Travel For Teens: Thailand

My experience with Travel for Teens in Thailand was unlike anything I’ve ever done. It felt like I was actually experiencing the country and not just visiting it. Not only do I now get to look back on the unique experiences I was able to participate in, such as working with elephants, but I also made strong and close connections within my group. Through my experiences with Travel for Teens, I have made friends around the world. The other campers, amazing counselors, and the exploration of the country itself all contributed equally to the memorability of my trip. I cannot wait for my TFT trip next year to meet new people and discover new locations and cultures!

Traveling to Thailand with Travel for Teens was an experience I will never forget. The sites were incredible and every single day was filled with adventure and fun. The food is incredible as it was authentic and we even got to attend cooking classes. We cooked traditional food that was delicious. The group I was with was filled with like-minded individuals striving to see the world and truly experience what real traveling is like. We shared beautiful experiences with excursions like rafting down the Pai River and scuba diving Thai coral reefs. A highlight was also working at an elephant sanctuary! The counselors made everyone feel safe while being friendly and fun the entire trip. I highly recommend any TFT trip to any teenager eager to seek out adventure. If you want to travel the world Travel For Teens is the way to go.

This past summer I traveled to Thailand on TFT’s Thailand Elephant Service and the Islands program. This trip was by far my favorite trip that I’ve been on with TFT. The combination of working with elephants, the breadth of activities, as well as the great counselors and campers made it by far one of the most memorable two weeks of my life. One of the highlights of the trip was the service we did with elephants. We volunteered with elephants at sanctuaries learning about proper elephant care, we got to bathe them, prepare food and feed them, cleaned their enclosures, and went on a walk with them. This trip as a whole pushed me out of my comfort zone, it helped me become much more comfortable with trying new things. Each day was filled with new activities which enabled us to experience and learn about the Thai culture. The activities included exploring traditional Thai markets, cooking classes, exploring Thai temples, and much more. Our counselors were amazing, they were always understanding, were easy to come to with any issues, and were just really fun to travel and hang out with. Not only were the counselors great but I met some of the best people on this trip. I’m certain that I will be friends with a few of them for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful to have been able to go on this trip and I wouldn’t trade this trip for the world.

My trip to Thailand was one that I could have never imagined, from the days with elephants to meeting the most amazing people it was definitely a trip of a life time. This was the first trip I had ever gone out of the country by myself with people I had never met, and to be honest I was very nervous but when meeting the counselors they made us feel right at home and the campers soon after a couple nights of never have I ever’s/games established bonds that we knew could never be broken. Everyday we took on a new adventure, I remember when I first heard that we were going to be “hanging” out with elephants I thought it was going to be from a far little did I know we would be getting up close and personal feeding them, bathing them, and cleaning up after them. It was astounding how gentle the elephants were and how much they were just like big puppies with how they wanted to play with you. Saying goodbye to the elephants was definitely hard and sad but I know that someday I will go back and see them again. After we finished our community service hours with elephants we then went on a very windy 3 hour drive to Pai where we the most amazing massages. Over the trip two other campers and I got 3 massages and only ended up paying $11. Then we went on a 2 day trip to the jungle which was honestly one of the hardest things physically on this trip, the white rafting was long but the campers and the view make it all worth it. After returning to the hotels the first thing we all did was shower and let me tell you it was the best feeling. Now I was not able to stay for extra 7 days and explore the islands so at the final dinner it was very sad to say goodbye to everyone because even though I had only known them for 10 days we all felt like we had known each other for much longer. The kids I met are already planning on having a “reunion”. These trips not only open up your mind to new places and cultures but also to new people.

Traveling to Thailand with Travel for Teens in the Thailand Service and Adventure program has been one of the best decisions I had made so far. The staff and the kids I went with were wonderful! Each and every one of them made the trip a memorable experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The staff was really supportive when it came to dietary restrictions and allergies, and they made sure everyone had what they wanted and needed throughout the trip. They were also very flexible with what we wanted to do and the schedule. The places we visited were unique and beautiful, for example, we visited a Monkey Island near Phi Phi, where we witnessed the monkeys steal food from the visitors, or take off the lice from one another. We also visited an elephant sanctuary where we learned about the elephants and the different ways we can help them, in the long run, to stop them from getting abused. Not only that, but we were able to give back to the community by building a cement house from scratch in a tiny community in Chaing Mai. This trip not only was wonderful, but it made me feel at home and thankful for having the opportunity to live such a unique experience.

Traveling to Thailand with Travel For Teens was an experience I will never forget. The sites were incredible and every single day was filled with adventure and fun. The food was incredible as it was authentic and we even got to attend cooking classes. We cooked traditional food that was delicious. The language portion of the trip was really enlightening as we learned the basic of the beautiful language: Thai. The group I was with was filled with like minded individuals striving to see the world and truly experience what real traveling is like. We shared beautiful experiences with excursions like rafting down the Pai River and scuba driving Thai coral reefs. The counselors made everyone feel safe while being friendly and fun the entire trip.

After traveling with TFT last summer to Paris, France, Cinque Terre, Italy, Florence, Italy, and Interlaken, Switzerland, I thought nothing could top the memories I made on this whirlwind trip. However, traveling to Thailand this summer as a Counselor in Training gave me a whole new level of appreciation for TFT and the impact the staff truly has on shaping the campers' experiences. I loved the balance between community service, cultural exploration, and exhilarating adventures. Everyday brought something new and different, especially as we traveled across the country to experience the natural beauty, bustling cities, and breathtaking islands Thailand has to offer. I can't recommend this trip enough for future campers and am so excited to continue working with TFT in the future! Go TFT!

I got to go on the Thailand Elephant and Explores trip with TFT this summer! It was my 4th trip with TFT and one of my favorites. We got to do amazing service work taking care of elephants at an elephant sanctuary, getting to work hands on with the enormous animals. We also got to go on a two-day white-water rafting trip down the Pai river, which allowed us to see Thailand from a completely different perspective. The food on the trip was delicious, and every activity we did was so much fun! staff were always there to help and answer any questions I may have had. The counselors on my trip were approachable, fun, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable of the country we were in. They made sure the trip ran smoothly the entire time, as well as making sure everyone on the trip was having a good time!
got to learn so much about the Thai culture thanks to Travel for Teens.