1. Before registering for a trekking tour into the NPA, ask for the proper trekking permission to your operator. If they cannot provide one, it means you are not going to visit the Nam Ha NPA. Please, consult any questions regarding this topic with the Tourist Office.
2. For your own safety and for guaranteeing an enjoyable trekking, make sure that your tour guide is an official guide with the proper training and that he is registered by the local authority. Along with your tour guide, an assistant guide and local-village-guide must be included in the tour team. It is the local policy and your right.
3. Community-based on Tourism aims at facilitating cultural immersion with the minorities you are going to visit. In order to achieve this goal a minimum of 2 person and maximum 8 have to register before leaving for trekking.
4. Food during the tour program -at the village or in the forest –should be Lao food such as sticky rice, fresh local vegetables, meat (e.g.pork, chicken or duck) and local –sometime spicy –sauces. If you are vegetarian or have special needs, please let your tour operator know about them registering and remind them to your tour guide before starting the trekking.
5. Good hydration is a basic safety measure; make sure that you consume at least 2-3 liters of water per day. For your first day, the tour operator will provide around 2 water bottles. Please, keep always the empty bottle so you can refill the next day (the guide have to boil the water for you in the forest). For personal hygiene, you can use your water supply and/or local stream.
6. There are 3 options for the overnight: (1). Eco-lodge, is built by local villagers according to the local style using local material; (2). Homestay, with local families at the village part taking in the Community-based program in cooperation with your tour agency; (3). Camping, either in banana leaf huts built by yourself with the assistance of your guides or in the open (with a sleeping bag provided by your agent).
7. Because the village did not have a bath and toilets convenient to the outdoor bathing such as well, water supply and stream. To facilitate the order you should hold the fabric chips (for women) to wear bath, because in the village people loose bath is impolite and against cultural traditions of indigenous local. In the camp might has where bathing, but may not have toilets.
8. In the ethnic village distribution of candy, things and money and others things… to children considered impolite if you want to distribute candy, things and money or other things that should be given village’s chief that has more than two people up and the village’s chief will be used to give for themselves.
9. What’s that you should bring: your cloth for changing 1-2 sets, slippers, hiking boot, fabric chips (for women), winter(December-February), mosquito repellent, flashlight, sunscreen, camera, should wear long cloth, when hiking should not hold too heavy bag create challenge for you.
10. Local weather is often colder at night; don’t forget to bring a jacket! A rain coat and/or umbrella are recommendable too. Please, for own wellbeing, check the weather forecast before you start your trekking. Cool season (Nov-Feb), hot season (Mar-Jun) and rain (Jul-Oct).
11. Respect the law: (1). Drugs are totally prohibited in Laos and penalties will apply; (2). Sexual relationships with locals out of marriage are strictly for bidden. Ignorance of law does not excuse and Lao prisons are not comfortable.