Gapforce Southeast Asia Explorer

HIGHLIGHTS

Explore Bangkok & Chiang Mai

Volunteer at an elephant sanctuary

Relax on paradise Thai beaches

Watch the sunset over amazing temples of Angkor Wat

Assist on a vital house-building project in Cambodia

Take a boat ride on the infamous Mekong Delta

Marvel at the spectacular Halong Bay!

WHAT TO EXPECT

THAILAND

Week 1: Bangkok & Chiang Mai

Your adventure starts in Thailand's bustling capital of Bangkok where you’ll spend a few days exploring the markets and canal systems. After a visit to the Erawan National Park, your journey takes you to Thailand’s northern capital, Chiang Mai, with its hidden backstreets and mind-blowing temples.

Week 2: Elephant Sanctuary Volunteering

Next you will spend a week volunteering at an amazing elephant sanctuary where you will assist local staff care for rescued elephants. As well as assisting with the daily routine for the elephants, you will also teach English to the former keepers (Mahouts) to provide them with transferable skills to find new careers.

Week 3: Jungle Adventure

For the next stage of your trip, you will experience the lush Thai rainforest around Pai and Kanchanaburi. Enjoy a bike ride through the National Park and past old temple ruins, float downriver on a bamboo raft, and visit the iconic “Bridge over the River Kwai” close to the Thai / Burma border.

Week 4: Thai Island Hopping

No visit to Thailand is complete without experiencing the idyllic beaches of the infamous Thai islands. At the southern end of Thailand, you will visit two of Thailand’s most stunning islands – Ko Tao and Koh Phangan. Soak up the atmosphere in the beach towns, explore the rural inland island or just kick back and soak up the sun, sea and sand on one of the many paradise beaches!

CAMBODIA

Week 5: Siem Reap & Angkor Wat

After a bus journey through some of the most rural parts of Thailand, Siem Reap and Angkor Wat will introduce you to Cambodia in true style. Whilst Angkor Wat will wow you with its vast complex of intricate stone buildings, Siem Reap is the epicenter of Cambodia's backpacker scene!

Week 6: Community Volunteering & Phnom Penh

Perhaps one of our most rewarding community volunteer projects, you will spend a week working with a local organisation dedicated to providing housing and shelter to some of the most vulnerable people in Cambodia. Your final stop in Cambodia is Phnom Penh & The Killing Fields, one of Cambodia's most important historical sites.  

VIETNAM

Week 7: Southern Vietnam

Next you head into Southern Vietnam starting in the incredible city of Ho Chi Minh City, then north to the stunning beaches of Nha Trang.  No trip to Vietnam is complete without a visit to Hoi An (seriously!) This is one of the region's most beautiful places and you will fall in love with cycling around this quaint town, surrounded by countryside and rice paddies.

Week 8: Northern Vietnam

Continuing north, you will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang with its remarkable karst mountains, cave systems, and spectacular underground rivers. After a day tour through the underground caves, get ready for some zip-lining, swimming and kayaking! The final stop on your journey, naturally, is the ancient city of Hanoi. You will have plenty of time to explore and shop and visit the legendary Halong Bay.