Take it by the total area or by the overall population, Asia and Africa have retained the top two spots amongst all seven continents in the world. Even when it comes to choosing a travel destination, it is the Asian and African countries, collectively, that make up for a majority of the bucket list.
Even the latest list of Travelers’ Choice Awards by Trip Advisor has 10 countries from Asia and Africa out of all 25 entries, with 4 of them in the top 10.
This goes to show the popularity of these two major continents within the travel fraternity. And this popularity is equally placed for gap year travelers looking for volunteer opportunities abroad.
High school and college goers, young professionals, gap year students, or solo backpackers - travelers from all ages and different sectors choose to take volunteer trips. Some of the reasons behind it are:
- A volunteer trip allows you to travel like a local and understand the culture.
- It promotes sustainable tourism.
- It is highly budget-friendly and safe, especially for a first time international traveler.
- It opens you up not just as a person but as a traveler.
- It helps you to hone the skill set that you already possess and propels the career opportunities.
- It takes networking to a whole new level altogether (read, international).
- It shows you the sections of the world that you wouldn’t get to witness otherwise on a leisurely holiday.
Coming back to our two lovely continents, Asia and Africa - while, there are still debates going around Trump's next policies, and whether Apple has lost its game after Jobs or not, there is another debate that still needs to reach a consensus -where to volunteer abroad - Asia or Africa?
These two continents are piled up with a number of breathtaking volunteer destinations to choose from. While one has countries that offer spine-chilling adventure activities, extraordinary wildlife, and tribal communities to explore, other is the Mecca of Heritage Sites, diversified cultures, and pristine landscapes.
No wonder it can get this difficult for the volunteers to decide where to travel to. And, that’s exactly what this article is here for.
So, in order to make things easier, for fellow volunteer travelers looking for a memorable volunteering abroad experience, here is an interesting take on the two continents and the countries where you can travel to volunteer.
Asia sustains a great fusion of culture, heritage, lifestyle, and ethnicity.
The top-ranked continent when it comes to the largest continent by size, population, most visited countries, the second most number of heritage sites in the world, and several other parameters, there are several facts about Asia that one might just not know!
Some of the most popular volunteer destinations in Asia includes; India, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
India
As a travel destination, India needs no introduction. However, for many, the only thing that comes to mind when talking about India is the world famous Taj Mahal.
However, it is only when you travel to this incredible country, that you’ll get to see and explore the diversity of this nation. A volunteer trip to India allows you to travel like a local, giving you the opportunity to not only witness but live a typical Indian lifestyle.
Imagine living and volunteering in a country that celebrates a huge festival in, almost, every single month of a calendar year. And then, of course, you have the evergreen Himalayas, the pious river of Ganges, and historical sites which are not centuries but millenniums old.
And you thought it was all about just the Taj Mahal!
Nepal
A quaint little Asian country, peacefully residing in the southern part of Asia, Nepal can very well be set as a perfect example of the adage, “Big Things Comes In Small Packages”.
Home to the mighty Mt. Everest, Nepal is a paradise for mountaineers, trekking enthusiasts, and other adventure seekers. Apart from these, the sheer subtlety in common lifestyle and the warmth of hospitality will make you fall in love with this country in no time.
Unfortunately, the recent calamities (double earthquakes in 2015) have shattered many lives in the country. This and other socio-economic blockages need serious volunteer attention.
Gap year travelers can choose from a range of volunteering activities in Nepal; such as Teaching, Healthcare, Childcare, etc. Most of the popular volunteer placement organizations like Peace Corps, Volunteering Solutions, and GoOverseas have their projects in Nepal.
Thailand
Right! So, I am sure this name must have rang some bells for a few of you; if not all. If words like Shopping, Beaches, Nightlife, Food, etc. are flashing on your mind, I'd take that you already know a lot about Thailand.
And that’s exactly where the difference lies between a regular traveler and a volunteer traveler.
As a volunteer in Thailand, you will unfold the secrets of a typical Thai lifestyle and will get to witness Thailand from its roots. Of course, Bangkok (the capital), is one of the places apart from the many beach destinations in Thailand where one would visit as a tourist. But, as a volunteer, one would get to explore the remote village areas and small towns of the country.
Visit Surin (the elephant capital of Thailand), Chiang Mai (the cultural hub of Thailand), or Koh Samui (the beach paradise) and volunteer your way into Thailand’s extraordinary lifestyle.
Vietnam
The world of travel has several different categories when it comes to choosing a destination to travel. This may include, but not limited to, the popular ones, the not-so-popular ones, the recommended ones, the ones to be visited for a special festival/event, and so on.
Among these are a few jewels that, for some reasons, skips the attention of the entire traveler fraternity, but are a fortune to visit. These are the underrated destinations which deserves much more attention than they are getting currently.
Vietnam belongs to this category of underrated destinations to travel in the world.
Taking a volunteer trip to Vietnam is one of the best and recommended ways to explore this subtle country. Not only is it affordable and safe to travel to Vietnam on a volunteer program, but also, the most effective way if looking for an authentic local living experience.
Cambodia
When the purpose of traveling abroad is for humanitarian work, you want a place filled with solitude and nothing more. Cambodia provides just the perfect kind of pristine environment and setup for any gap year traveler looking for an exciting yet peaceful volunteering sojourn.
A highly chosen volunteering destination by many Europeans, the reasons to be in Cambodia are a plenty. The subtle lifestyle and peaceful environment, the rich heritage and culture, the hospitality of local people, the beaches of Sihanoukville - Cambodia can leave you awestruck with its sheer simpleness.
However, there are sections of the society that needs a huge moral support and a helping hand to evolve from the dungeons of misfortune life. There are some really interesting volunteer programs offered in Cambodia.
Cambodia is an amazing tourist destination, and providing volunteer support to build the society, certainly, transforms the way you can travel the country.
Africa, over the period of decades, has become synonymous with wildlife adventure and jungle safaris. And, with some of world’s top national parks and game reserves in its periphery, no wonder Africa is considered to be the best choice for adventure seekers.
A volunteer trip to Africa will unfold extraordinary facts about the continent that you still don't know and take you through some of its most underrated countries, allowing you to work and contribute to the welfare and development of the unfortunates in the society.
A few African countries where you can volunteer includes Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Ghana
The meaning of the word Ghana in the primitive language is “The Warrior King”, and the citizens of this country stand true to this definition. Withstanding the deadly Ebola virus endemic, which has made its most adverse effect on the western part of the continent, the people of Ghana have displayed the strength of a true warrior.
As a volunteer, one has an opportunity to help improve the lifestyle of the less privileged. There are opportunities to work at orphanage centers, teach at local schools, help in community development programs, provide support in healthcare departments, and much more.
You get the flexibility to choose the amount of time you want to spend on a program. Although, an ideal (and mostly advised) time span that must be spent in a program, is at least a month to a couple of months.
Adding spark to a volunteer program in Ghana are the warm welcoming people of the neighborhood, some lip-smacking food, and some of the finely designed ancient architectures.
Forming its coastlines are the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean, providing some of the best turquoise beaches in all of Africa.
Lake Volta, the largest reservoir by surface area in the world, is a major attraction in this country.
Kenya
Africa, entirely, is known for its amazing wildlife and indigenous tribal communities; a significant credit for this goes to Kenya.
Located in the eastern hemisphere of the continent, the country is coast lined by the Indian Ocean from the southeastern side.
From the "Big 5", the five of Africa's greatest wild animals (Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant, and Rhino), to the Bomas of Kenya and, of course, the Masai tribe, Kenya is full of eccentric activities and things to look forward to.
Kenya may not come across as an intriguing destination to travel to at first, but it’s only on your visit that you’ll realize its worth.
Morocco
Considered to be the Jewel of North Africa, Morocco displays a magnificent amalgamation of nature's different shades. This includes the endless desert of Sahara, beaches carved by Atlantic as well as Mediterranean coastlines, and high scale snow -capped mountains of the Atlas range.
Being one of the only three nations to have, both, the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, the country stand out from the shadows of a typical African nation.
The focus is not just on the safaris and wildlife, but much more. The lifestyle here is similar to that of a peculiar Arabic country.
Volunteer work opportunities in Morocco involves personal interaction with the natives, which is always good to know a thing or two about their history and way of living. Not only does it helps in creating a bond and allowing them to trust you, but also, will allow you to prepare yourself for the project in a better way.
South Africa
Designed with Savannah grasslands, diverse wildlife, and a multicultural society (almost 11 recognized official languages), it is clear why South Africa is termed as the Rainbow Nation.
A complete tourist paradise, gap year travelers can volunteer work for children under Teaching, Sports Coaching, Childcare, and more. Along with these, there are exciting opportunities for wildlife enthusiasts to volunteer for Wildlife Conservation in Port Elizabeth.
Volunteer and make a difference throughout the week and make the most of your travel time during the weekends, exploring the destination.
Tanzania
Tanzania is one of the rarest destinations in the world that provides a perfect and unique amalgamation of wildlife experiences, pristine beaches, snow-capped mountains, and a number of UNESCO heritage sites; a combination that does not need a justification to be appreciated.
Volunteering abroad is also a combination of indulging in some hardcore altruistic work while exploring the destination with complete fervor. And Tanzania, most certainly, deserves to be counted in the top league for this purpose.
The Serengeti National Park in Arusha is globally known for world’s largest annual wildebeest migration, making Tanzania a true wildlife destination in Africa.
So, there you go!. That's the list of the charismatic volunteer destinations in both Asia and Africa, each with some surreal experiences to offer. While one has a cultural aristocracy, the other reigns supreme in wildlife adventure.
The only ‘de facto’ similarity is the part of volunteering which will provide equal satisfaction, learning, work experience, and an opportunity to make a difference by rebuilding several unfortunate lives.
So, which one will it be for you?