Program Reviews

My 18-year-old son just completed the 70-day Australia/NZ trip. It was a fabulous experience for him. It was the right mix of adventure, fun, community service, and travel. They had once-in-a-lifetime experiences hiking, skydiving, and white water rafting. They had The accommodation was basic, and some were better than others. But I think that’s exactly right for a trip like this. It’s not supposed to be all comfort, and they push outside of their comfort zone.

Perhaps, most importantly, my son said the 2 instructors were exceptional people and leaders. I’m grateful he had this experience and would recommend the program to anyone looking for a way to see the world and learn more about themselves and other people.

To say I loved Pacific Discovery’s Polynesian journey would be an understatement. This program was 10 weeks straight of excitement, learning, adventure, laughter and pure joy. This program provided me with some of my favorite memories like snorkeling with mantras, swimming in countless water falls in the picturesque country of New Zealand, playing hours of games with the most precious children in a Fijian village and numerous sunrise swims on the coast of Hawaii. It also taught me invaluable lessons through experiences that can not be replicated else where!

My child experienced explosive growth over the 12 weeks of this program, had loads of fun, deepened her appreciation for other cultures, and strengthened her connection to her own. Life-changing is the best description of the experience, and I don't use that phrase lightly. If your goal for a gap year is to have fun, learn, build resilience, self-reliance, broaden your world and challenge yourself, this is a great program. I think the fees for this program were the best money I've ever spent on my kid.

The trip leaders were experienced, well-trained, compassionate, set excellent examples, and kept control of the group (no small feat with 18-22yos). The kids sing their praises long after the trip is over. They are able to help the kids integrate their experiences and navigate their worries and challenges (both mental and physical) along the way.

PD offers an appropriate level of structure, and keeps the kids very, very busy with hikes, activities, cultural events and group-directed side trips. There are optional add-on experiences available in Hawaii and NZ, including night dives with manta rays, sky diving, and bungee jumping. My kid did all of them.

Lodging was a mix of camping, home stays, shared homes, small resorts, and hostels. I know the kids carp about some of the places they stay, particularly in Fiji, but if you've ever been a backpack traveler, you'll be familiar with what they are encountering, and none of it is dangerous or filthy. It's the tropics, after all. There are bugs. If your kid hasn't stayed in a tent, that will be a new experience.

There was a wide variety of kids on the trip, a mix of US and Europeans, some taking a pre-college gap year, some taking a semester off. The group seemed to get along well, and the leaders were on top of the social dynamics in a very helpful way.

There is a good mix of Type 1 and Type 2 fun. Type 2 are experiences that are outside of your comfort zone, but help you grow into a better person. Type 2 fun produces much better stories, the kind that you'll think back to as you navigate the twists and turns of life. Long, challenging hikes that you didn't think you could do, (or didn't think you'd enjoy as much as you did), river rafting over a 7 meter waterfall, getting caught an unexpected rainstorm, are all examples of Type 2 fun, and all real experiences on this trip. Balance that with Type 1 classics like surfing, snorkeling, shopping in Auckland, and exploring Waikiki and you have a truly great adventure.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this trip, and Pacific Discovery, to anyone looking for a life-changing adventure.

As a program leader working for Pacific Discovery, I cannot stress enough how special these opportunities are for personal growth and development. I take great privilege in embarking on 10 weeks of internal exploration, cultural learning, and volunteer work, traveling through two very diverse countries and making so many valuable memories along the way.

Not only are there the key lessons that help shape the individual perspectives of land, sea, travel, sustainability, and culture there are the many intricate lessons surrounding difficult conversations, empathy, values, navigating culture, and conflict resolution, not to mention learning how to cook, clean, become organized and contribute to group flow and cohesion. All these lessons contribute tremendously towards creating ethical and conscious individuals who can go on the shape the world into a better place locally and globally.

I am currently finishing the 6 week mini trip in hawaii. I have to say the only thing i really found enjoyable were the people and some of the activities. I feel PD was not very transparent about how poor the living conditions would be. we had 4 people crammed into a 2 person yurt, staying at an accommodation with about 10-15 people with 2 toilets and 1 shower. I could barely sleep due to how uncomfortable the living situations were. The packing list was also misleading, i was underprepared and overprepared. They didn’t give us any money in the budget for group snacks, and i spent hundreds on buying my own food. The 10$ a day for spending is not true. PD also didn’t tell me I would be spending 6-7$ on laundry, or getting laundry where the dryer doesn’t work or it is cold so all my clothes smelled weird and didn’t dry properly.

Leaders were amazing and had lots of fun. Our group really meshed well together and had a blast traveling everywhere and doing all the activities. Food was amazing in Australia but a little on the pricier side so maybe spend less on that because in Bali everything is so cheap and we could have planned a little better. Accommodations were great especially Waves campground, the people were so cool there. I would recommend adding an excursion in Bali with the water because Nusa Penida is so close. ( we checked it out after and it was so cool). I highly recommend this trip to adventurers and I met my best friend on this trip. You will make amazing relationships with people all around the world!

My 10 weeks experience with my group were fantastic. Learning about all the different cultures and then fully immersing ourselves with the locals, showing how they lived their days without having a lot of money and how there's more to life than getting paid. How friendship and family meet. To them, it's not about material possessions or wealth, but about the bonds they create and the love they share. The way they prioritize relationships and community over monetary gain was truly eye-opening. I realized that true happiness lies in the connections we make and the memories we create together.

The Polynesian Journey for me was an amazing time that allowed me to grow as a person and branch out more than I ever expected. The combination of activities and people you meet throughout the trip along with having 2 great instructors (special shout-out Henry Grayson) made for an incredible trip with a great group of students. Made some life long friends from all over the world and I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Pacific discovery is awesome with great staff support. If you have the opportunity to go on a gap year trip with PD definitely do it. Life changing experience.

Going into this program I had no experience or expectation of what it was going to be like. Not only was I able to step completely out of my comfort zone but I was genuinely supported and encouraged every step of the way. It was the best mixture of teamwork and independence, exploring and learning, and the ability to truly be present and focused. This program, along with the people I have met and learned from within it have impacted my being in such an incredibly powerful way, that it has inspired me in my approach with how I move forward through life. I recommend an experience like this to anyone and everyone.

I mean what I say when I say that this program is an experience of a lifetime. You are constantly moving, and do, see, and experience so much every single day. You also get to experience local culture and customs in a safe environment. My counselors Grace Crema and Manuel Olvera are good, experienced world travelers. The other people on my program were all interesting and from backgrounds. Every single day I spent with these people felt like an exciting adventure into uncharted territory. I couldn't wait for what came next. Being away from home, parents, and being put into this new environment allows you to explore your identity and grow on your own. It allows you to present facets of your personality that you typically don't present to the people at home. Through this process you learn self sufficiency and gain confidence in yourself. I cannot state enough how this program was one of the most happiest times in my life.