“Load up quick, bad weather, come very quick!” These are the last words you ever want to hear when you are a passenger in a tiny 20-seater plane flying into the rainforest. As the engines whirred into life, I wondered for a split second whether or not I’d bought enough supplies to last a trek to the nearest village should the plane crash. Risky or not, the flight into the interior of Sarawak only served to highlight the nature of the trip that was to come – remote and, at this point, reckless.

To the well-intentioned traveler, ‘green’ labels can be a bit vague, a tinted title that has been taken to mean a host of things, not all of them positive. Faced with growing concerns about tongue-twisting turns of phrase like ‘sustainable eco nature adventures,’ the average person is left wondering what a green leaf means on hotel pamphlets. So what makes green hotels truly ‘green’?

Set against the jaw-droppingly gorgeous backdrop of the snow-covered Himalayas and surrounded by the phenomenal forests and streams of rural Darjeeling, India, the little village of Mineral Spring is a community knit together by strong cultural values that have made it a model of sustainable growth. Now, homestays with locals have been set up, satisfying the desires of both mindful travellers and responsible hosts.

In light of Responsible Travel Week 2011, we at Gunyah – specialists in short-duration experiential packages for independent travellers eager to connect with local people – have selected our favourite local travel experiences… in Argentina, Vietnam, Nepal, Australia, Zambia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We want to inspire travellers to seek out more meaningful travel experiences, the kinds that can only come through real contact with locals and genuine enjoyment of local culture and tradition.

In Southeast Asia’s so-called Emerald Triangle, a region of extensive natural forests growing along the tripartite border of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, some of the most beautiful and least touristy landscapes are in southern Laos. Travellers who make it there, specifically to the lesser-known Lao province of Champasak, are always wowed by the region’s attractions and wonders, the first often being the phenomenal World Heritage site of Wat Phou.

One major destination in the Golden Triangle is the historic city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The second-largest city in the country, it is a vibrant gateway to the spectacular northern region. Sitting comfortably at 316 metres above sea level, it is also a vital hub at the heart of a mountainous territory perfect for anyone seeking a cooler climate and opportunities to experience the rich and diverse cultures of the many ethnic minorities who reside in these hills.

For whl.travel, a company dedicated to improving the travel experience and the ethical standards of tourism from the bottom up and for everyone involved, it is hardly surprising that many local partners are actively involved in voluntourism initiatives. Here we spotlight a few whl.travel destinations that encourage travellers to get involved in local projects with the promise of a true cultural experience and exchange.