Sapa, located in Vietnam’s remote north-west mountains, is famous for breathtaking scenery and diverse ethnic groups. The region is close to the Chinese border and home to many hill tribes from China. Rice terraces, lush vegetation, and the highest peak in Vietnam are some of the spotlights that bring the visitors to this area.
In recent years, Sapa has become very popular with tourists who come to enjoy this beautiful mountainous area and learn about diverse cultural traditions of the hill tribes. While tourism certainly brings money to this poor rural area, it also has its downsides. One of them is the rubbish that stains this beautiful area on every step. I’m currently in the area and have been appalled by the amount of trash I’ve seen carelessly thrown away in nature.
I believe that tourism should improve local areas, not make them worse and it is well within our power to do so. That is why, with help from Sapa Volunteer Homestay, we started a project to clean the area of the rubbish. It’s a small step, but hopefully, if everyone chips in, it will grow and we will soon see some real results. We wish to educate locals about environmental care and recycling. They have not had much experience with harmful waste in the past as they mostly used natural materials before the influx of tourists and arrival of money from tourism.
Please share this post and help us reach more people who can help with this project. If you are visiting Sapa, stop at Sapa Volunteer Homestay and see how you can help.
Help us save Sapa and keep it green and beautiful for future generations!
