Recycle 2017

The 5th annual Recycle event was successfully held between May 18 - 21 in Hoang Su Phi - Ha Giang. In overall, the event is considered an important fundamental step in establishing various community-based toursim activities in the area. The challenge this yeat attrachted 22 cyclist enthusiast from Vietnam, France, Australia, Spain and The Netherlands in which the Dutch cyclist-Jaap van Norel-finished in first place. 

The victorious smiles say it all! (Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

The event was set up as a community-based tourism initiative. Participants slept in homestays and enjoyed dinners with local families. The cultural highlight was a ceremony of Red Dao ethnic, which involved praying to ancestors and ceremonial dancing to ensure a fruitful year of rice in the upcoming harvest. 

(Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

(Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

Aiming to rasie awareness among staff, partners and friends of responsible toursim, apart from cycling, participants had the opportunity to interact with locals and invole in voluntary work in Suoi Thau Hamlet, which diretly benefits the local ethnic minority here. Accordingly, the event raised 54.000.000 Vietnam Dong that partly contributed to constructing a 200 meters concrete road in unity and support of local authority, local community and participants of the event. 

The moment of unity (Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

The tour fee was also donated to a local community fund in the village where attendees stayed overnight. Keep in mind the "going green" spirit, plastic water bottles were replaced by refillable bottles by all participants throughout the 4-day event. 

For Footprint, as well as our partners and friends, the event this year also serverd as an inspection trip, where our abilities were challenged, from the very first stage of planning the event, to the minute when smiles were shining birghtly on our faces when crossing the finish line. Besides, it was an opportunity for us to extend our knowledge and tightening the relationship with the local community in Hoang Su Phi. Understanding local people and their needs crucial for us to stay connected and on tracj with the road towards sustaibable tourism.

 

(Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

(Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

Yes! He made it (Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

Footprint team in traditional costume with locals (Photo credit: Hien Pham)

(Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)

Despite being isolated in rough off-road and overshadowed by more popular attractions such as Quan Ba or Dong Van, Hoang Su Phi - with its strikingly beautiful rice terraces, mountains, authenic culture and extensive trail network - is an attractive destination, with a lot of potentials for the development of adventures and community-based tourism. 

(Photo credit: Gavino Strebel)