When it comes to Volunteering abroad one of the best places for you to go is Southeast Asia. This region has plenty of volunteering opportunities, is very affordable, has plenty of activities to do in your free time and also is great to travel around once you have finished your volunteering placement.
It can often be quite tricky choosing where to go because there are an abundance of options. If you are volunteering for the first time then I would suggest you don’t go too remote because it can be testing and you want your first volunteer trip to be a success.
Here are 3 great places in Southeast Asia for you to volunteer. They are well resourced and set up for first time volunteers. Check out Mudita Adventures to find opportunities, What does Mudita mean? Check out their website and all will be clear, it’s a beautiful word.
Siem Reap
Siem Reap has lots of volunteering opportunities. There are hundreds of free community schools in the countryside surrounding the city, they are always willing to take in volunteers to help teach English to the kids. You can get a guesthouse for around $10 a day and travel by tuk tuk to your school. In the evenings there are lots of great places to hangout and in your free time you have to check out the world famous Angkor Wat – a site you must see.
Yangon
Myanmar is slowly opening up to tourists and volunteers, I think now is the perfect time to visit before the place is overrun. There are plenty of monasteries around the city which are willing to accept volunteers, the monasteries offer free education to the kids so they are happy for people to come in and help teach English. The city is great to hangout in the evenings with lots of street food and the locals are super friendly. In your free time you can visit Shwedagon Pagoda which is the holiest temple in the country.
Mae Sot
Volunteering in Mae Sot has been going on for over a decade. That’s because there are migrants and refugees who have come from Burma, escaping a whole range of difficulties. There are lots of schools here in the city and in the countryside for you to help at. In the evening you can hangout in local tea shops and night markets., In your free time you can take a 4 hour bus ride to the tourist hotspot Chiang Mai – my favourite ce ity in Thailand.
Have you volunteered in any of these places? If so, I would love to hear all about your experience and any tips you have to share with the rest of us. Just pop your comments in the box below, thanks for sharing guys!