Looking for a trip by the azure blue sea, white sandy beaches or relax by a lagoon looking out to the vast, crystal clear ocean AND you want to spend some time giving back to the local community during this idyllic tropical vacation?
The Six Senses collection of luxury hotels and resorts has made sustainability and giving back to the community a priority, without compromising the experience and expectations of guests. They want more people to join their efforts. We’ve featured Six Senses’ Soneva Fushi last year as one …

Are you looking for an opportunity to volunteer in rural China and see the real China close-up?

Aston Language Center offers volunteers the opportunity to teach English in schools in Wuhu, China for FREE. There are no program fees PLUS Aston will provide free accommodation, transportation, and access to free Mandarin lessons during your spare time. You will need to pay your own international airfare and get a visa for China.

Cheapflights UK, a leading travel website has identified three top destinations based on searches on its website that are “the latest benefactors to the spoils of the recession.”
“Perhaps the two most interesting trends to come out of the recession are a heightened global conscience and a thirst for exploration,” says Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert for Cheapflights UK, “Travelers are more up to going the distance not only in flight time, but also in adventure. Whether it’s helping to feed an economy that’s fighting to grow or getting better acquainted with …

This is a guest post from Daniela Papi of PEPY:

Our trips during our first few years at PEPY were all about service. We were enthusiastic about offering travelers a chance to give back to the places they visited, otherwise known as voluntourism. Tour participants taught classes at local schools, visited orphanages, and repaired educational buildings. Often times, the needs the travelers were filling were not the biggest needs for the projects we were partnering with but were instead the things they were able to physically contribute to. When our guests …

Do you avoid being around crowds of people, especially tourists, when you travel?
Many travelers have places they considered “hidden gems.” These spots are generally off the traditional travel radar. Either they have not been discovered by the mass or on the verge of being discovered. Travel blogger BackpackerBen offered some recommendations from his travels.  We checked them out and here are five beautiful, no-fuss destinations you’ll like.
Island of Flores, Indonesia

To avoid the crowds in Indonesia you need to get away from Bali. Yet navigating the various island is no small …

Are you looking for some terrific travel values?
You’re not alone. According to a recent survey conducted among 1,000 travelers in the U.S. and Canada by Internet travel publisher, Travelzoo, 74% will vacation this year only if they found a good travel deal and 65% hope to travel internationally this year.
Travelzoo predicts five destinations to have exceptional value in 2010 based on market intelligence compiled from over 140 global deal experts employed by the company as well as current and anticipated deals. “Travelzoo’s worldwide team of deal experts research and verify …

Planning a voluntourism trip this year? There are no shortage of trips to satisfy even the most discriminate volunteer traveler. Pick your desire location or cause.
These five voluntourism trips are some of our favorites.
Wildlife Conservation in South Africa

Wildlife conservation in South Africa is a great opportunity for those wanting an African safari experience with a big difference. Working deep within the African bush, small teams will assist research scientists with vital conservation projects while also undertaking basic field guide training, such as tracking and wildlife identification skills. This is a …