Schoolroom in the Akha village of Ban Nammat Gao. BNG was on one of the first tourist treks developed by the UNESCO sponsored NamHa eco-tourism pilot project, introducing a new model of tourism into Laos.
The purpose was primarily to raise the income of villagers (What is now called pro-poor tourism) by bringing in income through responsible tourism. I visited BNG and its sister village Ban Nammat Mai, about 4 or five times. Unfortunately, the authorities decided in 2004 to re-locate the village outside the NamHa protected area closer to the road. The photos of BNG and BNM are now all that remains of the two villages.

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