Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Thailand

My experience during the Projects Abroad Marine Conservation volunteer program was absolutely phenomenal, it truly was an adventure of a life time!

I did everything through projects abroad, including booking my flights - i didn't have the confidence or knowledge to organize my own travel itinerary but projects abroad did a fantastic job ensuring the flights were ideal for me in terms of dates, times and airports. It couldn't have been easier, it made the whole experience of traveling across the globe (From London to Thailand) stress-free all i had to do was show them my tickets and i was off!
When i arrived at Krabi airport, a Projects Abroad representative was there waiting for my arrival with transfer to my new home for the next month. I was warmly welcomed, and once i arrived at my new campsite i was given a tour and freedom to settle before getting started with the project at the start of the working week.

On my first day was an induction day - sitting down with other new volunteers as we were officially welcomed into the new world of diving. But first - we explored Krabi town! With the amazing Bean we were given the best Thai top tips from food recommendations, best places to go, things to see and do, taught us some of the Thai language, educated us on their culture, it was a very heartwarming welcome to the start of an amazing adventure!

The first week was spent with our heads in the books, to complete the theory for our PADI Open Water Diving qualification and practicing diving / breathing techniques in the swimming pool (yes, the camp site has a swimming pool!) - which once passed meant we could join the other volunteers on the dive boat out at sea!

Week 2 saw us put everything we learnt into practice in the big blue itself! While everyone was flourishing, i was very nervous having never swam in the ocean nor dived before but the Projects Abroad diving crew were so amazing and so patient, they made me feel safe and gave me the confidence to make that jump (literally, off the boat into the sea!)

Each dive i did i become more and more confident, and dove deeper and deeper exploring more and discovering something new during every single dive, it was breathtaking and utterly speechless diving in the wonders of the sea!
The main goals of dives was to do coral surveying or sea anemone surveying - putting all our diving skills into action while collecting data to then later input into an online global marine conservation database.
Other diving activities we did included coral propagation - another data collecting survey to encourage coral breeding.

When we weren't diving, we went to a local village beach to help with an on-going mangrove reforestation project - this involved getting down and dirty in the mud, digging up very delicately the young mature mangroves and re-planting them to allow them to grow into full mature age.
We also did work in a local primary school, preparing a presentation and educating the Thai children about the work we are doing and how they can help protect the ocean themselves by making them plastic aware!

A day trip to Phuket was also on the agenda, visiting a marine rescue and rehabilitation center where we got to see loads of sea turtles and get in with them as we cleaned their pool - during my visit we were very lucky to witness a sea turtle being released into the ocean for the first time. That was a once in a life time experience to see!

When diving days are over, the evenings were given to us to do whatever we wanted! We could go to the beach, explore krabi town, indulge at night foodie markets and the same went for the weekends! We had the freedom to explore and do whatever we wanted! During my weekends i took the opportunity to explore krabi, take on Dragons Crest (highly recommended hike), visited an ethical elephant sanctuary, hopped on a boat to Railey beach and took in the culture of Thailand.

Food was fantastic!! The camp had their own chef who would make the most delicious meals and catered for all dietary requirements - vegetarian, pescetarian, vegan, meat you name it!

All in all, my time in Thailand was completely life changing and i met some of the most amazing people there and learnt and gained so many unique special experiences - one month wasn't long enough!

For anyone considering it, take that leap and do it! You will not regret it!

Let me start by saying that I was 56 when I went and all though most people on the project was half my age, I had the best stay ever. I worked ind a kindergarden for 8 weeks, where I had an hours teaching/activity, so I had to come up with something new to do with the children every day, but they were so sweet and loved all the things I came up with. Staff in Thailand was perfect and took very good care of us, they made sure we were safely transported around and teached about the way of living in thailand. They also made a series of field trips, elefant hospital were we helped cleaning, turle clanning project and much more, so I will highly recomend this project to all
Project aboard staff was very infomativ before, during and after the project, so I felt very secure during from start to end.

Absolutely fantastic project! I was able to achieve my PADI open water certification whilst making a difference to the local reefs. I was also able to see a number of blue spotted rays, lion fish, puffer fish and barracuda. On top of that I was able to educate local communities on the impact and issues of micro plastics and contribute towards the transplantation of mangroves in efforts to combat coastal erosion and carbon dioxide emissions. The premises were comfortable with a pool and WiFi available and I was sharing an en suite room with 3 other girls of a similar age to myself. The on site staff were also friendly and approachable and often arranged social activities for the residents to participate in. I’d highly recommend the marine conservation project to anyone with an interest in sustainability!

I joined project abroads conservation project in Thailand for 2 month. It was amazing to be a part of the team. To learn how to dive and make a different while diving was awesome. The instructors were very professional, and we learned about the different fish and coral, and also about coral diseases.

The Beach clean ups were tough in the heat, but it was definitely worth it, seeing all the plastic and cigarets we collected from the Beach.

The staff members were allways very helpfull. During my stay i Got a infection, the staff helped me getting to the doctor and stayed with me till i was feeling better.

After Work there was plenty of time to relax and have fun with the other volunteers. Or to Explorer more of the beautiful Thailand and the amazing culture.

It has been three years already since I spent four weeks in Ao Nang with Projects Abroad! Not only did I manage to get my PADI diving certificate and learn about all the marine life in thailand, we also planted mangrove trees, cleaned beaches and taught children in primary schools about waste recycling. During the weekends there was time to explore more of the country. We went on hikes or made small trips to other cities. One weekend we drove all the way up to Phuket where we helped cleaning turtles that lived in a turtle sanctuary. We even got to see the baby turtles. Then we stayed in Phuket for the weekend and got to experience the city. I still think about my time with Projects Abroad a lot and I would definitely recommend joining one of their projects!

One year it's already gone since i had the best experience of my life as volunteer in Thailand.
I really enjoy the time spent there. Being volunteer with childrens it's amazing.
I was teaching them english in a primary school in the south part of Thailand.
Together with local teachers day by day we were planning and executing a study program for the kids. What i also remeber it's the unforgettable time spent with all other volunteers and project abroad staff . We had the opportunity to travel around the country with the others volunteers during week ends and with the help given by our coordinator we had the opportunity to get ourselves into the local culture and traditions.
My overall experience was amazing and uforgettable and it changed my prospective about life.
I would really like to thanks again project abroad for this opportunity and i will do it again in the future whenever it will be possible.

My time in Thailand as a part of the Projects Abroad Diving and Marine Conservation program was amazing and I know that I will remember my first dive for the rest of my life. Knowing that I got to learn a new skill, do something I love and help the environment at the same time drew me to the program and it was everything I had imagined and more. Our trips to the dive sites were the best part; the crew was very friendly, and we got to exchange a lot of life experiences and jokes. The food at the accommodation was some of the best I'd ever had, and the program coordinators were friendly and always around planning group activities.

In May 2017, I had the opportunity to teach at a Day Care Center in Krabi, Thailand through the Projects Abroad Organization. My time in Thailand was such an eye opening and humbling experience. I decided to embark on this journey because I needed a break from my work/studies and I can honestly say that I had the time of my life. Teaching the kids was incredibly rewarding. In the end, I realized that the kids taught me more than I could every teach them. They taught me things about myself that I was never in touch with. It is also incredible how many great people I met along the way that shared common values and interests. This trip challenged me in so many ways and pushed me many times beyond my comfort level.

The accommodation was comfortable and the food well, I couldn't complain... (as I can eat pad Thai and fried rice every day!). One of the things that I liked the most about Projects abroad is that I always felt like I had their team's support 24/7. The Projects Abroad staff and other volunteers instantly made me feel welcomed and like family. I have no regrets in choosing this organization and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an enriching experience.