For so many young people, whether they’re on a pre-university gap year, have finished studying, or are simply looking to broaden their horizons, volunteering abroad used to be something of a rite of passage.
In the last two years, however, opportunities to do so have been drastically reduced, with the global pandemic leading to closed borders and travel restrictions across the world.
But with vaccination programmes increasing worldwide and immunity to COVID-19 building, many countries are making plans to open up to tourists and travellers once again. Accordingly, some particularly popular destinations for charitable programmes look likely to be welcoming volunteers sometime next year.
If you’re considering an adventure that combines seeing the world with a genuine desire to help those in need, then you’ve come to the right place; here are some of the best volunteering destinations abroad for Summer 2022.
ELEPHANT CAMP IN CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
Chiang Mai (the ‘New City’) is Northern Thailand’s religious and cultural hub, and is considered the country’s Second City. It offers something quite different to Thailand’s sprawling, turbo-charged capital Bangkok, with a laid back pace to life, a fairly compact city centre, and, whisper it, a fair amount of green space and shade.
What’s more, the food in the city and surrounding regions, known as Lanna cuisine, is some of Thailand’s most unique and delicious, with a heavy emphasis on herbs, fresh vegetables and the humble pig.
Read: The IDEAL travel guide to Chiang Mai: Where to eat
It’s also an eminently affordable place to spend a few weeks; you can find gorgeous meals for as little as £1 in food markets and a one-bedroom apartment in the centre averages around £300 per month.
All of which makes it ideal for those visiting as volunteers. One of the most popular volunteering programmes in the whole of Thailand is based just 45 minutes from Chiang Mai city, at the Elephant Camp Project. Some of the day-to-day responsibilities here include taking elephants for a walk and bath in the early morning, feeding the elephants breakfast, and helping in the education side of things when tourists visit the site. Hey, where do we sign up?
Thailand plans to reopen to some vaccinated tourists in select areas of the country from November 1st 2021.
VOLUNTEERING TEACHING PROGRAM IN HANOI, VIETNAM
Once you’re in Hanoi, you couldn’t mistake it for any other city in the world – it’s hectic but manageable, chaotic but workable, the sounds and smells, the honks of traffic – they all belong to Hanoi and Hanoi alone. The city has true character and volunteers here should be prepared to fall in love with the place. Many will never leave.
What’s more, those on a budget will find it an easy place to count costs; a bowl of nourishing Hanoian pho will set you back a little more than a pound, the beer is famously the cheapest in the world, and accommodation options are abundant and affordable.
Many volunteers choose to visit Vietnam to volunteer in the country’s schools, assisting in the teaching of English. As tourism is such an important industry in Hanoi, this can be really useful to local students in helping them find lucrative jobs within the sector later down the line.
Read: IDEAL travel guide: How to spend 48 hours in Hanoi
Vietnam plans to welcome vaccinated tourists to key tourist destinations from December 2021, with a view to a full reopening by June 2022.
SUN BEAR CONSERVATION PROJECT IN BORNEO, MALAYSIA
Borneo, the third largest island in the world and politically shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, is one of the most biodiverse, ecologically fascinating places you’ll ever see.
As such, Boreno is fast becoming a leading destination with travellers who want to discover unusual wildlife and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes. Grab your binoculars and keep your eyes peeled for the extremely rare Pygmy Asian Elephant and Sunda Clouded Leopard, or traverse the rainforests and mountains in search of Bornean Orangutans, all of which reside in the wild here.
In the North East of the island (which is Malaysian territory), you’ll find the Sun Bear Conservation Center spread over 1.14 hectares of natural forest enclosure. The center receives volunteers each year who help take care of these sun bears, the smallest bear in the world, and contribute to the upkeep of their habitat via various conservation and construction projects. Volunteers will also help teach visitors about this incredible bear at the education centre.
For animal lovers, this project is a wonderful way to give back!
Malaysia has recently announced that it plans to open to a select few countries in November 2021, with a view to opening up further in 2022.
TURTLE CONSERVATION IN QUEPOS, COSTA RICA
Perhaps nowhere on the planet encapsulates life’s rich tapestry of adventure, activity, landscape and leisure like Costa Rica, the jewel in Central America’s crown. Here, you’ll find rainforests, beaches, volcanoes and many more of the most incredible landscapes on earth. No wonder, then, that the country ranks in the world’s top ten most biodiverse countries by land area, and ecotourism is big news here.
Volunteers in Costa Rica will find it kind to the wallet as well as the soul. According to GoAbroad.com, when it comes to cost of living, “a meal in a local restaurant will cost around $3-6, rent runs from $300-800 per month depending on the size of apartment and location, local transportation starts from $0.70 per trip.”
At the Turtle & Sloth Conservation Program, on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coastline just thirty minutes south of the small town of Quepos, volunteers can contribute to the country’s huge conservation efforts, helping to protect and nurture the thousands of eggs laid by sea turtles on the beach here (nesting season is from August to February), and assist with monitoring and measuring efforts as the turtles grow.
Costa Rica is currently open to vaccinated tourists.
*Regardless of where you choose to volunteer, please scrupulously check the current visa arrangements, entry requirements and more prior to booking any flights or arranging to be part of any projects or programmes. Be aware that rules and regulations for countries across the world could change at very short notice.*