Trekking in the hills of South-east Asia - whether Vietnam or China, Laos through to Thailand, and beyond - will never be a complete experience if you can't meet and communicate with the locals, and they with you.
- with a handful of phrases to help, you don't need to be a voyeur
- understand and learn more about the cultures around you
- avoid the trap of some tourist attractions by knowing how to approach, meet and communicate with local cultures without imposing, disrupting or offending.