Responsible Souvenirs: Thailand - buffalo tours

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buying is in Chiang Mai or Bangkok's. NGO-run shops. There is no fruit so synonymous with the tropics of Thailand as the
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Responsible Souvenirs: Thailand Few travel mementos are as lasting as a great souvenir. But beyond just having something beautiful or unique to bring home with you, finding great souvenirs can also be a great way to travel responsibly. In Thailand, traditional arts and crafts are some of the most authentic testaments to culture, and are one of the few ways to take home a genuine piece of heritage and history.

Hand craft Pottery

Handwoven Silks

Flower soap

Coconut shell craft

Silver

Pottery in Dan Kwian village, near Koyat. The pottery here is still handmade and carefully molded into intricate floral etchings. This craft has supported the tiny village for three centuries.

Most people will return from Asia with at least one silken souvenir; but Thai silk is special – mainly manufactured using natural dyes. Pak Thong Chai village have crafted handwoven pieces for generations and their work is of the highest quality.

Flowers are everywhere in Thailand but they don’t travel home so well. These intricate and finely carved colourful soaps are a great way to take home some of Thailand’s colour to keep at home. They are available all over the country, but your best bet for responsible buying is in Chiang Mai or Bangkok’s NGO-run shops.

There is no fruit so synonymous with the tropics of Thailand as the humble coconut. Some of the oldest coconut shell craft villages are located near the palm tree groves that they coconuts are harvested from. To this day, though, the most famous of all coconut craft villages is in Phatthalung.

Silver is a major part of culture in rural Thailand and a whole host of Thai hill tribes, including the Karen hill tribe in northern Thailand. Hill tribe silver is handcrafted and of high quality, so don’t be afraid to sacrifice a bit more baht for higher quality.

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Responsible Souvenirs: Cambodia Few travel mementos are as lasting as a great souvenir. But beyond just having something beautiful or unique to bring home with you, finding great souvenirs can also be a great way to travel responsibly. In Cambodia, traditional arts and crafts are some of the most authentic testaments to culture, and are one of the few ways to take home a genuine piece of heritage and history.

Textiles and Batiks

Cambodia has a rich history of silk and cotton textiles with not only beautifully ornate designs and colors, but also special dyes and methods. Some of the most beautiful pieces come from the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles located just outside of Siem Reap.

Woven Mats

Many visitors are struck by the use of simple, straw and bamboo mats in lieu of cushy couches and soft mattresses created by hand. Since they roll easily, they’re great for putting in a suitcase and buying them from traditional mat weaving villages supports local initiatives. Try looking at Osmose Project at Preak Toal, near Tonle Sap Lake

Copper Art

Copper artwork is one of Cambodia’s most enduring and beautiful traditional craftsmanship. Incredibly skilled artisans spend hours carefully sculpting delicate pieces of copper into beautifully ornate designs. Artisans d’Angkor is a great place to see how these are made, and pick up a few to take home.

Wood and Stone Carvings

Soaps and Candles

Just like copper art, traditional Cambodian wood carvings are a feat of expert craftsmanship, and is one of the country’s most unique brands of traditional art. The best place to buy sustainable wood carvings is Artisans d’Angkor within Siem Reap.

Senteurs d’Ankor in Siem Reap produces 100% natural soaps and candles using a whole host of spices and plants. The most unique, though, are most certainly those made from ingredients you might find in a Khmer curry – and the scent that it produces is different than anything else you’re likely to find in Asia!

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Responsible Souvenirs: Indonesia Few travel mementos are as lasting as a great souvenir. But beyond just having something beautiful or unique to bring home with you, finding great souvenirs can also be a great way to travel responsibly. In Indonesia, traditional arts and crafts are some of the most authentic testaments to culture, and are one of the few ways to take home a genuine piece of heritage and history.

Wayang Golek Indonesian Wooden Puppets

Organic Soaps, Creams and Incense

The art of Indonesian puppetry, which is actually a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage – are a favourite performance art within Indonesia. This ancient art form has roots in some of the country’s most integral cultural stories. The very best place to find them is in shops within Bandung, Java.

Bali is ground zero for herbal remedies and healing, and in no other place in the world will you find better organic cosmetics. The souvenirs are made using ingredients you could find in most local gardens, which are sold in a shop called Bali Herbal.

Chocolate POD Chocolate Factory in Carang Sari, Bali is the source of Indonesia’s incredible chocolate. So popular has the local brand become that some particularly delicious selections running up to US$ 50 a bar!

Endek Balinese Sarongs

Celuk Jewellery

Unlike Batik, Endek Balinese sarongs are woven rather than simply dyed – these incredible pieces of fabric can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to create, and are almost exclusively found in the village of Tenganan in Bali. The artisans here make these by hand, so this is an incredible way to support the locals on your visit. The people of the Celuk villages in Bali are highly skilled silver craftsmen, who create intricate jewellery including rings, bracelets and other pieces. These designs are wholly unique from other jewellery throughout Asia and the world, so a piece or two will be something you can treasure for generations for around $20.

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Responsible Souvenirs: Vietnam Few travel mementos are as lasting as a great souvenir. But beyond just having something beautiful or unique to bring home with you, finding great souvenirs can also be a great way to travel responsibly. In Vietnam, traditional arts and crafts are some of the most authentic testaments to culture, and are one of the few ways to take home a genuine piece of heritage and history.

Propaganda Art

Silk Paintings

Woven Textiles

Lacquerware

Lanterns

If you’re up north in Hanoi, head to Hang Bac street in the Old Quarter, where you can find a wide selection of propaganda-style art. Used as a means to promote solidarity and strength among the Vietnamese people, the creations most often feature not important historical background in Vietnam, but also stirring phrases calling for national unity, improved infrastructure or peace. Silk paintings in Vietnam are widely known for their mystical appearance and simple, poetic themes showcasing peaceful countrysides and pagodas. They are available around the corners of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, but for something a little more in depth, head to Van Phuc Silk Village in Ha Dong ward of the city.

Vietnam, home to over 50 different ethnic groups, and up in the mountains of the North many groups are known for their fine work in textiles–whether weaving, embroidery or dying. Sapa is where you can find a great outlet for Hmong textiles and other distinctive and stunning Vietnam souvenirs.

Vietnam’s lacquerware is completely unique, most high quality products undergo 20 stages before finished, using resin from the son tree from which the artform derives its name, son mai. If you’re looking for something simple and classic, head to Ben Thanh market, or for something more modern, check out the art galleries along Dong Khoi in Ho Chi Minh City. One of the most iconic souvenirs of Hoi An, is the paper lantern. In every known colour, shape and size, these magical lanterns create a unique ambiance epitomized in the lantern festivals, the largest held during lunar new year, or tet. You can easily find them by wondering in Hoi An’s lantern night market or the artisan quarter for more intricate lanterns.