Our theme for this years Guide Training is Countless Experiences. Two years ago we highlighted our guides as our Stars, but this year we really wanted to highlight how our guides are key in making the experiences we include in tours so amazing. One of the reasons our guests travel with us is because we’ve put together unique and creative experiences that really are an entree into the countries we visit. Whether it’s taking a culinary tour in Bangkok, visiting a meditation center in Chiang Mai, learning to plant rice in Laos, taking a cooking course at a local home in Hanoi, visiting a hidden pagoda in Hue, having dinner with a Vietnam vet in Saigon or visiting a local village in Cambodia, these experiences are only as good as the guide leading them. As a company we pride ourselves on putting together incredible tours that allow guests to feel part of the communities they’re visiting, but without the guide these experiences are nothing.
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Here are just a few ways our guides help guests maximize these unique experiences:
1. They get our travelers there and explain what it is they are seeing. When our guests are traveling in Southeast Asia they don’t necessarily know the history and culture and without this background the experiences aren’t as interesting. Visiting chanting monks and learning to give alms is hollow if you aren’t given the information on Buddhism and how it fits into the daily life of those living and practicing it. Giving guests the background knowledge allows the experience to really come alive and highlight the culture and people.
2. Translating for the guest. Things like dinner with a Vietnam vet or meeting a local monk or having lunch with a village chief, would be a long and very quiet affair without our guides. Key to the success of these experiences is the guide being able to open the path of communication between our guests and the local people they are meeting. I feel like I’ve had incredible conversations with local community members and it was all made possible because our knowledgeable guides translated what was being said.
3. They bring their passion and excitement to the experience. Getting into a helicopter in Cambodia and heading to Preah Vihear is going to be an amazing experience no matter what, but when our guide Sina is sitting next to you pointing out the window and exclaiming with pure delight at everything you can see from the air, even the most jaded traveler will feel his excitement. Our guides love their countries and are proud to share it with our guests and this pride and passion is probably what we hear the most about from guests in our feedback.
This year we’ll be thanking our guides for really bringing the experiences we offer to life and giving our guests such incredible memories!