Southeast Asia Explorer with Gapforce

Having just arrived home today after 2 months travelling with our gapforce group, I’ve come to realise the impact the trip has already had on me.
I’d say it was the best period of my life so far, having experienced such a vast amount of incredible places and people in such a short period of time with such a brilliant group of people, who I now consider family.
Terence (or big T as we called him) was such a great leader: cool headed and wildly knowledgable, whilst also being a genuinely good friend proved that he was the best gapforce leader you could ask for. Whenever anyone needed help or advice, he was there with all his attention devoted to you. (If you’re reading this T, thanks so much man).
This trip was so ideologically enlightening and important to my view of the world and the people within it, I genuinely think this is something that everyone should do at some point in their life. Visiting such vastly different cultures to our own expands your perspective in such a refreshing way that I feel like a much improved person because of it, and for that; I have gapforce to thank.

We had Terence and Lazlo on our trip as group leaders. They were so welcoming and we all bonded as a group really quickly. The trip was well organised and we did so many activities and also had a lot of free time to explore. Met some amazing people who I will be friends with for a long time. There was only one negative which was some of us got pretty ill. However it was sorted out quickly with a trip to the hospital where we had Terence helping and adapting the plans so we wouldn't miss out on activities. It was my 21st Birthday mid trip, everyone made it so memorable and we a party. We all grew so close really quickly, respected each others space and had so much fun. It was difficult to say goodbye. But we've all planned to have a reunion in 5 years.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect this trip to be like, but I am so glad I decided to go with a group like this. It was a very authentic, backpacking experience, which was fun but also character building. Staying in loud busy hostels, being constantly in the heat, and frequently taking night buses creates a sense of adventure, but it also isn't for the faint of heart. It's easily exhausting, but the locations we visited were worth it all. We saw a lot of Thailand in a relatively short time, and every place was unique and amazing in it's own way. Cambodia was also a very eye opening and life changing experience. There was a good balance between it feeling like a vacation while on the Thai islands, and productive while building a house in Cambodia for a family in need. While being abroad, I was able to create relationships with people from around the world, and the smaller group size allowed for great friendships to be created. I also enjoyed the sense of freedom this program creates. Our leader was there for us as needed and organized where we were going and staying, but we always had free time to find our own adventures. I definitely recommend this program for anyone that's looking for a true and authentic trip, able to be responsible for themselves but also able to be a positive and enthusiastic group member.

This was one of the most emotional experiences in my life. Traveling for the first time alone and learning so much about myself and also about other cultures.
It was a good decision to travel with an organisation, because you do not have to book hostels or think about where you go or what to do. These tasks are taken from you, your guide knows the country well and you just can enjoy the trip. The safety of the trip was good overall, also because most of the time we were in groups.
Thailand is such a beautiful Country.
The volunteer project at elephants world in Kanchanaburi was amazing.
I probably will never forget seeing my first elephant and the amazing erewan waterfalls..
We did so many funny activities, like white water rafting, tubing... and also saw and learned a lot of Thai culture (I (personally) would have liked to see a few more temples).
Also I met so many people from all of the world, who became friends to me.
I had many ups and downs, because it was my first time being so far away from home alone. But our leader is such a nice person and he always tried to help me with my homesickness and tried everything to make me feel comfortable in this new situation. I know, that I could have come to him with any problem and just talk about it.
I would say this program is perfect for everyone, who don't wanna travel alone.
I really would recommend doing it, because this is something you will never forget in your entire life.

This was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. I got to meet some amazing people from around the world and travel to 3 different countries all whilst learning new things and having fun. The leaders were really nice and funny. They were always available if you needed help or even just if you needed someone to talk to. The volunteering was so rewarding and humbling. It was also really hard work but in the end, it was totally worth it. The places we visited were also very varied and so were the activities. We went to several big cities, had some outdoor activities such as hiking, we went to some museums and also several beaches.
I really recommend this trip to anyone who wants to travel and discover a new culture all whilst having fun.

This trip has brought so much knowledge and joy into my life. From the people involved, to the places traveled it was an amazing experience.

We traveled all around Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam for 2 months, staying in 14 different hostels. We visited beaches, temples, elephants, major tourist attractions, and went on hikes leading to beautiful waterfalls. There was always something to do or something for us to see!

Although the people in the group had chatted online, I was still nervous spending two months with people I barely knew. Luckily, I enjoyed spending time and learning about different cultures within the people in the group.

We had events that included everyone in the group, as well as free days that we could explore the cities by ourselves, and optional activities that we would pay out of pocket to participate.

Our guides were awesome! They were supportive at all times, and people could go to them with any problem they had. They were proactive and did everything in their power to make the trip fun for everyone!

Okay so you know when you read those super cheesy reviews and you’re like “oh, they’re probably being so over dramatic” well no I’m not, I’m being damn straight with you. This trip was incredible. I’ve not only become more equip to deal with traveling (solo or group) but I’ve learned a bucket load of life lessons. (If your piss is orange please drink more water) Oh and don’t forget the life long friends I’ve made who I can now crash at their houses while traveling ;) #budgeting but for real, like Ellie said in her comment and I believe Kate said it too, this trip changes you, you come out of it more humble, experienced and damn well more confident. I really do recommend this trip for anyone willing to take that screw it leap of faith because I promise you, you will have the time of your life.

P.S.
-Bring good reliable water bottle
- Do your research, I mean going in blindfolded can be fun but probably not the best choice when entering a foreign country....
-Don’t over pack, you will be angry at yourself
-Air con will make bus/train rides cold so please bring a jumper and warm pants (or a travel blanket)
-There is never such a thing as too much bug spray or sunscreen
-Highly reccomend 3 pairs of head phones because if you’re like me you will lose 2
-Group trips are so much more fun with a speaker ;)

The Southeast Asia Explorer trip has been one of the best experiences of my life so far! We have seen some AMAZING things like Elephants, waterfalls, mountains, halong bay, temples and so much more. There is a multitude of things to do here that you can never be bored!
This trip has given me the confidence to travel on my own and to navigate my way around any situation. I feel like I’ve become a more strong, confident, independent woman who can face the world.
In conjunction with that, this trip has also made me a more open minded person. There are so many ways of life that people don’t see on tv so it’s a bit shocking at first but seeing how others live gives you the drive to want to change the world. For example in Cambodia there was an obscene amount of garbage and there were children begging on the streets. It was something I’m not used to but it’s how things are. The situation in Cambodia (and many other parts of the world) is not helping global efforts to stop Climate change. We as a whole world need to stop producing so much waste and leaving it to rot on the ground or in the ocean but it’s a group effort that will get us to our goal.
Back to the trip: I would recommend bringing more money that was suggested on the website since there are many optional activities that cost a bit more money. We went on a hike that cost 900 baht ($27 or £21) and that took a chunk out of the $100 per week. Maybe bring $150?
Another reccomendation is research where you’re going beforehand since there was some flexibility in the itinerary so we were able to go where we wanted. Like in Cambodia we went to the palace and some other places that I don’t believe were on the original itinerary.

Basically this trip is amazing as a stepping stone to becoming a solo traveler. It gives you confidence, perspective and love for the world around you.