Responsible Travel

Responsible Travel

The area the Holidays with Purpose takes you is far off the beaten
tourist track. In some areas you may be meeting people who have never
spoken with a foreigner in their lives. We ask you to respect the local
culture and customs by following a few etiquette guidelines. By doing
this you will find that your trip will be more enjoyable as you will
gain the respect and friendship of the local people.

Local Etiquette

Always eat, pass food and money and shake hands with your right hand.
The left hand is used in place of toilet paper and considered unclean.

It is considered aggressive to gesture for someone to come with a
crooked finger or upturned palm. Always turn your palm down and wave
your fingers inwards.

Showing affection with members of the opposite sex in public is considered
offensive, kissing is definitely not appreciated and even holding hands
can be seen as too familiar. However, it is quite common to see members
of the same sex holding hands or walking with arms draped around each
other's shoulders.

It is impolite to touch the head of an adult; it is quite acceptable with children.

Shoes are usually removed before entering a house or public building.
It is considered rude to place your feet up on the furniture or point
them directly towards a person.

Loud voices can be seen as aggressive. It is common to clap if you want to
call someone who is a fair distance away rather than shout to them.

Dress

Girls should wear long shorts and t-shirts. Short shorts or skirts,
tank tops, singlets and midriff bearing shirts should be avoided.
Always wear a bra.

When swimming in
areas were there are locals present, it is best to wear a t-shirt and
board shorts to swim in. There will be plenty of un-crowded beaches and
the boat for getting a suntan.

Men should always wear a t-shirt when entering a village or house and remove their hat on entering a house.

It is also polite to remove your sunglasses when talking to someone.

Photos and gifts

Many people love having their photo taken, but it is always polite to
ask first and respect their wishes if they refuse. It is not good
policy to offer money for a photo but instead take down their address
and send them a copy later.

Giving gifts to children and locals can be a sensitive area, it can cause
jealousy in those who did not receive something and encourage a begging
and expectant mentality in children. If you want to give gifts, it is
best to either contribute to the project or bring something that can be
used by the whole community such as craft items or Indonesian language
books that can be kept at the LEAP base. Contact us and ask what is
needed before you come.

Before you come

It is compulsory for all Holidays with Purpose guests to have fully comprehensive travel and health insurance.

Make sure that you are able to get a visa on entry. There is a cost of
$25 US for a 30 day tourist visa for citizens of the United States,
Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, United Arab
Emirates, Finland, Hungary, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Germany,
Canada, South Korea, Norway, France, Poland, Switzerland, New Zealand,
and Taiwan.

Consult with your doctor
about medication and immunizations for this area. You can find more
information on the following websites:

www.travelvax.com.au

www.traveldoctor.co.nz

www.travelhealth.co.uk

www.cdc.gov/travel/