Philippines: Fair Trade Holiday

How can the products you buy make a difference on a faraway island? Find out first-hand on 15-day Meet the People Tours with a fair-trade company, Traidcraft, and tour operator Skeet Skedaddle. The trip combines sightseeing on the island of Luzon with an in-depth look at the Filipino fair-trade scene and the inspiring islanders behind it. You'll begin in Manila with a tour of Intramuros, the historic walled city, and visits to successful fair-trade organizations. As you make your way south into the Bicol Region, explore the rainforest reserve at Quezon National Park, watch the sun set over the towering Mayon Volcano, cruise a river filled with fireflies and swim in a whale-shark feeding ground. Along the way, get an inside view of island life through visits with fair-trade pineapple farmers, a behind-the-scenes tour of a cassava cooperative, dinner with community leaders and a one-night stay with a local family. You might even see how the Philippines is a lot like home — and how buying fair-trade means supporting your new friends. meetthepeople.skedaddle.co.uk