Students attend the tour guide training course. (Photo: vietnamtourism.gov.vn)Quang Nam (VNA) - One of the reasons touristsreturn to Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islands), a group of eight small islands offHoi An city of the central province of Quang Nam, is its tour guides.
“Charming oratory, flexible tours and the provision ofexceptional information is real spice, making tour guides here a beguilingchoice for tourists," said Dutch visitor Jenny Mario after finishing atour with guide Vo Phuc Sinh, 34.
A typical working day for Sinh, who is called “Lord of theSoil and the Ground of Cham Islands” starts at 8am. When the first touristgroups from the mainland enter the port, he quickly supports them. They areattracted by his friendly, brisk and cheerful attitude.
Nguyen Thanh Ba, a visitor from Hanoi, said jokes andhumorous stories were combined with explanations of traditional customs ofislanders. He said this brought a relaxing, close link between guides andtourists. “It is far better than having dogmatic guides who always stick towhat they have been taught in the textbooks. So boring,” he said.
At present, the tourist guides at Cham Islands has up to 30members. They include former "xe om" drivers, boatmen and even housewives whohave been trained at local tourist guide classes and issued with a certificate.
Some guides are youngsters who left the islands, but returnedto take up jobs as guides. The team cleverly combines guiding with remindingtourists on keeping the environment clean. No plastic bags are allowed on theislands, swimmers are not allowed to remove anything from the sea - and thesale of rare sea crabs is forbidden.
Meanwhile, because many tourists love to see starfish andcoral while diving, tour guides are encouraged to bring them to the surface forvisitors to see - and then release them.
Guides are paid 200,000 VND for each tour. The money helpsthem to cover their living expense. When the stormy season comes, they returnto their daily routines as xe om drivers, hammock knitters and livestockbreeders.
Tran Thi Hong Thuy, Director of the Cham Islands Sea Reservesaid the reserve started training 30 young people a time in tourist guideclasses.-VNA
VNA
