White sandy beaches, crystal clear blue sea, brilliant underwater world…

Spend a week at this tropical paradise and participate in a worthy effort to conserve and monitor threatened species like hawksbill and green turtles.
Redang Island in Malaysia is located in the South China Sea, approximately 45 km North Northeast of Kuala Terengganu and 22.5 km east of Tanjung Merang, the take-off point for the island from the mainland. Redang tantalizes each visitor with it’s amazing array of marine life and placid turquoise waters. As one of Malaysia’s more popular island destinations, …

Voluntourism may sound unappealing to some simply because it conjures up stereotypes of trips to undeveloped, amenities-deprived, third world country. For some it’s too much creature comforts to give up on a vacation even if they have altruistic intentions. For others, it’s too hardcore, especially for first timers who are looking to combine service and vacation.

The answer — hotel voluntourism — a soft introduction to voluntourism without having to sacrifice vacation amenities. The Ritz Carlton, an early entrant through its “Give Back Getaway” program, offers volunteer vacation packages at …

A group of Habitat volunteer travelers to Vietnam believed they uncovered perhaps the next hotspot in the making during their break from volunteer duties. Though not quite the hotspot like Phuket in Thailand yet, Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam has all the ingredients of a hotspot — pristine beaches, untouched natural environment, easy going and relaxed atmosphere, good food, friendly locals — and the Vietnamese government is intent on making it a destination!
Earlier this year, a group of Americans and New Zealanders volunteering with Habitat for Humanity International to …

Peru is a land that is full of nature’s beauty. While most people come to Peru to see the “Lost City of the Incas,” there’s much more to see beyond Machu Picchu. The country is also known for its culture, food, vast rainforest, temples, and a variety of wild life that roams the land. There are many mountains and deserts that provide a gorgeous backdrop. For natural wonders, Colca Canyon and Cotahuasi Canyon are the two deepest canyons in the world. The Cordillera Blanca mountain …

A volunteer vacation to an impoverished community makes a lasting impression on a North Carolina college student

A veteran of several volunteer vacations, North Carolina college student, Melissa Hite, recounted her experience traveling to Belize. She first visited Belize back as a high school senior on a cruise and remembered walking down one strip of Belize City and concluded that the city had nothing to offer and went snorkeling. Then as a college senior, she was given the opportunity to go down to Belize on a two-week service trip and …

Think you have to pull up your sleeves and work on building orphanages in rural Africa or teach children devastated by poverty and AIDS in southeast Asia to give back when you travel? Not so. Responsible travel and travel philanthropy is all about giving back to the people and places you travel to AND there are endless ways you can do that. Voluntourism is just one of the more evident ways. Anyone CAN take a trip that gives back, even while enjoying travel luxuries.
This month Conde Nast Traveler features “Eight …

Photo by wolfgang staudt
Want to travel to Europe, but can’t quite afford it?
Europe is known to be one of the more expensive summer travel destinations. Yet, you can still find great low cost volunteer travel opportunities. We found ten great trips that cost less than $300 a week including accommodation and food (airfare is extra). Most of these projects run 1-2 weeks or more.
These trips help you experience a side of Europe that’s not covered by the guidebooks. One of the basic pillars of responsible traveling is giving back, making …