Tribe Adventures

The program was not what I expected in the best way. It was the most incredible experience of my life. These two weeks have flown by but I feel like I've know my new friends for years. I've fallen in love with this place, the people here, and everyone taking part in the program.
During my time here I had the honor of collecting trash around the village. While I was pulling the cart loaded down with so much trash there was a question bouncing through my head: am I actually doing any good? By the end of the program I was able to look back and know that the answer is yes. This country and this village especially need help and I am so satisfied knowing that I have helped this place.
I love this culture. Almost everything about it. The lifestyle of the villagers on the island, the food, how things work. It's all incredible. It's so great knowing that we're changing this culture for the better by teaching kids to recycle and throw away trash instead of littering all over the island.
I couldn't have asked for more on this program. I could only ask to add more diving programs around the globe. There are plenty of island villages and reefs in need of our help and plenty of volunteers willing to go.

The program was more than I expected and I couldn't be happier with what it turned out to be. I loved the people during my first week of volunteering and couldn't have asked for a better Team Leader - Bun. Working in the village was one of the most incredible things I have ever done. Not necessarily because of the work but because of the people.
The jobs we did made an obvious difference. Repairing homes for scholarship students was such a rewarding feeling.
I truly do feel like I've made a worthwhile contribution to the community. I would absolutely recommend Tribe Cambodia Village Adventure to my friends. I would tell them that the experience is one of the most life changing things I have ever done. The program is not only a great way to help others but also learn so much about yourself.

I strongly recommend this program! It was undoubtedly the most amazing experience of my life I wouldn't have traded such an amazing experience for the world!

The staff were so accommodating with everything and always made me feel safe. The time that I spent in the village was the most inspiring and life changing experience I got to see the real side of how the families in Cambodia live as opposed to the photos and videos that are online. All of the people we worked with were such great people who were so willing and happy to help out! I will definitely be doing more of these programs!

My trip to Cambodia was one of the greatest and most interesting experiences that I have ever had. I had the opportunity to live among the locals on an island that had never had tourists, where I was immersed in Khmer cultural practices and even learned how to speak a few phrases.

The days consisted of diving in the Gulf of Thailand, in 30 degree salt waters that were much warmer than those in my home country of Canada. Diving afforded me the experience of seeing choral reefs for the first time, as well as all of the picturesque underwater wildlife and ecosystems that I'd only ever before seen on TV. This experience alone was one of the best I had ever had while travelling.

Another daily activity we engaged in was teaching English at the village school, where we got to meet the local children. Eager to play games like tag to supplement their learning, the kids were incredibly friendly and taught us how to count in Khmer.
The projects that we were working on while I was there included constructing an incinerator to create a more sustainable waste management system, and building a playground for the local school. As a person with a background in working construction, I found it very interesting to see a different perspective on how the projects were completed than back home. The locals were very supportive of the initiatives and often included us in the specialized work that they were completing.

The landscape and scenery surrounding the village is one that can only be described as paradise. Sitting on the pier looking West across the Gulf of Thailand, I witnessed the most stunning sunset that I have ever seen in my entire life, with the clouds turning orange as the big yellow star at the centre of our galaxy disappeared behind the far off mountains. The East side of the island featured a beautiful tropical coastline, with palm trees and perfect white sand lining the beach that was perfect for taking a swim after a hard day of moving sand for the playground. Pictures and words cannot do the scenery justice - only by visiting could one hope to experience the beauty of this oasis. In between the two sides of the island is as much jungle and rainforest as you could ever explore - I would recommend going for a walk though it if you have the time.

The experiences that we shared with the locals was just amazing. On one of the first nights, we were invited to the local head of the fishermen's house to have dinner, where he and his wife cooked up crabs and a spicy seafood salad. I have yet to eat seafood as authentic and rich tasting as I experienced in Koh Rhong. On more casual nights, we danced at the local karaoke bar with the villagers, who taught us their cultural customs for dancing. On another night, we were invited to a wedding - it was a wholly new experience for me, different from anything I'd seen before. I met some of the people who had grown up in the village and gone on to study at the university in Phnom Penh. I catch up with them from time to time on Facebook.

Also on my trip, one of the other volunteers was invited to go fishing with the locals for a day on one of their boats. She enjoyed the experience immensely. On another day, we had the privilege of speaking with the chief of police for the island, who told us the story of his youth, growing up under the rule of the Khmer Rouge. He explained how to this day, he still had trouble with basic math as a result of the stifling of education that the regime perpetrated. Also on the political front, during my trip Cambodia was having it's federal elections. We witnessed the arrival of the Cambodian People's Party to the village who were there on a campaign tour. When we got back to Phnom Penh, we saw the parade in the streets after they won the election.

All in all, my trip to Cambodia is by far one of the coolest experiences that I have ever had. I feel that I got a wonderful taste of a culture so different from my own, and met many interesting volunteers from all across the globe along the way. If you are considering doing this trip - DO IT! You will not regret it. I can't wait to see what my next volunteer experience has in store.

From the first moment planning the trip all the way to the last minute leaving Cambodia, the staff were more than helpful and completely genuine in their love for volunteering abroad. My team leader, Scott, was one of the most inspiring people I have had the pleasure of getting to know, let alone volunteer with. I will never forget my experiences in the village, helping people who really need the support and making a significant and immediate impact in their day-to-day lives. Dancing, playing soccer and seeing the smiles of the young children, after a hard days work building a school house or thatching a roof, made every drop of sweat more than worth it. Later in the trip being able to interact with elephants was so surreal. I never would have imagined that we would get so much one-on-one time with the elephants and get to interact with them so closely. Definitely another aspect of the trip I will never forget. There are too many positive things to say about this organization in one review, all I can say is that it is MORE than worth whatever money you spend. "You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." I will forever be a TEMPLE RAIDER!