Voluntourism is a new kind of tourism: involved, immersive, and connected to the people and places one visits. Voluntourists want to do much more than simply pass through a place; they want to stay for an extended time, participate in meaningful activities, and make positive changes to the cultures or ecosystems they visit.

Those interested in marine life, aquatic activities, and natural resource conservation will definitely want to look into this voluntourism project, based on Koh Talu (Talu Island), in Prachuab Khiri Khan Province. It is a unique opportunity to work with experts in the field to conserve the exotic marine life and coral reefs of the area.

Koh Talu, Koh Singh, and Koh Sang are three picturesque islands located in the northwest of the Gulf of Thailand, and they are part of a marine restoration project currently underway there. Overfishing and the use of harmful “fishing” methods such as dynamite fishing and cyanide fishing, which cause great damage to the coastal ecosystem, have affected much of the beautiful sea life and coral reef around these islands.

In order to combat this problem, organizations like the Marine Science Activity Conservation Foundation (MSACF) and the Coral Reef Restoration Project of Koh Talu Island Resort have undertaken campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of coral preservation.

The Coral Reef Restoration Project has developed a technique for transplanting coral which they’ve been using successfully for over ten years, and which is open from time to time to travelers as a voluntourism opportunity. The resort’s owner also runs the country's largest privately run hatchery and nursery for hawksbill turtles.

Koh Talu islanders have allocated an area of the island for the nursery, and the Royal Thai Navy has an active role in the program as well. Veterinarians from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources who are experts in the hawksbill turtle also consult on the project, providing advice on egg laying, incubation, and nursing.

Volunteer Program Activities include: Making artificial coral reef; collecting turtle’s eggs for incubation; turtle conservation; collecting trash on the island; diving and collecting coral reef branches; operating a blue crab “bank”; mangrove planting; and working with hearing and speech-impaired children.

Among the countless leisure program activities available are trekking; bicycle touring in Bang Saphan city; visiting Wat Boat Mountain and enjoying the view from the mountain’s peak; touring a gold-panning village; and making traditional Thai ornaments by hand.

You will be to count among your accomplishments: Learning best practices for sea restoration and sustainable fishing management in Thailand; participating in the everyday lives and culture of the Koh Talu island people; repairing coral reef habitats for the Gulf of Thailand’s delicate marine ecosystem.; increasing the growth rate of blue crabs; and improving the survival rate of the endangered hawksbill turtle.

TAT, as the main supporter under “The Little Big Project” campaign, strongly encourages interested travellers from around the world to participate in one of the special projects that it supports throughout Thailand. This is a unique opportunity for active travellers to experience Thailand up close and personally, to contribute to the local culture or conserve irreplaceable natural resources, and to return home with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

To learn more about this project and other Voluntourism projects supported by the TAT, please go to www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com

Voluntourism is an emerging trend in global tourism, favored by travellers who want to do more than simply visit and look at new places. It is a new type of tourism for those wishing to get involved in the places they visit in a meaningful and long-lasting way, be it with the local culture, the natural resources, or the wildlife of the area.

This community development project is for those who enjoy hands-on work – with nature, with agriculture, with construction, and especially with children. Daily work includes doing light construction, teaching English, and otherwise improving the lives of these young Akha minority group children.

The project takes place in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand, several hours north of Chiang Mai, Thailand “second city.” This is a beautiful rural area, with low, rolling mountains on the Burmese border that form the foothills of the great Himalayan mountain range.

Rapid modernization in northern Thailand has dramatically changed the lives of the country’s mountain peoples, the so-called hill tribes. Developing infrastructure, increasing population, and growing numbers of tourists visiting the area has forever changed their traditional lifestyle, while making some of their ancient practices virtually impossible to continue.

This Volunteer Project and activities are part of a joint effort between ISV Foundation Thailand and the Mae Kok Foundation. The ultimate goal is to improve the life of underprivileged children by providing housing, food, education and other vocational training to them.

The training activities which the volunteers will perform with them include improving agricultural knowledge and working skills in the areas of vegetable gardening, welding, building and embroidery, as a way to provide the children with better opportunities for their future independence and livelihood.

There are now about 25-26 children living at the Mae Kok Foundation ranging from 4-18 years old. TAT’s “The Little Big Project” actively supports the foundation’s efforts to work with, teach, and educate these children, and encourages volunteers from around the world to come and contribute to this important work.

Volunteers will be involved in teaching English and running an English camp for a variety of children with different levels of English knowledge. Volunteer teams will spend time preparing lessons and teaching English-speaking and listening skills to primary school aged children using informal approaches, such as activities and games.

Additional daily activities will include: manual labor around the foundation, assisting with preparation and cleanup before and after meals, and attending vocational and artistic workshops, such as embroidery, as a way to enhance life experience at Mae Kok Foundation.

As usual, there are many exciting, rewarding, and educational leisure activities available to the volunteers during their time off including: Visiting the children’s families at a local Akha village; exploring local hot springs and waterfalls; and walking through local tea plantations where some of the children’s families work.

One can also go on short trips to discover the famous temples and landmarks of Chiang Rai such as the “White Temple” and the “Black House,” and visit local markets. A trip to the “Golden Triangle” is a must, with a stop at the fascinating Opium Museum.

Projects for volunteers were chosen because they meet the needs of the foundation and because they are small enough that volunteers can make noticeable progress in a relatively short period of time.

Without these volunteer efforts, it would be incredibly difficult for a small foundation like Mae Kok to meet the daily needs of its children while continuing to improve its facilities and outreach programs.

Through your labor and commitment, your accomplishments on this Voluntour will be far-reaching and long lasting. Your hard work will make a lasting impact on these children’s lives and your grassroots efforts will help support the daily needs and long-term goals of the foundation.

TAT invites you to take a different kind of tour; to get involved with a totally different culture from your own; to work to physically build shelters for these young people; and to show them that people from around the world care about them and admire their culture.

Please go to www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com to learn more about this very special project and other voluntourism projects supported by the TAT.

The TAT continues to show its commitment to genuine voluntourism by supporting a number of excellent projects in its pioneering “The Little Big Project.” Among these are caring for wildlife, responsible ecotourism, and in this case, community development along with community-based tourism.

The great tsunami of 2004 had a huge and devastating effect on the west coast of southern Thailand. Before the tsunami, most Andaman Coast communities lived a traditional fishing lifestyle while many young, talented people would leave the region to find work in larger cities. There is very little economic diversity in the area, so as tourism slowly makes its way north from Khao Lak, it presents a real economic opportunity.

This opportunity comes with real risks however, and great care and planning need to take place to guard against the threat of large and exploitative tourist developments. There is a danger of local communities being unprepared, both in terms of job skills and cultural resilience that could lead to rapid community and natural degradation.

Some communities did seize opportunity from the great losses that the tsunami wrought, especially in the area of community-based tourism and responsible development. Andaman Discoveries, formerly the North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR), is one of the key organizations working closely with villages to develop sustainable and integrated tourism projects.

Through a dedicated network of supporters, volunteers, and donations, NATR successfully implemented over 120 projects in 12 villages by listening to and working with the villagers themselves. All projects have focused on long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability and creating realistic economic opportunities through training and marketing.

Andaman Discoveries is continuing to reach out to conscientious travelers, making it possible to have a meaningful village experience through exceptional service and comprehensive support materials. Their 14-day volunteers give travellers the opportunity to experience and participate in numerous worthwhile activities.

These include sea grass monitoring and conservation; mangroves seedlings collection and planting; learning the Moken people’s cultural “Ronggeng Dance”; and conducting services at a Burmese school in the area.

On the leisure side, tourists learn to cook Thai food, explore the beautiful nature of Koh Phratong, and immerse themselves in local village life through the village homestay program. This is an unusual opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the lives of the local people, as well as to contribute to the sustainability and conservation of their culture.

Andaman Discoveries bridges the gap between the outside world and the villagers in terms of communication and locating funding to make community-led projects possible. They provide the service and support for a meaningful exchange between the villagers and the tourist.

Andaman Discoveries is also managing a long-term scholarship program to provide financial support for underprivileged children to complete high school. They further facilitate community empowerment by providing vocational skills and ensuring that communities benefit directly from tourism.

The organization acts as the bridge between communities wanting to participate in tourism and travelers wanting to experience southern Thailand's traditional culture and pristine eco-systems. 

Those tourists are willing to spend their time and money to observe their natural environment and traditional ways of life affirms to the communities the importance of preserving these assets. Some of these activities have also created new jobs and revenue for people who previously had no employment.

TAT encourages travellers from around the world to come and participate in this exceptional example of community-based tourism, one that takes environmental, social and cultural sustainability into account.

For nature-lovers, this is the perfect opportunity to learn about the natural and cultural resources of southern Thailand, and to reap big rewards from contributing just a little.

Please go to www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com to learn more about this special project and other voluntourism projects supported by the TAT.

Most of the time, doing something with a higher purpose results in life-changing experiences for both benefactor and beneficiary alike.  Recipients of goodwill gestures often end up with improved financial standing, better material possessions, or life experience that can help them survive; plus philanthropists get that special sense of pleasure that comes from contributing to the well-being of others.

For world-travelers looking to contribute to the greater good, the country known as the Land of Smiles has many diverse opportunities available for you. “Voluntourism,” combining volunteering and tourism, is catching on in Thailand with younger travelers who are looking to make a positive contribution to the places they visit.

This new approach to tourism is also gaining popularity with older travelers, including retirees, who are not only eager to remain both physically and mentally active, but also to authentically engage in a “community” enterprise. Tourists of all backgrounds are now coming to Thailand to participate in diverse activities: from basic tasks like caring for wildlife or simple hands-on construction to providing highly skilled medical assistance or conducting scientific research. 

There is a wide range of opportunities for every age, every skill and every person. You can get involved in teaching placements as many volunteers do, or try something completely different: work in a hilltribe village in northern Thailand; raise the profile of recycling; work with refugees or prostitutes; immerse yourself in rehabilitation; or learn what genuine eco-tourism is all about. It’s up to you, your interests, your skills, affinities, and personal inclination.

You can also choose to participate in several ventures to assist children like Project Hope and iCare Thailand who work with kids, often orphans, providing meals and education all over the country. There are many reputable, long-established organizations that you can look into and contact to make your dream a reality.

For further inspiration, TAT – together with selected partners – can provide you with voluntourism ideas which you might want to consider or perhaps use as a springboard to finding other exciting opportunities closer to your interests. These can be viewed at www.TheLittleBigProjectThailand.com.

Aside from the satisfaction of helping the less fortunate, caring for the environment, or attending to animals in need, Voluntourism in Thailand provides travelers with an opportunity for a life-changing adventure.  It affords thoughtful tourists the chance to connect to people at the local community level and feel authentically involved in ways that standard travel and tour packages do not.