ko Phetra National Park sells out quickly. For last-minute bookings, try visiting/sleeping in less famous ones like Koh Tarutao National Park in the deep south or Khao Sok National Park near Surat Thani and Phuket.

Extra Activities: Hill Tribe Villages Tour

If you wish to include a tour of hill tribe villages in the north of the country, while visiting Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, or Pai, choose only local, small-scale tour operators and make sure you double-check the operator’s commitment to the environment and the well-being of local communities.