Volunteering abroad is one of the most experiences you can have after college. You’ll meet amazing new people, be immersed in new cultures and get to explore the globe. Planning and having your own amazing travelling adventure while also making a difference in the local community through sustainable volunteering is a truly life-changing experience. We are passionate about volunteering abroad and the difference it can make to local communities. So we have put together a guide to seven of the best places you can volunteer abroad, including India, Nepal, South Africa and Cambodia.
Volunteering opportunities include medical volunteering in India to teaching English in Bali, to marine conservation in stunning South Africa, so there really is a volunteering abroad opportunity for everyone that will also benefit a local community. If we have inspired you to book your own trip, then take a look at our volunteering abroad opportunities. We guarantee you will be reaching for your passport!
From fantastic gap years after college to volunteering for a few weeks, you’ll be able to create life-changing experiences with Volunteering Journeys. The following seven countries all offer a fantastic mix of volunteering programs and amazing travel experiences- they really are the best destinations for volunteering abroad. So, get ready to get inspired!
- India
Inspirational India is an amazing choice to create the perfect experience of volunteering in local communities with life changing travel.
India is an awe-inspiring country and one of the best volunteering abroad destinations. It is absolutely full of diversity and inspiration and when you choose India as your volunteering abroad destination, you will be immersed in a fantastic, unforgettable experience. You’ll make a true difference to local communities through support, education and empowerment programmes. Volunteering opportunities in India are varied, including teaching English, medical volunteering in hospitals and work involving women’s empowerment.
India has so much to offer, it’s a great destination for volunteering after college. India is truly spectacular! North India offers some memorable destinations not to be missed, including the spiritual locations of Bir and Mcloed Gunj, beautiful Himalayan regions such as Ladakh and Manali and the home of the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala, which is located in the foothills of the amazing Himalayan mountains.
Kolkata, is a popular destination made famous by Saint Mother Teresa. In Kolkata, you will be able to experience the true India. From here, you can travel to the beautiful tea town of Darjeeling or the amazing Sundarban Jungles to look for the infamous Royal Bengal Tiger.
South India also offers fantastic volunteering abroad opportunities, particularly in Kerala. Here you can combine the rustic beauty, gorgeous beaches and old world charm of Fort Kochi with an opportunity that lasts just a few weeks. Perfect for combining with travel after college!
If you’d love to experience all amazing India has to offer, then take a look at our awesome India volunteering programmes:
- Medical work experience
- Women’s empowerment in Kolkata
- Teaching English in India
2. Thailand
Beautiful Thailand is an awesome country to combine travel with impactful volunteering.
We can guarantee that you’ll fall in love with Thailand. It is not called ‘The Land of Smiles’ no reason after all! Open-hearted people, stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and fascinating culture all combine to make Thailand one of the best places to volunteer in. Thailand is also as diverse as it is stunning, so there is a volunteering abroad opportunity for everyone, from volunteering with Elephants to teaching English to Thai children in local schools. Although stunning, the Andaman Coast of Thailand was destroyed during the Tsunami of 2004 and this means that there is still real need of help, particularly from volunteers abroad.
As well as volunteering abroad in Thailand, you will be able to travel and experience the beauty, spirituality and fascinating diversity of the country. This includes the Kuraburi district by the Nang Yon River, with access to the beautiful, picture-perfect beaches, unspoilt wildlife and delicious local food. If you want to explore further, then the ever popular destinations of Phuket, Koh Samui, and Khao Lak are just a few hours away.
Are you inspired to combine impactful volunteering abroad with the stunning scenery of beautiful Thailand? Would you love to work with elephants, or volunteer to teach English? We offer a full range of volunteering programs in Thailand, so there really is something for every interest. These include:
- Volunteering with elephants
- Summer volunteering in Thailand
- Teaching English in Phang Na
3.Cambodia
Definitely one of the best places to volunteer abroad, Cambodia will inspire and delight you.
Cambodia is a fantastic country to combine volunteering abroad with life-changing travel. Located in Southeast Asia and surrounded by Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia is home to 14 million people and is an absolutely fascinating destination.
Cambodia is not just picture-perfect scenery. Cambodia is rich in spirituality and history. Combine volunteering abroad with visiting some of the thousands of temples located in jungles, over lakes and in busy, bustling cities. There are over 100 temples in Siem Reap alone! Cambodia also has amazing street food ready for you to enjoy.
You are spoilt for choice with volunteering abroad opportunities in Cambodia. Teaching English, midwifery programmes and medical volunteering placements are all possible opportunities waiting to inspire you after college.
If you’re ready to organise your Cambodian adventure we have a huge variety of Cambodian volunteering available, including:
4. South Africa
South Africa is one of the best places to volunteer abroad for animal lovers.
With beautiful scenery, amazing animals and breathtaking nature, South Africa definitely deserves a place on the best places to volunteer. Home to the magnificent Big Five, as well as several distinct natural ecosystems, South Africa is a fantastic country for volunteers who also love nature. The scenery will inspire and amaze you and you’ll easily be able to see why we consider it one of the best places to volunteer abroad.
You’ll be able to choose from various volunteering abroad programs in South Africa. These include teaching English, working with women’s empowerment groups and of course, assisting experts to help with animals and wildlife conservation and ecology.
After your volunteering program, you’ll be able to experience travelling in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From mountains to beaches to vibrant cosmopolitan cities such as Cape Town, South Africa offers an amazing experience for every traveller.
If you want to combine awesome nature and breathtaking scenery with life-changing volunteering, then have a look at our volunteering abroad opportunities in South Africa. These include:
- Nature conservation in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Teaching English in Fobenj, Limpopo
- Volunteering as a family in South Africa
5. Bali
Magical Bali will amaze you! Glorious beaches and wonderful local communities mix perfectly with volunteering.
Would you like to combine making a real impact through volunteering with beautiful scenery, magical beaches and spirituality? Then Bali is the perfect volunteering abroad destination! With its glorious white sandy beaches and spiritual temples resting on the water, the island nation of Bali is absolutely spectacular. But Bali is way more than just a beautiful landscape. By volunteering in Bali, you will get to know its amazing people and their fascinating and magical culture, while truly being able to make an impact to the local Balinese communities.
Bali is an absolutely magical place and offers excellent opportunities for conservation volunteering, including working with sea turtles to boost environmental awareness. You can also volunteer to support social organisations by teaching English in local schools or help underprivileged youth or women to improve their job perspective.
You’ll fall in love with Bali. You will be surrounded by dense, lush forests and jungle, be able to experience spectacular beaches and then you can explore the numerous ancient sites including the Goa Gajah Elephant Cave, the GunungKawi temples and the Royal Palace. The spiritual heart of Bali, Ubud will also be waiting for you. East Bali is also unrivalled for word class diving- the sparkling waters of Amed and Candidasa are not to be missed.
Bali is an amazing destination, and by combining volunteering with travelling, you will be able to experience a life-changing trip. We offer outstanding volunteering programs in Bali, including assisting with Sea turtle conservation and teaching English in Ubud.
6. Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan volunteering opportunities include sea turtle conservation, teaching English and medical internships.
With friendly people, wonderful nature, fantastic fusion food and outstanding natural beauty, Sri Lanka is one of the best countries to both visit and volunteer abroad. Sri Lanka offers a huge variety of volunteering opportunities, including sports coaching, sea turtle conservation, teaching English and medical internships.
Sri Lanka is full of spirituality and spectacular natural beauty. Sri Lanka offers it all– wild jungle, amazing beaches and remarkable national parks. This small country packs a powerful punch. Just some of the places you can visit include the mesmerising city of Kandy, Kandy Lake and the ruins of Anuradhapura. If you’re feeling adventurous then Sri Pada Mountain is the most sacred mountain in Sri Lanka which will take around 4 hours to climb. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is certainly not to be missed- you’ll love watching baby elephants feeding and playing in water!
Volunteering Journeys offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities in Sri Lanka. You will be able to combine travelling through the amazing country after college with the perfect volunteering abroad opportunity for you. Take a look at just some of the programs we offer to get inspired:
- Medical internships in Sri Lanka
- Teaching English in Wadduwa
- Sports coaching in Seenigama
7. Nepal
Nepal has it all, including amazing scenery, beautiful travel experiences and a fantastic variety of volunteering abroad programs.
From lush subtropical forests to peaks covered in snow, Nepal has it all. The beautiful landscape of Nepal, combined with the rich mix of different cultures, landscapes and history make Nepal one of the best volunteering destinations. The volunteering opportunities in Nepal are amazing, including teaching English, medical placements and rebuilding homes.
Nepal is a small country bursting with potential experiences. You will be able to visit temples, tiny hidden-away villages, bustling or even trek across the inspiring Himalayas. The people of Nepal are welcoming and extremely proud of their heritage, so there is always a fantastic festival to experience celebrating their culture.
Nepal has something to inspire every traveller. The peaceful city of Pokhara is full of temples and perfect panoramas. If you crave wildlife then Chitwen National Park is a must! The deciduous forest provides a haven for Bengal tigers, leopards, elephants, antelopes and monkeys.
Of course, Nepal is also home to the magnificent Everest. You’ll be able to visit the Everest base camp, where you can immerse yourself in the amazing culture of the Sherpas, take in the breathtaking panoramas and experience the sublime tranquility of the Everest trekking route.
As well as wonderful travel experiences, volunteering abroad in Nepal will offer you a huge variety of life changing volunteer opportunities. You can choose from building projects following the devastating earthquake, medical volunteering and teaching English. All programs will really benefit the local communities, so you can be confident your volunteering will make a huge impact. We offer numerous volunteering abroad programs in Nepal which are perfect for traveling after college, including:
Rebuilding schools and homes in rural Nepal
Ultimate 4 week gap year programme
Medical volunteering in Kathmandu
Teaching English in Nepal
Are you ready to volunteer abroad after college?
As you can see, there are so many amazing volunteering abroad opportunities across the globe. They are perfect to combine impactful, meaningful travel with amazing, life-altering experiences. We love to help organise your amazing experiences, and we’re particularly experienced in organising after-college volunteering and gap years. We make it easy! Visit Volunteering Journeys to check out our volunteer abroad programs- the perfect trip is waiting for you.
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