Experiential Learning Gap Year Programs in Thailand

My gap program with Dragons in China and Southeast Asia was truly a remarkable experience. Doing homestays in Cambodia, Laos, and China are experiences that I'll remember for the rest of my life. The instructors were excellent and managed to both challenge the group and make sure that everyone was always supported and had everything they needed. I learned a lot from their instruction, but the full immersion in local culture was my favorite part.

SAS as a recent high school graduate was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to sail on the Fall 25 voyage as an international gap year student. The experience as a whole was so unique and I truly do not believe that you can find such a program anywhere else. The accommodation was so surreal because I got to wake up and see the waves as we sailed across the world. The community SAS builds is welcoming and kind because whenever I had a problem on the ship or in port, I never once felt alone or stranded. There will always be someone in your corner, which I appreciated. A massive thank you especially to the crew members on the ship who always make an effort to get to know your name, check in and give you a smile or laugh whenever you're stressed by travel planning, relationships and/or academics. The food does get quite repetitive if I'm being honest but it's truly a blessing to have such skilled crew members who can create delicious and nutritious meals in the middle of nowhere on the ocean. Pro tip: always get your cake first cause everyone loves the cake and it's always the first to go. In terms of academics. there are a variety of courses and I loved how everything always tied back to our in-port experiences, which allowed us to reflect on our SAS journey deeply, which I think was a crucial aid in how I developed and matured as a person. This was a great bridge between high school and university because I feel that I came out more mature, socially aware and ready for adult life. I also never felt that I couldn't make new friends because everyone is so open and you get to interact with a lot of diversity due to the various represented cultures, backgrounds, religions, nationalities etc. Til now, I am so grateful for the friends I made on SAS and we keep in touch almost daily as we plan our reunion trips. If I had one piece of advice for whoever's reading this, is that you will never truly see and understand the world around you until you're interacting with various people on the ship and in port. So do it!!! You will never regret SAS, I can promise you that :p

I had an even better time than I could have imagined. I met some amazing people and definitely made the most incredible memories. I feel like the trip was a good mixture of fun and also cultural enrichment. It was the perfect start to my gap year travels.

I did so many things and had so many experiences as well as making real friends that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do if it weren’t for the trip. The tour leader Callum was so cool and we all got along really well. The accommodation was nice and clean and you can just put it down to a cultural experience if anything ever went slightly wrong. I saw areas of the world that I had always dreamed of seeing but never actually thought I would and for a very reasonable price overall. On the whole I had a great and unforgettable time.

I am so lucky that I chose Pacific Discovery, they created an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. They made it easy to make new friends and easy to try new things safely. I am so grateful I got to go on this once in a life time opportunity and adventure.

It was good fun. A good mixture of relaxing and busy, good to experience the culture and do things off the tourist track. I really enjoyed the volunteering part as it was good to experience more of the culture and do something which will actually benefit the community

Honestly was the trip of a lifetime, and something I will never forget! Gapforce were brilliant in addressing any concerns before and during the trip, and managed to create an itinerary which was fab (including most of the activities I wanted to do in South East Asia anyway!!). It was so lovely meeting people from all over the world and making friends for life.

this trip is the best thing I've had in my life so far, full of laughter, happiness and joy! on We had an unforgettable time with the locals and learnt an enormous amount about ourselves and about other countries and ways of life! We weren't forced into anything, we were safe and we had lots of free time! and for me, as I don't normally speak English, I learnt a lot and excelled myself! I can't see anything negative about this trip apart from the fact that I had to go back at the end... Best experience of my life!

This trip was so much better than I ever thought it could be! I was so nervous to travel across the world and meet a bunch of new people from all over - but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever taken. This trip was the perfect balance of exploring, cultural immersion, relaxing, adventure and so much more! It was planned really well and I’m so happy I was able to take part because without it I’m not sure I definitely would not have been able to see and experience the same things as I did. The tour guides were all so informative and fun and all the day trips were so interesting. I also loved that we were able to have days off to do whatever we wanted every now and then whether that was relaxing, shopping, exploring ect. Like I said before - the trip was balanced just right! I loved travelling in a group and I’m so happy to have met these wonderful people and hope to keep in contact and meet again soon! I highly recommend this to anybody who wants to explore the world without the stress of planning every single detail alone. I’m returning home with a more open mind, 15 new friends and a lifetime of stories to tell<33 Thank you so much! - Heba

the best 8 weeks, such a balance of culture, adventure and making amazing friends. such an iconic guide in Stefan as well, who really made the trip! would do again in a heartbeat and I know everyone else in the group would too

I spent an amazing two months doing this marine conservation programme. The quality of teaching for both the diving and ecological sides of the programme was incredibly high and done with a lot of care. I would really recommend this to anyone considering it. Particular thanks to instructors Jade and Ciara for making the experience as great as it was.

I did the 8 week program and I had the absolute best time. Koh Tao is a perfect island to be on if you're looking for incredible diving, a fun going out scene, and great beaches. The location of the accommodation above the dive shop is perfect. You're close to so many amazing restaurants, stores and right off the beach. The max this program has is 8 which I thought was a great size. The dive shop you dive with is super social, welcoming and very organized. The marine conservation program itself was very organized. The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and eager to help the students learn. I learned so much about coral, coral restoration, fish, indicator species and more. The dive shop has its own amazing artificial coral reef where you get to help manage every week. I think the program to free time ratio is perfect. You dive 5 times a week, twice a day, and have two days off to explore the island. The diving is amazing and you really get the chance to hone your diving skills. I became a very advanced diver by the end of my two months on Koh Tao. I would also highly recommend the 8 week program. It gives you more time to really learn and understand the content of the program, join the dive shop community, and overall enjoy the island! I also think the price of this program is super worth it.

My experience with this organization was life-changing! The staff and my host family went above and beyond to make me comfortable and give me a truly immersed experience. Additionally, I got hands-on clinical experience that I could not have gotten in the United States.

It was an amazing experience and I have come away with a profound respect for the country and people I volunteered with. Every interaction, whether in the community or during my service, became a lesson in cultural exchange and shared humanity.

It’s given me a lot more confidence about what to do next, just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you haven’t got those skills and experience. Something I do notice where I’ve perhaps helped younger people is it’s all new to them whereas I’ve seen it all before. That experience does count for quite a bit, so that has been validating.

Learned so much. Beautiful country. Great people willing to help. The staff was so helpful and my host mom was so wonderful. I met so many awesome people and everyone I worked with was super helpful. I absolutely love my host mom and I just feel really lucky to have had this experience.

The Centre where I’m volunteering in Cambodia is an amazing place for any traveller — young or old. The local staff are very welcoming and are always ready to help with any situation or need that comes your way. The program offers cultural immersion and an enjoyable volunteering experience that I would recommend anyone to try.

Out of the organizations I’ve worked with, I don’t feel any have done as thorough a job with travel safety, reliability, cultural immersion, and incorporating education and FUN as ARCC has. I can’t recommend ARCC highly enough!

“If you could sum up your experience in 3 sentences, what would you write?” I am more prepared to take on challenges in my life. I will always remember my time in Thailand and how much I have grown because of it. I am grateful for Pacific Discovery’s program for giving me the opportunity to learn through experience.

I was unlucky to start my trip already under the weather with a stomach bug and felt overwhelmed arriving into such a different atmosphere, however our leader Magnus was super reassuring and got me all the right medication/support to quickly get me back on my feet and able to enjoy the experiences around me! That remained the same throughout the trip, whether you had a query big or small he would approach the situation with no judgement and a level head to ease any worries. I chose this trip due to its organised nature and group aspect as I had concerns about travelling solo for my first backpacking style trip. It definitely met my expectations in that regard as I didn’t have to do any planning of activities or transport but it also made me realise I would’ve liked more freedom because there were activities we missed out on due to the tight schedule. Overall a really rewarding trip, with amazing people and lots of really cool new experiences - you won’t regret going!