Since 2010, LevArt has organized various exciting tours, some to off-the-beaten track destinations, while some with thematic activities. We had done cycling trips in Holland and Taiwan, trekking in Nepal, horseback riding in Central Asia, journeying through Russia with the world’s longest railway Trans-Siberia train, and Northern Lights hunting in Norway. Our tours covered some of the less travelled destinations, such as Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, and Tunisia.
Travel, if spelled reverse would be levart, that’s where our name came from. We think of traveling as an art of leaving (hence, LevArt is pronounced as leave-art). Whether you are embarking on a journey or going home, both acts involve leaving behind someone or something as you bid farewell, but each farewell comes with a wealth of experiences and fond memories.
LevArt is founded by Lam Yuet, who is passionate about traveling. Her vast travel experiences included a two-year overland journey through Asia-Europe continents. Her travelogues appeared in newspapers and magazines in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and China. She also has four books under her belt, and kept a travel blog.
Her writings attracted a group of followers, who often enquire about travel tips and advices. Through readers’ feedback, she realized many people are keen to visit off-the-beaten-track destinations, but lack the know-how, information, or courage to hit the road alone. In response, she organized a trial tour in 2009 for interested readers, and they embarked on an adventurous safari trip into the steppes of Mongolia.
In 2010, LevArt was formally incepted. Initially, Lam Yuet was its sole tour planner, and LevArt only offered limited travel routes. Due to encouraging response, LevArt slowly evolved into a small team and expanded its tour packages. We believe each journey is unique, each trip brings about new discoveries, and each travel enhances understanding of the various cultures surrounding us.
The LevArt team is passionate about traveling, sharing, and learning. If you are like-minded people, you are welcomed to embark on a journey with us and experience the art of leaving.
Please don’t rush into signing-up for LevArt Tours! Read and understand tour details, T&C, and our travel concept before booking, to avoid mismatched of expectations.
Many of our tours venture into remote and under-developed regions, where tourism facilities and daily amenities are limited. These destinations offer authentic local cultures, less touched by globalization, and you would not find Starbucks or hypermarkets at every turn.
In some remote places, you won’t even find modern bathroom, thus you are denied the luxury of having daily shower. In some high-elevation regions, you may suffer from high-altitude sickness. In some far-flung corners, transportations and road conditions are poor; buses may not be on scheduled or may break down half way, all these unforeseen circumstances demand patience, understanding, open and positive attitudes from tour members.
We believe a beautiful journey depends a lot on the spirit of sharing amongst team mates. Our tours treat every member as travel buddy, and we would journey through thick and thin together, helping each other to reach out to places and people along the way, and creating fond memories from the road as a team. Tour members must have mental preparation to face challenges and the unexpected.
If you cherish learning experiences from the road, if you are an open-minded person, if you appreciate DIY concept and team spirit, if you are gamed for a freestyle travel concept (as opposed to strictly following tour schedules), and if you are keen to meet like-minded travel buddies ……if so, LevArt might be your best choice.
LevArt believes in promoting responsible tourism, namely minimizing negative impacts on three major aspects at travel destinations – environmental, social, and economic. Firstly, make positive contributions to the conservation of nature and cultural heritage. Secondly, provide travel experiences that connect with the locals for a greater understanding of local issues and mutual respects. Thirdly, generate greater economic benefits for the locals and enhance the well-being of host communities.
Respecting local culture and heritage is important, and respect usually stems from understanding. Prior to departure, a traveler should do some homework to learn more about the history, culture, religion, and developmental issues on travel destination.
The world is full of diversity, from nature to culture, value system, and lifestyle; and diversity is one of the appealing factors that draw travelers to strange lands, and to discover new things. Maintain an open-minded attitude when communicating with locals at travel destination, and accept differences with a positive attitude. As a guest in the hosting community, we should not demand the locals to change their way of life for our convenience, but we should learn to adapt.
The mindset of I’m a paying customer, thus I’m entitled to special treatment; or the notion of I’m from a big city, a more developed country, thus I know better, this sense of superiority could hamper meaningful connections with the locals in travel destination. Interaction with host communities should be done on an equal basis, both sides (host and guest) could learn from each other, our differences in the way of life and thinking could inspire each other. Do not take the locals’ hospitality and friendliness for granted, and refrain from imposing your own value and belief system on others.
Be mindful of local customs and taboos. In some destinations, especially in religious places and pilgrimage sites, dressed modestly, avoid tight-fitting and revealing clothes, miniskirt, shorts, and cover your head with scarf if necessary. We agree that how one dressed is entirely a personal choice and individual freedom, but we shall refrain from intentionally provoke or challenge the social norms in a host community.
Most travelers would take photographs or record video on a journey, especially on exotic images, such as locals dressed in interesting traditional attire. But be sensitive to the feeling of the subject you are filming; having a dozen of cameras pointing at you simultaneously could be unnerving. If a subject declined to be photographed, please respect his/her wish. In addition, avoid giving money in exchange of photographing locals, this may encourage begging.
spending on local products and services instead.
Avoid polluting the nature. In some areas, there’s a lack of waste management system, when necessary, clean up before you leave, take the waste with you until you reach a city with proper disposal system. You could help to cut generating less non-degradable waste by carrying your own recycle shopping bag, decline the use of plastic bags when shopping in travel destination.
Conserve water, use water sparingly when taking showers, or doing laundry. Water is a precious commodity throughout the world. Do not use soap and shampoo in lakes, rivers, and hot springs; do not answer your “nature’s call” too close to the source of water when trekking in the nature.
spending on local products and services instead.
Always consume local products in preference of imported goods. Dine in local restaurant, try out local cuisine and specialty, food is an integral part of local culture and by trying local food, you are directly supporting local economy. When shopping for souvenir, favor local markets, and best if you could buy handicrafts directly from the makers. Do not buy illegal/ protected/ endangered articles as souvenir, such as souvenir made of near extinct plant or animal.
spending on local products and services instead.
Avoid giving money, sweets, stationary, etc, to impoverish children, this could encourage begging. Dishing out money, donation, and free gifts carelessly would establish an unequal status between the giver and the receiver. The act may make the giver “feel good” for having done “good deeds”, but at the same time could be condescending to the “receiver”, and could perpetuate a dependency mentality in the later, and that will not help to solve poverty problem in host communities. Contribute to local economy by spending on local products and services instead.
Everyone deserves a better life, and has the rights to strive for a higher standard of living. Development may alter the economic and social fabric of a society, but the wishes of local communities for better life should be respected. As a traveler, you may share you insights/ suggestions/ thoughts on balanced development with locals, but do not impose your values on them.
