Our vision of co-creating a more sustainable lifestyle!
In our reality what we "produce" is people (customers,
employees, owners, community at large, etc.). Our "products"
(of sustainable tours, food, boats, models, etc.) are a necessary by-product & reflection of who we are
and they are only one method to prove & improve
ourselves as "humane beings."
We are exploring ourselves, creating & sharing
our "lifestyle" within this environment. We are seeking to leave this world in a better way
than when we came here. We
are participating as best we can by trying to live in the moment.
In co-creating sustainable tours with local
participants as part of the art of love & compassion we are exploring the ancient
Champa Kingdom around Hoi An comprised of hundreds of
kilometers of waterways and more than 2,000 years of culture & trade!
We provide small group of 2 - 8 customers with sustainable
tours.
We use yachts
&
boats (some we design & build at our sister company Tara) & watersports
equipment as
tools for self-exploration.
As a healthy vegan vegetarian restaurant in Hoi
An we feed the local community & tourists. If someone has only 5,000 VND
(less than US$0.30) in their pocket they can eat a full healthy meal - if
the customer wants to pay more we have more expensive foods &
beverages. We do not profit from pain.
We do not run a charity - we run a business -
AND we make direct charitable donations.
Sustainable tourism
Tourism depends for its very existence on quality
natural environments; it is equally dependent on human environments,
resources and cultures.
For a long time tourism was seen as a 'soft'
activity, different from other forms of development, inherently
conservatory given that its sustainability relied on the
preservation of the natural resource base and the local cultures.
However it is now recognised that tourism is an
industry just like any other, an industry which has been characterised by rapid, short-term ventures which have often damaged
those very assets upon which they depend. "Tourism kills tourism"
is acknowledged as a widespread phenomena.
Tourism is essentially an exploitative industry,
and as such it is justified to regulate tourism as is done for any
other polluting industry. Obvious is the need for the tourism
industry to become sustainable.
Sustainable tourism is often equated with
nature or eco-tourism; but sustainable tourism development means
more than protecting the natural environment - it means proper
consideration of host peoples, communities, cultures, customs,
lifestyles, and social and economic systems.
Sustainable tourism truly benefits those who
are on the receiving end and that does not exploit and degrade
the environment in which they live and from which they must earn a
living after the last tourist has flown back home.
Sustainable tourism
enhances the material life of local communities without causing
a loss of traditional employment systems, acculturation or social
disruption.
Thus tourism is brought within the debate on
sustainable development in general. Sustainable development (and
therefore sustainable tourism) takes into account three central
points:
- the necessary interactions between the environment and
economic activity;
- long-term time scale; and
- inter- as well as intra-generational equity - providing for
the needs of current societies without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.
What we are developing is unique in Vietnam.
Direct Customer relationships
On our sustainable tours Karma Waters provides:
v
Theme
- ancient Champa Kingdom (200 - 1400 AD) & today's
Vietnam around Hoi An
v
Active
- all ages of healthy & active Customers are catered for
v
Customized - we work direct with the Customer & provide customized tours
v
Small tour
groups
of 2 - 8 Customers provides a high level of personal attention
v
Education - we provide general information & customized in-depth
educational programs on
Champa Kingdom,
local culture, heritage, geography, environment, etc.
v
Adventure - lakes, rivers & ocean & island tours on lifeboat, speedboat,
inflatables, kayaks or other equipment
v High service
quality - all Tour
Guides are knowledgeable, English speakers & experienced.
We follow the Tour Descriptions. All drivers are experienced
& licensed
v
Hardware
- all hardware & equipment we own & is maintained in good
working order
v
No Agents or
commissions paid - we
work direct with Customers (there are NO middlemen taking
commissions from Karma Waters) so 100% of our
Customer's money is going directly to pay for the tour
Tour Policies
v
Any needs,
comments, suggestions or complaints please contact the Owners!
v
Please protect the
environment! please
do not litter or damage our environment. We are reducing
our carbon footprint by reducing our impact & pollution levels -
please participate in hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, sailing & other
lower impact & low pollution activities
v
NO fishing
is permitted on our tours or from our boats.
To protect the fragile marine environment on Cham Islands please
do not eat local seafood - instead of killing & eating the fish
please enjoy swimming & snorkeling amongst them
v
We do NOT stop
along the route to go shopping
- we do NOT extract commissions from shops, restaurants or
hotels for Customers purchases made on our tours!
v
All food &
beverages catered on Karma Waters Tours are
healthy vegan vegetarian & included in the Tour price
(except wine, beers or other
alcohols) -
please do not bring your own food & beverages
v
We own & provide
all equipment. For each
Tour we advise some personal items which the Customer should
provide
v
Tour price includes
everything in the Tour
Description - there are no extra charges!
v
No discounts!
we already provide Tours at our lowest price &
highest value
v
Same price for
everyone! No discounts
for Vietnamese & inflated prices for foreigners!
v
All Customers agree to
sign a legal disclaimer not holding Karma Waters or
our transportation company Tara Co. Ltd. responsible
in case of accident, injury or death
v
If you choose to tip
our employees please give all tips to the Tour Guide - our policy is
that tips are shared equally between all Karma Waters
employees (no tips to the Owners!)
v
Refund in full with at least 24 hours notice minus any customized tour expenses. Less than 24
hours notice then a refund is at Karma Waters sole
discretion
v
Deposit
of 50% is paid when booking & remainder is paid before the start of
the Tour
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