Five amazing places to experience another culture

by BRETT ATKINSON· 20 May 2013 (lonelyplanet.com)

 

Learning about the culture and customs of other people is one of the great experiences of travel. Explore the planet's diversity with one of these locally owned and authentic tribal encounters.

H'mong women by Maria Hsu. Creative Commons Attribution licence

Trekking with the H'mong around Sapa, northern Vietnam

Negotiate generations-old mountain tracks and cascades of rice paddies to the villages of the H'mong people, an ethnic minority in Vietnam. Trek with Sapa O'Chau – the name means 'Hello Sapa' in the H'mong language – and you'll be boosting the education and literacy of young H'mong tour guides. Sapa O'Chau is headed by Shu Tan, an energetic H'mong woman making a real difference for her people, and if you're keen on a longer stay in Sapa, she's always looking for volunteer teachers at Sapa O'Chau's community school. Contact Sapa O'Chau (www.sapaochau.org)

Mola textiles of the Kuna people, Panama by Brett Atkinson

Island life with the Kuna, San Blas Archipelago, Panama

Scattered across the 400-plus islands of Panama's San Blas Archipelago is the autonomous Kuna Yala homeland, where you can spend time getting to know the Kuna people. Fly from Panama City to the tiny island of Mamirupu and stay at the rustic and locally owned Dolphin Lodge. The snorkelling and fishing are sublime, and boatmen can take visitors to nearby islands to learn about the Kuna's proud history of independence and resistance. The Kuna's iconic local handicrafts include molas, finely crafted and colourful appliqué textiles. Contact Dolphin Lodge Panama (www.dolphinlodgepanama.com)

Indigenous Aboriginal culture, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

Journey to the ancestral lands of the indigenous Adjahdura and Ngadjuri peoples on South Australia's rugged Yorke Peninsula

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