Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia Gap Semester

My experience was wildly beautiful in all of the places we spent time in - from bathing elephants in the hills of Chiang Mai, trekking in the Laos wilderness, exploring the gorgeous beaches and caves of Vietnam to biking in the Cambodian countryside. It allowed me to grow through the discomfort of traveling, doing activities that I haven’t ever thought to do - such as hiking and rock climbing, and spending time in beautiful villages and guesthouses. Throughout its ups and downs, I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world.

I am so grateful to have experienced such a unique trip with an incredible group of people. Southeast Asia is one of the most incredible places from the culture, to the food, to the views! I feel as though I’ve grown so much as a person and am prepared to travel on my own all over the world. I feel that my sense of independence has grown, I’m much more confident in myself, responsible and knowledgeable about the world. This program travels a lot! which is amazing because you do so much from taking care of elephants, to visiting some of the worlds most incredible beaches, temples, and waterfalls, to a 4-day long trek, seeing incredible animals, and so much more. If I had to tell my pre-program self something it would be to soak up every moment because it is such a privilege to travel around Southeast Asia for 70 days and there is so much to take in. The program is over before you know it so go in excited, confident, and believe that you can do anything you set your mind to.

The experience I had was amazing! I feel like I have more confidence in my decisions and thoughts as a person. I feel better prepared to go to college as I feel I can better handle any stressors that it might give me. I would recommend this program, you get to see the world through experiences you otherwise might not be able to see in your lifetime.

I gained leadership skills in difficult times dealing with people who do not agree with another. The food is out of this world! Know that you went on this trip for a good reason and absolutely go for it!

This trip will help you learn about other cultures while also looking inward to learn about yourself, AND you’ll be doing this in incredible and beautiful places. This is an amazing opportunity if you’re up for adventure.

I grew into a much more confident, adventurous person. I became extremely close with everyone in my group, which helped me become comfortable with myself and be more confident. I went to all of our daily activities, some of which pushed me out of my comfort zone. Showing up each day and trying new things allowed me to discover what my passions and interests are. This program is truly everything I could have asked for and more! I would recommend it to anyone thinking about spending a semester overseas. The instructors are amazing and the program itself is so diverse! We do something new every single day— eating new food, visiting a new temple or starting a new service project. The cultural immersion this program brings is truly incredible and I will never forget the special memories I’ve created in the past ten weeks. I would reassure my pre-program self that I will make once-in-a-lifetime bonds with every single member of my group in the 10 weeks. I’d tell her that she’s going to enjoy every minute of it, even the parts she was nervous about. I’d tell her that she won’t feel homesick and instead will soak in every minute of the program. To sum up my experience in three sentences: This program brought me into the happiest time of my life. I’m extremely grateful for the special moments I’ve made with the members of my group as we’ve traveled to four different countries, immersing ourselves into different cultures and trying new things every day. This trip and the people I’ve experienced it with will always hold a special place in my heart.

I feel more prepared to take on the rest of my life. I have gained an immense amount of confidence in my ability to take care of myself and travel abroad. I would absolutely recommend this program to others. Southeast Asia is incredible and traveling with a group like this with structure and set plans but also free time to explore what you like is so great for young adults. I think I was pretty confident going into the program but I would want to tell myself to slow down and really enjoy every moment of it. In essence this program was traveling to beautiful places, having surreal experiences, and making lifelong friendships.

My experience in Southeast Asia with Pacific Discovery was definitely the trip of a lifetime. I got to explore parts of the world I did not know much about before and immerse myself in different cultures. Prior to the program start, I was very anxious about whether I would relate and connect well with my peers, but I ended up creating amazing memories and learning from everyone. Traveling is just as challenging as it is fun, but patience with yourself and openness toward new people and places is key! There are so many amazing things to embrace during and after the trip!

This program has truly changed me for the better. It helped me find a group of people, who all come from incredibly different backgrounds, that share many of the same interests. I fell in love with so many different places, foods and cultures. I was inspired to become a more environmentally conscious, self-less and low-maintenance person. This trip alone feels like a whole chapter in my life because of how much I grew and experienced in these last 10 weeks.

Do it. Even if you don’t know where you need to grow, you’re gonna grow one way or another. And so much. This trip is an overstimulation of your insanely beautiful surroundings, complex relationships, and time with self. You’re gonna have more time with yourself than you ever have. And it’s gonna be for the best.

We watched our outgoing, ambitious daughter fade to a mere shadow of herself during the pandemic. She spend her 16th year in her bedroom, staring at a screen. She lost a lust for learning which turned into a dread of going off to college right away. We began to look into other options. She wanted to go far away and, despite our anxieties, we wanted her to have the experience that would breathe purpose and life back into her. We could not be happier with her experience in Southeast Asia. She is thriving, and we have grown comfortable with the distance, knowing Pacific Discovery has done a great job with the preparation, planning, and communicating. We look forward to her return, but are also eager to see where she goes and what she does next.

I learned how to improve myself within a group setting and in one on one interactions. You’ll learn important skills like conflict resolution, city navigation, how to overcome language barriers, and so much more. The people on my program became such an important part of my life and I know I now have 12 new lifelong friends.

This semester gave me a new confidence and direction I would like to take in my life. I experienced and learned a lot on this trip, not only from the program core sessions, but mostly from meeting the locals and getting to know what they have done in their lives. I became very aware of myself and my actions and how they affect the world around me.

This experience has been exciting, challenging, and eye-opening. Traveling to Thailand has enabled me to step outside of my comfort zone and better myself regarding self-awareness and relationships. I return home a more traveled and motivated person.

I feel like I was able to find myself in a way I couldn’t have been capable of doing so back home. I feel like this program helped me especially at my age to mature and grow as the person I wish to become. If I would’ve been able to talk to me 10 weeks ago I would tell him to enjoy the people, because the experience is something I would’ve done either way but it is important to enjoy the people you are with. This program changed me in a way I like and in a way I hope will last. I’ve been able to grow and understand and see things that were blind to me before. I hope I can continue to be who I’m proposing to be and find self-enjoyment in life as I have on this trip.

Pacific Discovery is so amazing!!! My experience made me into a much more whole person and I changed in ways I couldn’t have predicted. I gained confidence in myself and my beliefs and learned about various things that I’m interested in, such as coral and forest restoration. I would absolutely recommend this program to others. I wish everyone could experience what I’ve experienced. I found lifelong friends and mentors and the memories will stay with me forever!

My son turned 20 years old during his time in Thailand, and like many in his cohort, had been uniquely crippled by the Covid pandemic. Every path normally available for the critically important growing, connecting, learning and changing that takes place during this time in young adulthood was blocked. During his time with Pacific Discovery, he gained innumerable interpersonal skills, as well as a deeper understanding of his strengths, challenges and his potential impact in a big, big world. The program has implemented past suggestions by both students and parents to create an intelligent, well-designed, communicative and supportive community that fosters maximum fun and growth in this age group. It made it easy, as a parent, to relax and let the time unfold as it was meant to; my kid, who in so many ways was lost, has come home found... and can't wait to get back out there!

Pacific Discovery was absolutely spectacular and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to take a gap year. I learned so much about myself and the world around me in ways I didn’t know I could. I had the best instructors and the best group members. So so so sad going home!

Pacific Discovery's Thailand program has been the shining part of a very challenging COVID pandemic year. PD did great in coordinating this program given all of the hoops and hurdles in meeting the Thai gov't requirements. While the 14-day quarantine was challenging, our son survived and is thriving. Thailand has much to offer and it has been great to see all of the pictures and to hear all of the stories about their experiences. Most definitely, the elephant preserve was the greatest! Rock climbing and getting scuba certified were also great. Experiencing the culture and Thai cuisine is awesome. Would definitely recommend the program to others!

This whole semester it seemed I was living on cloud 9. of course there were times when I was mad, or sad or just annoyed, but those are not the times I remember. The thing I remember was the long bus rides watching movies with my friends, the spontaneous adventure we would do when we got free time from the whole group, the amount of gut-wrenching laughing that occurred at all times of the day. These are the things I am going to remember, for me experiences are often not about the places, yes while Southeast Asia was definitely one of the most amazingly beautiful places I have ever seen, what made this trip so special was the incredible people who were on this journey with me. People make these places amazing for me and I was lucky enough to be surrounded by people who made our little group into a family. That is what is so special about this program is that it takes you so far out of your comfort zone that you learn how to be comfortable in your comfort. This experience has allowed me to open so many doors for myself because I am not afraid of the discomfort, in fact, I look forward to the discomfort because I know that's when I will learn and grow the most.

Going to keep this short. I am now 32 and went on this trip when I was 23 or 24. It remains one of the greatest moments in my life. I have traveled a lot since then, largely because this trip made me very comfortable with international travel. I made a lot of friends and have countless memories of the couple of months I spent in Asia. To anyone considering a trip with Pacific Discovery I encourage you to do it. They are well organized and it is very clear they care deeply about everyone having a good experience.

My semester with Pacific Discovery surprised me in the best way possible. I don’t know what I expected going into the trip, but what I got was an adventure full of ups and downs, personal growth, adventure, physical, mental, and emotional challenge, new friends, life long memories, and a widened perspective. Having traveled alone before, I was surprised by how this program in specific is unlike any trip I could have planned on my own. The effort and heart put into it really shows and it was the perfect way to be introduced to South East Asia.

They told us during our program orientation that we'd become a family. We simultaneously rolled our eyes at the cliche, looking around the room filled with unfamiliar faces. But it's true, and it didn't take long. My nine weeks in Asia with Pacific Discovery were filled with an exuding sense of love and constant support. Together we marched for animal rights, lived in remote Hmong villages, trekked through rice fields, kayaked through caves, were attacked by leeches, and so much more. All the while we inspired each other to ask more questions, be more curious, and challenge ourselves further to ultimately be the best versions of ourselves. Ultimately, I can gratefully say that these nine weeks made me a more curious, passionate, capable and confident being. I leave my nine weeks inspired to learn more, see more, and challenge myself further.

We were standing on the tip of a boat in our last couple days in Vietnam, watching the silence of the night rush past us, while dancing and singing on the top deck celebrating a birthday...when the girl next to me said the one thing that summed up everything I was feeling, "I have never felt so alive. This is real life, not a dream, this is as real as it gets." We then proceeded to scream at the top of our lungs, "I'M ALIVE". Dramatic, but all too honest. Spending nine weeks in four foreign countries, with 14 strangers, sounds terrifying and unreal. But leaving Bangkok for Pennsylvania, on November 14th was the the hardest day of my life. Southeast Asia became home, and my group had become my family. They had become a part of me. I cried as my taxi pulled away from New Siam II, and a guy friend ran along side waving goodbye. We saw and experienced so much together, we saw hardship, loss, inspiration, happiness, and everything else in between. We met locals that changed our view on our world, we helped each other learn more about ourselves than I ever thought was possible, and we had two leaders that taught us so much about life in general, that I will never stop looking at them as two of my greatest role models. There's a lot to say about the little things you do, yeah you live next to elephants for week, or go to the beach, or live on a boat for a couple nights...but it's all so much more than that. The life I live now is completely different than the life I lived 3 months ago, and I have nothing but Pacific Discovery to thank for that. I would go on this trip 100 times if I could, and I am sure I would learn just as much as on the 100th time as I did the first time.

Pacific Discovery's Southeast Asia program was the perfect mix of volunteering, adventure travel, independent exploring, and personal development. My program leaders Jess & Devin are some of the coolest people I know and they were always there to support us. It was very clear while traveling how much effort was put into planning the program and if you are at all thinking about traveling with Pacific Discovery I would say you ABSOLUTELY should.

I would recommend this travel abroad experience to anyone and everyone!!! The trips are very very well planned and you get to do so much more than the average traveller! The experiences were incredible. If you are into adventure, I definitely recommend this trip! I got to go on hikes to remote villages, mountain bike the highest pass in Vietnam, rock climing/caving, elephant trekking, and scuba diving! This company is also really cool because a lot (or all) of the guest houses and hostels that we stay at are owned by local families, so you are really helping to support the local communities as well. Your leaders are amazing (love you Hilary!) and you will become close friends with the rest of your group. If you want to explore Southeast Asia and see WAYYYYY more than just touristy stuff, then this trip is for you!!!

I can't possibly explain what my trip to South East Asia with Pacific Discovery meant to me! It was an adventure of a lifetime. It's itinerary is the perfect mixture of adventure, cultural immersion, and volunteer activity. I was introduced to countless new things that have changed the way I experience the world. I am open to new things, confident in travel, and have made life long friends. The leaders were mentors and became amazing friends as well! I would recommend this program for anyone who wants to experience the world, find growth through new things, and make life long friends!

The Southeast Asia Semester Program was the greatest decision I have ever made. Our leaders, Josh and Rebecca, were absolutely amazing! Along with being so knowledgeable, Josh and Rebecca were simply great people with great values. The trip was a perfect balance of cultural experiences, volunteer service, outdoor activities, and free time. There is no replacement for actually traveling to a place and immersing yourself in the culture. I learned so much about the history of Southeast Asia as well as the people. Pacific Discovery has such a terrific thing going and I am so happy that I had the privilege of being apart of it. I made lifelong friends and unforgettable memories. I feel like I grew so much as a person. It was the best nine weeks of my life!

Pacific discovery is more than a tour company. It's a close family embodied with the true spirit of travel. This adventure is unique in that it doesn't fall under any particular category. One day your relaxing on a cruise ship in Ha Long Bay (google pictures), the next your trekking through the Laotian jungle and spending the night with a native hill tribe, forging relationships with locals I will always remember. The variety of activities offered on this trip is incredible. Each day of the itinerary is thoughtfully planned. You can tell that Rachel and Scott really care about the experience they are providing for their participants. This program offers a great balance between group and independent travel. The perfect ratio of structured activities to free time to explore and make the trip our own. For example, while not offered as an official activity with Pac Disco, I found the time to go waterskiing on a river in Cambodia. Many participants feel comfortable enough after the trip to extend their stay, traveling either with someone they met on the trip or independently. I spent a week learning Thai massage living in Bangkok and went on a ten day silent meditation retreat. PD was more than helpful with preparations such as my visa extension paperwork. I remember before leaving to go on the program I was at REI and had a question about a whether I needed something and they responded to my email while I was still in the store. This only one example of their passion and dedication. I'm bringing home a deep understanding of southeast asian culture, great memories, and friendships that will last a lifetime. You will grow in ways you'd never imagine. You will learn what you never could in a classroom. Come for the adventure, you will get so much more.

This trip was truly incredible. It completely exceeded my expectations. The leaders were so much fun. They were caring, knowledgeable, and were more like our peers than our bosses. Every day was filled with several activities that were very organized and well planned out. I was never disappointed with food. This trip was a great mix of cultural immersion, service, exploration, and just having fun. There was also a perfect balance between free time and planned activities. I really have nothing negative to say about this trip, and it was the happiest two months of my life!

The best decision I ever made was to come on the fall Southeast Asia semester with Pacific Discovery before starting college. My leaders, Josh and Rebecca, were so fun and caring and knowledgable. I made lifelong friendships and had incredible experiences. The program was so organized and went beyond my expectations. It balanced activities and relaxation perfectly. We were able to trek through the wilderness, stay in remote villages, bond through group activities like rock climbing, work on service projects with local people and also take a break and explore beautiful places. The amenities ranged from clean, comfortable hotels and hostels to more rugged homestays and villages. I always felt safe and never worried about any sort of health problems. At the same time I was pushed beyond my comfort zone and challenged everyday with new adventures, which resulted in tremendous personal growth. I look back on my journal and pictures from my time in Southeast Asia and wish I could be back there. Truly a life changing trip.