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XploreAsia

4.76 Rating
109 reviews
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Why choose XploreAsia?

XploreAsia was founded by educators who are passionate about teaching English and giving back to local communities. We specialize in providing a life-changing adventure by living, teaching, and volunteering abroad. We offer internationally accredited TESOL/TEFL certification courses, job placement assistance, sustainable volunteer placements, home stay options, and internships throughout Southeast Asia. We strive to help people discover the transformational benefits of living and teaching in Southeast Asia, and are dedicated to providing quality education and experiences.

Website
www.xploreasia.org
Founded
2010

Community Photos

Hakuna matata!
Role of a Princess in a stage drama.
Hill of Buddha
Chasing adventures & creating unforgettable memories in the land of the rising sun 🗿🇯🇵✨️
First Month in Sapporo 🇯🇵
JAPAN TEACHERS- New Colleagues
Chuseok at my school
Yokohama view from the port. I have been waiting over 5 years to see this.
At the palace with the best tour guide
Elephants!
Looking down on Chiang Mai
Cheering on a fighter from the Muay Thai gym I trained at during my time there.
Beautiful waterfalls
Odori Park
ENGLISH CAMP WEEKEND
LAST DAY IN PRACHUAP

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Community Awards

  • Go Overseas Award

Reviews

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Kgothatso
40
Female
South Africa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Xplore Thailand In-Country TEFL + Placement Program

It's never too late to start a new adventure!

Jun 15, 2025

As a member of Generation X, I once thought that working and living abroad was not for me - maybe it was too late. I took a big step by enrolling in the TESOL Program with XploreAsia. From the beginning, their team was supportive, kind, and genuinely helpful. Now I've been living here for some time, and the journey is still going strong.

Of course, it's not all a bed of roses. Living in a new country comes with ups and downs, and challenges, especially when Thai policies seem to change overnight. But knowing that I have the ongoing support of XploreAsia makes all the difference.

What I appreciate is that they continue to offer ongoing support- Community support and Mentorship.

For anyone thinking about teaching and living abroad, I highly recommend XploreAsia. Their care don't stop when the course ends!

What would you improve about this program?
The transport from the accommodation to class would have been helpful. I suggest including the cost in the course or offering it as an optional contribution, similar to the excursion arrangement.
Pros
  • Pros during the program: The team and the Instructor were very supportive.
  • The Thai language classes were helpful.
  • The Muay Thai session was enjoyable.
Cons
  • After writing the exam, additional classes were held, but i felt my attention span was low.
  • Transport from the accommodation to the school would have been helpful.
Hakuna matata!
Default avatar
Sarah
27
Female
South Africa
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Xplore Thailand In-Country TEFL + Placement Program

Dream job made possible!

Jun 10, 2025

I am absolutely thrilled with the service I received from Xplore Asia! They helped me land a job I absolutely love in Nakhon Pathom. The team was professional, supportive, and went above and beyond to ensure I found the perfect fit. Their expertise and network in the industry are truly impressive. If you're looking for a career opportunity in Asia, I highly recommend Xplore Asia - they've changed my life for the better! They have a deep understanding of the job market in Asia, and were able to connect me with top employers in my field. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented and dedicated team.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be open-minded, flexible, and ready for the unexpected, it's all part of the journey!
Immerse yourself in the local culture, try the new foods and make friends with fellow travelers.
Pros
  • Networking opportunities, I connected with allot of like minded people
  • Skill development
  • Personal growth
Cons
  • The structure of the program is rigid and demanding
  • Homesickness
  • Cultural adjustment
Default avatar
Eden
26
Female
United States
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Xplore Thailand In-Country TEFL + Placement Program

Would recommend! *with a note*

Jun 10, 2025

I can say for sure that I would have never been able to make such a huge move like this with out the continued support of Xplore Asia. The training program itself was one of the best months of my life. I would recommend Xplore to a friend. I would also, though, emphasize the mental and emotional toll a kind of move and job like this might take. This is where I feel Xplore could do a bit better- offering students more sufficient warnings and proper preparation for what's to come in combination with the coursework.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Placements vary heavily in terms of workload and its kind of like getting your name pulled out of a hat. You might get one that's really demanding and not at all what you initially expected. While you're never trapped at a job, once you're in it, its not an easy (or cheap) thing to undo. So leave your perception of teaching as means to fund your traveling at the door. The hours are long and your placement has the potential to be very demanding work! It can also be really rewarding work, though, and can be fun and magical! The best advice I can give is really to assess what your goals are within yourself and for your traveling- do research on teaching in Thailand and really think about if its the right choice for you. Do you want to be a free bird or are you prepared to commit to your work and do your traveling every other weekend or so? Also, ask as many questions as possible about your placement ahead of time.
Pros
  • Wonderful people
  • Felt empowered in the classroom
  • Really fun
Cons
  • The acomadation
  • A lot of work was demanded but not graded with the same level of importance
  • communication often feels poor with agency
Default avatar
Michael
24
Male
Australia
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Xplore Thailand In-Country TEFL + Placement Program

MG

Jun 6, 2025

Had a great time on the course, instructors and placement team were all amazing!

A few hiccups in the beginning, with not finding out about the university program until after booking everything. Which was followed by more required payments. But nonetheless, having a great time in my new job at Saiaksorn, and very glad I took this jump to Thailand.

Can see myself here for a long time.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
We become very talented at talking ourselves out of things as we grow up. Book the ticket.
Pros
  • Enjoying work again.
  • Not richer, but much wealthier.
  • Amazing fruit!
Cons
  • Unintentionally ordering the wrong food when learning Thai.
  • A few ego clashes in the group which disturbed the peace but thankfully didn't last long.
Default avatar
Emily
24
Female
United Kingdom
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Xplore Thailand In-Country TEFL + Placement Program

Best life decision to date

Jun 4, 2025

I recently completed my TEFL course with Xplore Asia, and I couldn't be happier with the experience! The training was thorough and incredibly well-structured. Our instructor, Gary, was fantastic — knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely passionate about teaching. The practical teaching sessions with local students were especially valuable and gave me real confidence in the classroom.

Now that I’m placed in my school, I can honestly say I love it here. The environment is welcoming, the students are honestly amazing, and I feel so, so happy right now. I'm truly grateful to Xplore Asia for making this journey possible!

Sometimes along the journey, you expect things to unfold a certain way — but life has a way of surprising you. What you thought you didn’t want can turn out to be exactly what you needed, and often, it works out even better than you ever imagined. Don’t give up when things seem hard, it will all pay off in the end!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I could do this all over again, I’d tell myself to just relax and trust the process. It’s so easy to get caught up in stress and panic when things don’t go as planned, but looking at how everything turned out, I definitely could’ve let go a little and enjoyed the experience more!
Pros
  • Massive confidence booster
  • Placed in an amazing school
  • Made friends for life
Cons
  • Moments of uncertainty can cause stress
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Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Maegan Bruno

Program
Xplore Thailand In-Country TEFL + Placement Program
Maegan lives in Colorado, USA. Originally from Texas, she graduated from Texas A&M University in 2012 with a degree in Elementary Education. Since graduation, she has been seeking adventure and different opportunities to influence the children she teaches!
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What is the most important thing you learned abroad?

The most important thing I've learned being abroad is that there is always something to be thankful for. There were times where the place we would be staying was less than desirable, but we learned to be thankful for the little things that we were blessed with, such as hot water, a good meal, or even a helping hand from one of the locals. I know I'll take this lesson back to America with me and I'm excited to see the changes to come when I head back!

What was the hardest part about going abroad?

The hardest part of going abroad for me was abandoning my normalities and routines from back home and adopting a new mindset of the new possibilities each day brought here. I had my favorite coffee shop back home, my community, restaurants, and hiking trails. Coming to Thailand, everything was so different. It was definitely a mix of culture shock and missing the structure back home.

However, after a few weeks, routines were more set into place, and I even came to love how each day was a little mix of the unknown! I never had a "boring" day, and as crazy as each day sometimes felt, I learned to just laugh and know that the next day would leave even more memories for me.

Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.

One of my favorite experiences I had that I would not have experienced back home was spending time with the wife/husband that rents out our apartment complexes. Their family was very close and loved to include my friend and I in their time spent together. We spent several dinners together trying to teach each other our native languages and sharing our cultures despite a huge language barrier. We laughed together, learned new things and tried new foods.

One afternoon the mom even took us to the Thai Special Forces Army Base where her son was stationed. Her son showed us around and we even were able to participate in one of their exercises! I truly felt like I had a family away from home!

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Lungile Xulu

Program
Xplore Japan In-Country TEFL + Placement Program
Job Title
Japan Program Coordinator
Lungile is part of the awesome team at XploreAsia. She handles all applications for the Japan program and takes part in some of the webinars as well.
Lungile Xulu under a giant shrine entryway in Japan

What is your favorite travel memory?

In 2021, I travelled to Mount Nokogiriyama in Chiba in Chiba Prefecture. I did a little solo hike, and at the end of the hike there was a marvelous structure before me- a 31 meter tall statue of Buddha, carved from the side of the mountain! It was so beautiful and it really is my most favorite memory of Japan.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I've been given an opportunity to help people go down the same road I did. I'm excited to work each morning and chat with my co-workers and applicants! Each teacher I come across has a story of their own, and I learn so much from them! This has led to me being more focused and motivated in all areas of my life.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I haven't heard any stories from teachers yet, but I am very excited to hear about everyone's' experiences in Japan! I'm very interested to hear about culture shock experiences, as I deal with applicants from all around the world, so I'm keen to learn about the differences between their home countries and Japan.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I'm quite interested in South East Asia, and I've never been there before, so I'd definitely choose Thailand! I've heard amazing things about the people, the food (the FRUITS!!!), and the beaches! I come from sunny Durban, South Africa, and everyone always tells me the weather in Thailand would remind me of Durban. So I'd love to go there!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

XploreAsia is unique because I believe we genuinely care about our applicants' experiences, not just during the application process, but as they teach and beyond. I was really proud that we turned 10 years old recently, that's a big achievement! We're excited to keep making a difference and make people's dreams come true.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe there are many factors that contribute to making a company successful; having a team that works well together and supports each other is very important. Team members should never be afraid to ask questions, because that's how we learn from each other. But definitely good communication is the biggest factor, and is essential!