ETHOS - Spirit of the Community
Open
Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address
Số 79 đường Nguyễn Chí Thanh, TT. Sa Pa, Sa Pa, Lào Cai 333311, Vietnam

ETHOS - Spirit of the Community

Số 79 đường Nguyễn Chí Thanh, TT. Sa Pa, Sa Pa, Lào Cai 333311, Vietnam

RATING (4.9)

Reviews

Imogen Evans
Imogen Evans
a month ago

Great tour and professional service. Walked into a few operators in town and they seemed completely disinterested in our service, however, as soon as we arrrived at Ethos we were made to feel completely at home. Our guide spoke fantastic English and staying overnight with her young family was the highlight of our trip. Ethos seem to be doing a lot of great work in employing and empowering the local women, and we would highly recommend them. Well worth the short walk (or taxi ride) up the hill!

Francesca Ginexi
Francesca Ginexi
a month ago

The most authentic experience yet. Incredible hike and overnight stay with the Black Hmong tribe. An opportunity to travel ethically and to do something away from the tourist crowds, while actually learning a ton.

Jason MacDonald
Jason MacDonald
in the last week

My wife and I spent two days trekking in the incredible rice terraces of Sapa with Ethos. It was an absolute highlight of our trip to Vietnam, not only because of the breathtaking scenery, but the passion and honesty that Hoa, Phil and the rest of the small Ethos team bring to the experience. Upon arrival we were treated to a hearty breakfast and the most incredible tea (I’d love that recipe!!). After settling in a little, Hoa and Phil provided context to the experience we were about to have. It was fascinating and educational, and I’m positive that it’s something the dime-a-dozen travel sites out of Hanoi do not provide. Their mission is to ensure the money tourism brings to the area is put into the pockets of the people who live there, not to the wealthy tourist companies headquartered in a city hundreds of kilometres away. The private trek (simply my wife, myself and our H’Mong guide) was nothing short of 5 star. We travelled routes the large tourist companies don’t take, and honestly we didn’t run into a single other tourist the entire first day. Meals were cooked by locals, in their homes, and let me tell you the food was incredible. But most of all, the work Hoa, Phil and the Ethos team are doing to empower the local people cannot highlighted enough. Had I known how great the experience was going to be, we would have certainly stayed longer.

Leo Hickman
Leo Hickman
a week ago

Our three-day, two-night trek and homestay with Ethos was the absolute highlight of our seven-week trip with our family. We have three teenagers, all of whom are very fond of their home comforts, but when we ask them what their favourite part of the whole trip was, they say without any hesitation that it was trekking with our guide, So-so, and staying with her family and friends in their homes in Sapa. The whole experience has given my children a completely different perspective on life, which is what we had been hoping for. So-so was absolutely amazing - so knowledgeable, informative, kind and patient, especially with our son who had a million and one questions - and she made our experience truly memorable. The Ethos model is really inspiring and I only wish there were more 'holiday companies' like them. You get the sense that the owners, Hoa and Phil, really really care about what they are doing - their social and environmental conscience is at the forefront of everything they do, as are their efforts to promote responsible tourism. The whole organisation feels like it is based around an equal relationship between them and the tribal hill population with whom they work, which is so often not the case with other organisations. Ethos prides itself on not taking out big groups that could over-run villages and in walking off the beaten track. We were able to tailor our days in exactly the way we wanted - there was no agenda or certain point we needed to reach by a given time; you can walk as far or as little as you like; you have the option of staying in people's homes or in a hostel if you prefer - it's completely flexible. There are a lot of trekking companies in and around Sapa, but only one that really has the best interests of the local population at heart, while still also giving us, the tourists, an unforgettable and personal experience. I would recommend them highly.

Ed
Ed
a month ago

Me and my girlfriend went on a 2 day trek 1 night homestay with Ethos Spirit; what an amazing experience! We were greeted at the main office with coffee in the morning and were presented with an overview of the history and culture of the Sapa area which was an interesting insight into the Hmong people's way of life and current situation. We were paired up with our guide Su who is from the Hmong community and went on a very interesting trek through the rice terraces with some incredible views across the valley. Lunch was cooked for us from the food Su bought from the market earlier in the day and we ate in a traditional Hmong house which was a great insight into their way of life and culture. In the evening we stayed at a different traditional Hmong house. Our guide Su was fantastic, you could ask her anything about the Hmong people's way of life and she would give you a detailed and thoughtful response. She has a high level of knowledge of the area and we hardly saw any other trekkers throughout the 2 days which was great as you felt like you were having a really unique experience. If you want to have a special trekking experience rather than the packaged trekking conveyabelt type tour booked from a tour booth in Hanoi then go with Ethos! By doing so you will also support the local Hmong people who have not seen the full benefits that tourism has brought to the area.

Open
Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Address
Số 79 đường Nguyễn Chí Thanh, TT. Sa Pa, Sa Pa, Lào Cai 333311, Vietnam