East Bali Instagram Trail with Female Photographer [Bali]
Thailand
Thai Cooking Experience with Female Chef [Nakhon Pathom]
Kok Na Sai Community Experience [Saraburi]
Malaysia & Borneo
Dining Experience with an Escapee [Kuala Lumpur]
Peranakan Beaded Shoe Crafting Class [Penang]
Kiau Village Full Day Tour [Borneo]
Cambodia
Japan
Obanzai Home Cooking [Kyoto]
Laos
Silk Weaving Experience at Ock Pop Tok [Luang Prabang]
Merit Preparation Experience [Luang Prabang]
Vietnam
Herbal Taste Challenge at Organic Farm [Hoi An]
Saigon Artistic Culture Exploration [Ho Chi Minh City]
China
Paper Fan Painting with Female Master [Xi’an]
Chinese-inspired Jewellery Workshop [Xi’an]
Hong Kong
At Discova, we promote equality and diversity across all aspects of our business. 52% of Discova staff are women, and 59% of our leadership positions are held by women. As a global business, we face equality challenges every day, but we also recognise our opportunity to do something about it. The travel industry is not exempt from gender based inequality, which is why we felt the necessity to create our Women in Travel tour selection.
When we launched our Women in Travel range in 2018, the goal was simple. We wanted to use our global reach to celebrate female business owners, guides and experts from across the cities and communities we work in. By creating these experiences, we can directly support women in fulfilling their economic independence and potential.
After a successful launch, which achieved tremendous praise and uptake from our partners worldwide, we have expanded our range. Our Women in Travel experiences are now operating across our destinations in East, Southeast, and South Asia, with exciting plans for further growth. Ask our tailor-made travel team and they will happily provide you with suggestions from our latest range.
Workshop Natural Dyeing
Bali, Indonesia
This tour promotes the ethical and sustainable Balinese natural dyeing process. Join a Sulawesi woman in her workshop as she guides travellers in her craft, from bundle dyeing to immersion dyeing. Learn how to create natural dyes from plants harvested from the garden, and then discover the secrets of how to preserve and protect the dyed clothing from fading. All of the design and craftsmanship uses raw materials and is a zero-waste process, promoting sustainable living.
East Bali Instagram
Trail with Female Photographer
Bali, Indonesia
Tick off all the most photogenic hotspots on this tour with a professional female photographer. Start the day early to capture the famous Heaven Gate of Lempuyang during the ‘golden hour’ of sunrise, using tricks of the light to create the perfect snapshot. Continue on to Tirta Gangga Water Palace for more impressive backdrops before heading to Bukit Asah, a hillside viewpoint offering an incredible landscape of the Balinese coastline. The final shooting spot is at Virgin beach, complete with local fishing boats, crystal clear water and clean white sand.
Discova the Difference
This tour is only available through Discova.
Thai Cooking Experience with Female Chef
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
This is an opportunity to explore a rural area around Bangkok and get to know knowledgeable and charismatic chef, Miss Aoy. Together, visit a vibrant local market famous for its wide variety of brightlycoloured flowers before visiting a local temple. All the while, engage in conversation and learn about local life in this little-visited area. Next, it’s time to purchase ingredients at another market, where Miss Aoy will instruct in all the local fruits, vegetables, and the most-lauded spices. Take a scenic boat ride along the river to an open-air kitchen area–the classroom in which the whole group will prepare, present, and – most importantly –eat the delicious Thai dishes.
Kok Na Sai Community Experience
Saraburi, Thailand
A two-hour drive from Bangkok, Kok Na Sai is a community-based tourism initiative run by the local farmers of Baan Sao Hai. Led by a female community leader, the Farmer’s Life Learning Center is a place where visitors can immerse themselves in the region’s rich agricultural heritage, gaining valuable knowledge about rice farming, diverse rice varieties, processing techniques, and the production of various rice-based products. Guests can learn how to prepare bamboo sticky rice, Thai rice pancakes and about traditional methods of rice production through a local workshop. Visitors can also assist their hosts in preparing their authentic Thai lunch using fresh seasonal produce.
Discova the Difference
For travellers fond of Thai cuisine, this is an intimate and eye opening experience that honours the people who grow our food and highlights their impeccable knowledge of their produce.
Dining Experience with an Escapee
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Malaysia is home to many refugees escaping various different circumstances. On this tour, a female chef engages in gastrodiplomacy – the practice of spreading understanding and stories through a universal language we can all understand, a delicious meal. Spendtheevening learning about her traumatic story, and the stories of others like her, while also gaining some culinary skills as the whole group will help prepare and present the dishes. These evenings empower the female refugees, supporting them economically on their journey and spreading some valuable lessons.
Peranakan Beaded Shoe Crafting Class
Penang, Malaysia
Luxurious and elegant – the artistic Nyonya culture blends Chinese and Malay styles to create wonderfully beaded shoe designs. On this trip, visit the prestigious Nyonya Museum and observe the unique artworks and antiques on show, gaining inspiration for the design. Pick and match the colourful beads from a broad selection before the expert tutor inspects and gives advice and direction. Lastly, either frame the beaded artwork or make it into shoes to take home.
Discova the Difference
Meet Lillian, our local Nyonya guide and crafting master. Her classes are packed with fun as she fulfils her ambition to support and spread this traditional art form.
Kiau Village Full-Day Tour
Kiau Village, Malaysia
This rural village in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo and Malaysia, is home to the Kadazan-Dusun tribe, who worship this majestic mountain. We listen to stories about their lifestyle and traditions, followed by a village walk before enjoying a traditional lunch and coffee prepared by local women. Later, we visit a pineapple and honeybee farms to immerse ourselves further in our natural surroundings and learn how women farmers support the local economy through their efforts. For those wishing to explore further, there’s also an option to hike up to a viewpoint with a panoramic view of Mount Kinabalu. This tour allows help Kiau residents promote their village and provides alternative income opportunities for women.
Discova the Difference
This tour is conceptualised by residents of the Kiau to improve the economic condition of their village and every tour contributes to the overall development of this beautiful community.
Golden Silk–Empowering Women Initiative
Cambodia
This program provides a source of income for marginalised women in Cambodian society. Travellers get to learn how beautiful Khmer silk is made while interacting with the women and gaining insights in to the local life of their village. However, it’s not just about learning and supporting this traditional craft. After a demonstration, travellers will be encouraged to get creative and create some Khmer silk of their own –with an expert on hand to give guidance.
Immersive Countryside Experience at Trei Nohar Village
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Discover the true essence of Cambodia as you venture into the picturesque outskirts of Siem Reap, where modernity has left little impact on the traditional way of life in the village of Trei Nohar. Women are the front and centre of this resourceful village, growing and cooking their food (including mouthwatering desserts), which guests will enjoy during this tour. They are also incredible artisans who expertly weave straw into baskets, hats and other utility items. Away from tourist hotspots, this tour enables visitors to experience Cambodian village life at its finest.
Discova the Difference
Trei Nhoar is supported by Discova’s Educational Travel Team, and we work closely with locals to help them develop Sustainable Tourism in their communities. Besides preserving the culture and history of Cambodia, this trip offers an authentic experience where the lovely residents of Trei Nohar share their lives and stories with visitors.
Obanzai Home Cooking
Kyoto, Japan
Take a cooking class in a Japanese home with a local female instructor to learn about Obanzai, one of Kyoto’s traditional cuisines. With precise rules such as the obligation to use local ingredients in your preparation and minute attention to detail, Obanzai is recognised as part of the city’s cultural heritage. Created in collaboration with a local association promoting women’s emancipation by employing exclusively female guides and female-owned shops and businesses, the three-hour tour teaches the travellers to cook o-banzai vegetarian style and, the best part, enjoy the creations after!
Herbal Taste Challenge at Organic Farm
Hoi An, Vietnam
Your tour begins by trying an herbal tea made with herbs grown in an organic garden. As you savour this fragrant brew, you’ll explore the farm with our farm host, who is a passionate advocate for gender equality and provides valuable insights into the challenges and successes of Vietnamese women in agriculture. Home to over fifty varieties of medicinal herbs, fruits, and edible flowers, this tour offers a chance to witness and learn from an effective organic farming model that respects nature, promotes sustainability and supports local women to earn a livelihood.
Silk Weaving Experience at Ock Pop Tok
Luang Prabang, Laos
Learn more about the fascinating world of Lao textiles and handicrafts from a female master-weaver. This class starts with a morning of selecting colours, gathering plants, and then preparing natural dyes using traditional Lao recipes. After dying three small silk skeins to take home, it’s time to get on the loom and, with the guidance of an expert, go through the process of weaving a silk scarf. Learn the exciting skills of dyeing and weaving, and take home the creations.
Discova the Difference
Ock Pop Tok (meaning “East Meets West” in Lao) was founded on the principles of fair trade and sustainable business practices, and the original concept was to bring people together through textiles to exchange knowledge and ideas. Collaborate with this artisanal social enterprise with Discova.
Saigon Artistic Culture Exploration
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The highlight of this tour exploring Saigon’s contemporary art and culture is a visit to a local artist’s studio in a charming 1960s apartment. The artist has 14 years of experience in hand embroidery and is a multi-talented musician who plays various instruments and has performed in numerous events worldwide. Discover her fascinating journey and passion at her studio, where traditional Vietnamese art blends with French influences. This excursion allows visitors to support a young artist who in turn considers it her mission to nurture other young people’s creativity.
Merit Preparation Experience
Luang Prabang, Laos
Join your female host on a guided tour of the local market to select the freshest ingredients. Participate in a hands-on cooking class led by a local woman and gain insights into women’s important role in Laotian households, where they are considered the spiritual heart of the family home and kitchen. You’ll then have a chance to offer this food to novices and
monks at a nearby Buddhist temple. After the Alms Giving Ceremony, have lunch at your host’s house, ending a memorable morning of cultural immersion.
Discova the Difference
This is an intimate and exclusive opportunity to engage with Lao culture, cuisine and spirituality, made more special by the involvement of a local family who’ll help you explore the numerous fascinating aspects of the Lao way of life.
Paper Fan Painting with Female Master
Xi’an, China
Create a masterpiece the traditional way in this wonderfully artistic half-day experience. Explore the tranquil Small Wild Goose Pagoda, a fascinating site of ancient history boasting elaborate architecture and a fascinating heritage. Learn the ancient art of fan painting from a female master, exploring the techniques and skills required to make a beautiful piece of artwork that can be kept as a keepsake of this wonderful day.
Chinese-Inspired Jewellery Workshop
Xi’an, China
Create a totally unique piece of jewellery and work under the expert guidance of a female workshop leader in this half-day experience. Choose to create earrings, rings or bracelets and add personal touches, including beads, tassels and ropes to these Chinese-inspired accessories. An excellent half-day experience that supports a femaleled business and provides the opportunity to create a unique, personal memento as a reminder of time spent in Xi’an.
Beauty, Culture and Wellness in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Wander through the spectacular Nan Ling Garden and take in lush, colourful vistas as a local guide points out the best photography spots. Witness the modern cultural heritage of Hong Kong at HKWALLS - a nonprofit organisation that aims to create opportunities for artists to showcase their talent, exhibiting works from some of the finest graffiti artists in Asia. End the morning with a soothing foot-steaming treatment designed specifically for women and believed to energise and invigorate - a relaxing half-day of beauty, culture and wellness.
