Laos Volunteer Programs from $21/day | Most Affordable & Trusted

I would highly recommend IVHQ to anyone and everyone! They are incredibly organised and always willing to answer questions no matter how big or small! I was feeling extremely nervous before leaving for my volunteer trip in Laos but I felt reassured knowing that IVHQ would help me out with anything I needed! Once I was over in Laos the volunteer group ‘Green Lions’ went above and beyond to make sure I felt comfortable and ready. I couldn’t recommend visiting Laos more highly, the people and the culture is amazing.

I believe this program is ideal for solo travelers as it allows you to focus on making a good impact within the community as well as giving you chance to learn new things about yourself! I’m saying that, this program is certainly ideal for EVERYONE

I took part in a one week volunteer program in Laos teaching English to primary aged students. IVHQ was so helpful every step of the way! They were by far the cheapest volunteer program I found, their website was clear, helpful and easy to navigate and signing up to the program was such a simple process. Once signed up, IVHQ clearly set out steps to help you understand everything you needed to do to prepare for your volunteering and customs of the Lao culture. Any question I had I was able to ask Sean Markham, the IVHQ program manager, and they were answered promptly. I was also able to ask about weekend travel and getting around Laos. Upon signing up for the program, I was given login details to IVHQ's website and was given all the information I needed including what do about visas, travel insurance, flights, what to pack and how to prepare.

Once in Laos I was contacted by Sean again to ensure that my placement was going well and there were no issues. There was constant support every step of the way and any issues or questions were quickly answered and resolved. The program itself was amazing and worth every single cent. Being able to help out in a small community even for just one week was an amazing experience. Getting to know locals in a different way and really immersing yourself in the local culture was a great way to visit Laos and get an experience that not many other tourists have the chance of having. There was an option to do a culture week which was three days of language lessons, cooking, vegetable planting, making offerings for monks and several other activities. I personally chose not to partake in the culture week as I only had one week on the program and wanted to make the most of spending my time in a local school. The fact that this was offered as an option was amazing and really made my time there even more worthwhile.

IVHQ is an excellent organisation and I will 100% be booking through them the next time I wish to volunteer overseas!!!!!

I didn't know a lot about Laos, I had never been in Asia before and I had never had experience with kids too. Eventhough all these factors my three weeks in Laos as a volunteer in the childcare programme has been an amazing experience that has enrichened me a lot due to the discover of a completely different culture and the people that i have met( locals, the kids and the other volunteers). During the days of orientation,that were well organized by the local staff, I used to feel a bit worried about which activities i was expected to do with the children in school but once I entered in my class it came so easy as a duck to the water. I used to prepare lesson everyday for the day after and"head, shoulders, knees and toes", "five little ducks" stucked in my head!! The kids are amazing and they have a strong willingness of learning and playing with you. They are really smart and are full of enthusiasm. After the shower time i had the opportunity of improving my braiding skills thanks to the little girls because, eventhough i was supposed to braid them, there was no game. When i had to say goodbye for me has been a really touchy moment even if i didn't stay that long, and when i was about to cry there was a moment similar to a scene of the movie "Dead poets society" , the kids started repeating all the things that i have taught them. In that moment i realised that i had made a good job. The local staff is incredibly organised and helped me with everything even to recuperate my passport that i forgot on my way to Van Vieng ( a cool city to visit on the weekend)!! So i couldn't ask for anything better!! The food was exceptional and some days a week there were also western meals but I could happily swim in noodles and sticky rice! The accommodation was cool and we had cleaning once a week. I loved meeting the other volunteers and I'm sure that I'm going to keep in touch with them and for real we were from all around the world:Italy (that's me), Australia, China, Netherlands, Spain, France, China ecc! Laos is a wonderful country , it was difficult not to find myself in front of stunning and green landscapes and on the weekends , thanks also to the help of the local staff with organsing the transport, I had the possibility of travelling a bit with the other volunteers and we had a lot of fun! If you are an open mind person looking for an unmemorable experience from any point of view (humanitarian, social, cultural ones and so on) this is the perfect one. I left for Loas alone and for three weeks I have never felt alone and i 've made memories that i will always keep deeply in my heart.

I started the childcare program in LAOS on July 23,2018 and lasted for 2 weeks.
The first week is about orientation and learning. We learnt language (LAO &greeting gestures), cooking (fried spring rolls), Buddhism culture in LAOS (seeing the temples and do the obeisance and meditation), and the childcare program internship.
We started the childcaring formally the second week. We teach them English in the morning including numbers, alphabets, colors, body parts, clothes, months and weekdays. They are easily learning but as well as forgetting, so it’s OK to repeat to make them more familiar. And we also invent some learning games such as circle the number and point out the colors. Different lessons should be prepared for different ages. Songs are really good to make kids concentrate and happy. Try body-part song and wheels on the bus song. They love dancing and singing. At 10:30, kids have their first lunch. We just help the older kids wash hands and feed the youngers. Then play again till 11:30, when they go to bed. We go to the school again at 1:30 to wake them up and help them to take off clothes before shower and dress them after shower. Then feed them the second lunch and make hair for girls. The afternoon is the game time and don’t worry they can’t understand the rules when trying a new game, they can play well after 2~3 rounds later. They are really clever. At about 3:30pm we leave, and the parents come to pick them up.
The kids are so different so be patient with everyone. Some of them are outgoing, he or she can hug you the first day but some are really shy. If he/she wants to be alone, just let him/her go. And he/she will be fine later.
The teachers and the local team members can translate and assist you so don’t worry about the language.
And the great part besides childcare is meeting friends. The volunteers come from different countries and culture and become friends. We made the weekend travel plan to Vangvieng and prepare the class (always drawing) or playing in the evening. I was so lucky to meet these guys and hope wo can see each other again in the future.

Sabaidee! These last three weeks I have spent volunteering as a part of IVHQs Childcare programme in Laos, and it’s safe to say that those three weeks have been some of the most memorable and worthwhile moments I’ve ever experienced. From the people who run the programme (Ticky, Micky, my coordinator Suan and Will Rowland providing me with all the information I needed before, during and after my trip) to the kids and other volunteers I worked with I couldn’t have spent this time with better people! During the week I spent my days cycling to work, playing with kids, teaching them basic English whilst they helped me understand the language, culture and ways of Laos whilst I spent my weekends in the famous locations around the country from fighting off the torrential rain and massive sprays of the Kuang Si Falls in Luang Prabang, Kayaking and Zip-Lining in Vang Vieng and exploring Vientiane’s Night markets. I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in my unforgettable experience and I can’t wait to return and see everyone again!

I had wanted to volunteer for a few years before hearing about IVHQ through a friend and thought they were the perfect match for me. The IVHQ team prior to departure were extremely helpful in answering any questions and helping me change my program dates last minute. The local team once at the project were beyond amazing. The passion for helping the community was truly felt by the local team and they passed on that passion to each volunteer. The food was amazing and catered to everyone with a mix of local and western food. There were some great social games organized after dinner most nights which was a great way to break the ice and meet other volunteers doing other projects. The orientation was a great opportunity to explore the local area and learn about the culture. In the short time I was there I felt I was able to make a genuine connection with the community, the local team, the children and my fellow volunteers. My only regret is that I didn’t stay longer!

Laos has won my heart during this volunteer stay! One of the most memorable times were the evenings when one of my fellow volunteer workers and I would watch the beautiful sunset and talk about life. The food was also incredible and on Thursday nights they do barbecue at the volunteer place, followed by organized karaoke at a nearby bar.
The volunteering itself is also quite beautiful, but challenging at the same time. For the childcare program, it is required of you to teach the adorable, little Children English and play with them in the afternoon. It's wonderful, but be prepared to work! Also, the bicycle is a fantastic way to get to work and ideal in such a rural place in Laos.

I couldnt have picked a better program to wrap up my work sabbatical! i'd taken a 3.5 month break to travel and volunteer on various programs in southeast asia. Laos was a super last-minute choice (it's one of the last SEA countries ive yet to visit) and based on my prior experience with IVHQ (Zimbabwe and Cambodia), i had to go with them again. Shout out to Will for the great support and promptly answering all queries. as always, it was yet another memorable experience. Airport pick up was a breeze (thanks to Veo), when we arrived at the volunteer accommodation..well, colour me impressed. It was a new location situated in a nice, quiet village in Naxaythong district, 30 minutes from the airport and 1 hour tuk-tuk ride from the capital, Vientiane. there was a lake behind the restaurant (next to our rooms) and its gorgeous view of the fields took my breath away. Very peaceful.

Orientation starts on Mondays and is very well organized. we learnt Lao phrases, culture do's and dont's, hiked in the forest searching for caves and temples, visited a typical Lao village, had a cooking class, toured the city of Vientiane and its night market, made Buddha offerings as well as spent an afternoon meditating with monks and nuns! Ticky is a funny and amazing guide who can't wait to tell you everything about Laos! Lots of culture immersion which would render useful during our stay working with Lao staff and young children (they speak zero to little english). On Fridays, you will be accompanied by local staff to your placement.

My childcare centre was very close to our house, so we just biked along the main road (there is seemingly only one big road in the village) every morning. takes no more than 5 minutes. Working hours are 9-11am and 1-3pm. In the mornings, we teach the children (aged 3-4, classroom size of 12-15 each time) basic english, like alphabet, colours, numbers, weather, greetings. thereafter they'll have some snacks (sticky rice with meat/fish) which volunteers will assist with feeding. The daily schedule is pretty flexible so volunteers are encouraged to introduce new games/toys/fun concepts of learning catered to their abilities. After they prepare for nap time, we usually return to the house for lunch, before continuing in the afternoon, where volunteers help to bathe, clothe and feed them. Sometimes the teacher will teach them basic Laotian. Being kids, they are very active and have short attention spans, so it's something to consider when coming up with classroom activities.

After work, there's usually nothing much to explore around the village (only the restaurant and a small market across the street) but we do have lots of fun playing card games, karaoke nights on Thursdays, going to Vientiane night markets on Wednesdays, and if you like dogs and cats they are residents at the accommodation too! The cats were rescued by past volunteers from the temple. There is laundry service every Wednesday (for a small fee, i think) where the local staff will bring to a proper laundromat but most volunteers do their own laundry with the basins provided at the house.

Be sure to fully maximize your weekends! Most volunteers will go to Vientiane, Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang. Just speak to Ticky and he will handle your transport arrangements. Laos is very much developing and it's the perfect time to appreciate its history and human geography. Just need to exercise lots of patience as you'll come to experience this cultural phenomenon called "Lao time", as Ticky will tell you, the P.D.R. in Laos is also known as "Please Don't Rush". It's a good thing to know so you can manage your expectations and enjoy your stay!

Food is very typical of southeast asian cuisine - so prepare to have rice every meal! There's also stir fry vegetables, chicken, pumpkin, melon, mushrooms etc sometimes we have fried noodles/ noodles in soup, which i find really tasty (maybe because i'm asian). for breakfast, there's sausages, fried bananas, sweet potato fries, chips, scrambled eggs, and crepes (if the chef is in a good mood!). and there's always rock melons, bananas and watermelons.

Dont leave Laos without doing these two things - enjoy the sunset from our accommodation. take lots of pictures because a beautiful sunset is quite rare around here. ive spent many reflective moments just sitting here in silence admiring nature's beauty. Second, drink some of their national hard liquor - Lao Lao. Don't question it - just be sure to get a taste when you're here!

PS - bring your strongest bug spray!