Want to get — and give — more out of a trip?

Here is a fabulous contest that will send you on a two-week volunteer vacation to Peru where you will help with children, construction, teaching or medical aid. You’ll also get Spanish classes plus excursions to Machu Picchu.

Would you be willing to volunteer a half-day of your vacation in order to get 50% off your hotel room?
This week Four Seasons Austin launched its “Pay It Forward” voluntourism package which gives hotel guests a special rate for volunteering a minimum of 3 hours at one of two local projects in Austin. Guests could either help prepare and serve meals in a community kitchen or help with beautification projects around Austin.
The two non-profits participating in the program are Caritas of Austin, which provides housing, food, education and employment services …

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 …

Have you always dreamed of a volunteer trip to the Amazon for conservation work?
Fauna Forever is now offering a special, exclusive 10% discount off its conservation volunteer trips to readers of Travelanthropist.  The first five of our readers who book with them will get 10% off!
Imagine yourself waking up in the middle of a rain forest in south eastern Peru. You wake up, have a bite to eat, and first thing in the morning your off to study and collect data of some of the most unique and wondrous animals …

Safe drinking water, so essential for life and yet unavailable in many parts of the world. Each day, more than 4,000 children die in developing countries simply because they don’t have clean drinking water — a global crisis.
Cosmetic company Cover Girl kicked off the relaunch of their Clean Makeup line with the launch of the Cover Girl Clean Makeup for Clean Water campaign. Partnering with Children’s Safe Drinking Water to alleviate this global crisis, Cover Girl has donated $500,000 to CSDW which will provide 50 million liters of clean water …

With a new year comes a desire to do something great or simply, to do something. All of us, even those who have that “greatness” quality, need to get inspired. Are you looking for some inspiration as you head into the new year?

Seth Godin, the popular author and blogger, released a new ebook, What Matters Now, a compilation of ideas from some of the most recognizable and respected thinkers today. More than 70 big thinkers, consisting of authors, entrepreneurs and bloggers, each share an idea for you to think about …

American Airlines is offering unbelievable rates, as low as $149 each way, to Belize for travel between January 1- March 31, 2010. In order to take advantage of the low fares, tickets must be purchased on AA.com by December 22, 2009.
For those of you who dream of voluntourism in this tropical paradise, this is a great opportunity!

Belize offers a land rich in natural beauty and steep in the history and culture of its Maya past. Renowned for having the second largest barrier reef in the world, Belize’s pristine waters, exotic …