Free Time
Volunteer with Children in Thailand

Participating with GVI not only allows you to work on programs assisting disadvantaged communities or endangered ecosystems but it also offers wonderful opportunities to travel in the local area in your down time or further afield, either before or after your program. Below is some information on trips and travel options in Thailand.

Optional Included Side Trips

These trips are available for a small extra cost and can be booked in country.

Visit the nearby Bor Thor pier and enjoy a 2 hour kayaking trip through mangrove channels and hidden lagoons. Kayak through the Tube Cave filled with stunning rock formations and climb up into the Big-Headed Ghost Cave and witness 3,000-5,000 year old cave painting with a local guide. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the seafood restaurant on the pier.

Visit the Emerald Pond and the mineral hot springs, both located in the Klong Thom district of Krabi. The Emerald Pond is located deep in a native forest, home to the rare and endangered Gurney Pitta bird. The crystal clear pond is an amazing place to escape the heat. Afterwards travel to the hot springs where you can soak yourself in naturally formed hot tubs pouring down into a cold water river creating a natural spa setting.

Take a wander through Than Bok Khoranee National Park, an enchanted forest only a 10 minute walk from the GVI base in Ao Luk. Witness the emerald green river that pours out of a cave and cascades through the park creating inviting pools for swimming. Enjoy a local lunch of spicy papaya salad, grilled chicken and sticky rice provided by the park vendors.

Enjoy the chance to explore the Tiger Temple Cave, a forest monastery located outside of Krabi. A steep 1,237 step climb up to the Buddha image at the top of a karst rock formation provides an amazing 360 degree view of the province from the mountains to the sea. Another stroll through the rainforest below offers opportunities to explore caves, witness gigantic 1,000 year old trees, and glimpses of huts where Buddhist monks and nuns live in quiet meditation.

Take advantage of the amazing sites and scenery the Andaman region of Thailand has to offer. There are endless opportunities to visit islands, beaches, parks and caves and many can be done on weekends. Staff on base can assist you with planning a number of trips. Some trips, like the one day 4 island trip, which includes a long-tailed boat ride, snorkelling and lunch with a local guide, can be arranged in Ao Luk.

Further Travelling Opportunities

Thailand is a country with a whole range of fantastic places that you could visit. If you have the time and budget, you could consider going to see the following; the waterfalls of the picturesque Khao Yai National Park, the mountain town of Chiang Mai, the local tribes of Nam Province, the beaches of Ko Tao and Mu Ko Chang Marine National Park, the golden kingdom of Ayuthaya, the temples and nightlife of Bangkok, and many more.