Students who have completed the standard sequence of compulsory education frequently feel a need to take a “gap year” before they continue on to university or enter the adult world of work.  Far from a mere holiday, a gap year is widely regarded as a time when young adults can explore their own interests and gain valuable skills that will serve them well in their future academic and professional careers.  While it is possible to take a gap year inside the UK itself, many Britons choose instead to voyage abroad in an effort to broaden their horizons as much as possible.  One of the most popular destinations for a gap year abroad is India.

Why India?

A gap year in India has several distinct advantages.  Because this Asian nation was once a major part of the British Empire, English is widely spoken.  This means that students from the UK will not need to confront a language gap.  Instead of spending time trying to make sense of an unfamiliar lexicon and grammar, they can get right to work participating in the life of India and beginning any philanthropic work they have planned.

At the same time, however, India does have a culture that is largely unfamiliar to the average UK student taking a gap year.  Being immersed in a new culture is one of the most potent ways to step outside of your typical “comfort zone.” Those who challenge themselves in this way will emerge stronger individuals because they will be able to understand – and at a deep level – alternate ways of interpreting and understanding the world.

Places to consider for a gap year in India

The typical tourist in India probably takes in the Taj Mahal and Mumbai, but a gap year enables students to spend time in lesser-known places as well.  Goa, for example, is the smallest state in all of India.  Located on the nation’s west coast, it possesses a remarkable range of biodiversity, which makes it an ideal location for gap year activities that focus on habitat preservation and care of the natural world.  When not busy with volunteer work, students visiting Goa can visit World Heritage Sites such as the Born Jesus Basilica, venerated by Indian Catholics for safeguarding the remains of St. Francis Xavier, Goa’s patron saint.

Another less-common option is to seek a placement as a volunteer in the Himalayas.  It is possible to arrange tours that include volunteer service assisting local farmers to adopt sustainable methods of agriculture and build in fascinating sightseeing opportunities such as a visit to Amritsar.  This city is considered holy by practitioners of the Sikh religion, a minority faith in Hindu-dominated India.

These kinds of excursions get students away from the “typical” India seen on television, broadening their horizon still more and challenging them to step even further outside their comfort zone.  Amritsar, located in the northern Punjab region, was also the site of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, in which hundreds of peaceful protestors were massacred by British Imperial troops.

Students contemplating a gap year abroad should research their various options since both humanitarian and future career-oriented service opportunities are available across most of the world.  For British students who want a culturally challenging experience in an English-speaking nation, however, India is an ideal place to spend a gap year.

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For American children and teenagers, attending a summer camp is almost a rite of passage.  Not only does a summer season spent at camp help young people to better understand the natural world, it also helps them develop social interaction skills that will stand them in excellent stead for the rest of their lives.  Plus, of course, it is an opportunity to get away from parents and siblings for weeks at a time.

Tourists who travel to the United States from other countries may not realise that summer camping experiences are also open to them.  In fact, spending a few weeks at a summer camp is an excellent way – perhaps the only way – to truly come to appreciate the natural grandeur of the North American continent.

Summer camp facilities: the typical to the sublime

Compared to nations in Europe, the US has been densely settled for a very short period of time.  Much of the nation remains in a natural state and is far removed from large cities with modern hotel facilities.  Staying at a summer camp often means the opportunity to sleep in a sleeping bag in a rustic cabin in the woods.  Some camps offer more exotic facilities such as tepees – the conical leather buildings traditionally constructed by the Native American tribes that inhabited the Great Plains region of the nation.  It is even possible to find camps where the housing facilities consist of yurts – and in some American summer camps, visitors sleep in tents that they pitch for themselves.

Summer camp activities

Most summer camps offer visitors a full complement of activities to fill their days, making camp just as much about “doing” as about “seeing” or “staying.”  The types of activities offered frequently vary according to the natural environment surrounding the campers.  One of the most common types of camp is located in a meadow surrounded by forests.  In these camps, nature hikes and Native American crafts are typical activities.  If lakes or rivers are located nearby, participants may be able to take lessons in swimming, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, or snorkelling.

Camps located in desert habitats frequently offer participants the chance to enjoy rock climbing or hikes out to see petroglyphs – prehistoric rock carvings made by Native American tribes.  At some camps, participants are enrolled in a set round of activities that everyone completes; others present visitors with a “buffet” of choices and allow them to design their own programs.

The value of a camping experience

Summer camps help participants to develop practical skills such as knot tying and plant identification, but perhaps their greatest value lies in requiring visitors to live and work together in groups.  This not only fosters social interaction, it also guarantees that visitors from abroad will have a great deal of close contact time with Americans.  Since one of the main goals of foreign travel is to get to know a new place, this is invaluable, for in the US, as in the rest of the world, much of what makes a place unique lies in the attitudes and culture of the people inhabiting it.

Before and after summer camp

Many tourists find that enrolling in an American summer camp allows them to visit parts of the nation they might otherwise overlook.  Both before a camp experience commences and after it ends, visitors can explore the states nearby, enjoying major cities and tourist attractions.  A summer at Camp Weequahic in Lakewood, Pennsylvania, for example, can be combined with visits to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where American revolutionaries approved the Declaration of Independence and Gettysburg National Historic Battlefield, where the South lost its last hope of prevailing during the Civil War.

An American summer camp is one of the best ways to become acquainted with the people and landscape of the United States.

Top Image by Joel Bedford

Most students intending to travel abroad during their gap year have to be careful about their funds.  Foreign adventures can definitely be more expensive than initially anticipated, which means that students should take advantage of any opportunity to save money, since they will be likely to need that money later on.  Depending on the countries and cities visited, it can be quite challenging to find bargains on important items such as accommodation. Fortunately, across Europe there are usually some great deals to be had on travel, particularly for those that plan ahead.

Train passes

One of the best ways to get around Europe on a budget is to purchase an InterRail pass before the trip.  These train passes allow tourists to enjoy unlimited rail travel on selected routes and provide them with a number of useful options.  For example, tourists can purchase a single nation pass for a very reasonable rate; this option allows them to explore a single country in great depth.  It would be perfect, for example, for a student who plans to study the Italian Renaissance at university after his or her gap year; the single nation pass would make it affordable to wander up and down the Italian peninsula seeing such wonders as Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, and works by Raphael and Titian in Florence.

Students who plan to travel more broadly should opt for the InterRail Global Pass that provides access to train travel in more than 24 different nations.  These are ideal for those who have not yet chosen any special area of study.  Indeed, visiting a diverse collection of tourist attractions such as the site of the once-formidable Berlin Wall, and the Alhambra, from which the Muslim emirs once controlled Granada, can help students on a gap year clarify their interests so that they enter university better prepared to understand their own interests.

InterRail options

To assist students to use their funds as wisely as possible, the InterRail programme offers two further options.  A “flexi pass” is good for unlimited travel on a limited number of days.  Since these need not be grouped one right after another, a flexi pass makes it possible to travel to one city and to stay for as long as desired before moving on to the next.  In this way, a 10-day InterRail flexi pass could provide an entire summer’s worth of adventure.

A “continuous pass,” on the other hand, provides for unlimited rail travel over a certain span of time.  This option is better for students who plan to be on the move quite frequently and anticipate only brief stays in one city or another.  The continuous pass option is only available on an InterRail Global Pass and cannot be combined with a single nation pass.

Other affordable options

Another popular budget travel method is to make use of buses.  Eurolines is a bus company that crosses the Continent with many routes and provides travellers with large, comfortable seats in their coaches.  This option is much slower than taking a train, but that can be an advantage for some tourists since it allows them time to relax and admire the scenery.

Hiking is also a common means of travel for students on a gap year, though most who try it also utilize some form of mechanized transport from time to time.  Students who plan to trek through parts of Europe should have at least one hiking partner and always stay together for safety’s sake.

It is all too easy to think about foreign travel and conclude that it is too expensive to manage, but this is not really the case.  With a little creativity, forethought and the willingness to try new things, a gap year exploring Europe is within the price range of most individuals and will help them to start their working lives or university with a renewed sense of purpose, as well as a higher degree of self-confidence.

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For diving and snorkeling enthusiasts, Bali is one of the best vacation destinations in the world, and not merely because the tropical waters here are so warm and inviting.  Bali’s true attraction is the variety of sea life and fascinating dive sites that the waters contain.

Tropical fish add color to the ocean blue

Bali sea life begins with an amazing profusion of tropical fish, most of them adorned in brilliant colors such as yellow, orange, and red. Most people will never have seen a distinctive clown fish with its orange and white stripes except in a children’s cartoon, but they thrive around Bali, hiding in the coral reefs, which predominate in Balinese coastal waters.  Other popular underwater creatures include adorable pygmy seahorses, bumphead parrotfish, and hawksbill turtles, as well as the giant sunfish.

For the brave of heart

Many divers and snorkelers in Balinese waters are content to explore the tropical reef areas in search of beautiful fish, but those who are more advanced in the sport want the thrill of spotting sea creatures with more dangerous reputations.  Bali does not disappoint in that regard.  Experienced divers can frequent sites where they may see such predators as reef sharks and hammerhead sharks, as well as barracudas.  There are even sea snakes in the waters around Bali.  These should be treated with respect even when they are quite small since many species are highly venomous.

Frolic with dolphins

Fans of marine mammals will also find their share of entertainment while diving around Bali.  Dolphins can frequently be seen along the island’s north coast, particularly near the Lovina and Singaraja areas.  Those who want to see a seagoing mammal with a more exotic twist can ask their guides to help them locate dugongs, a somewhat oddly shaped small whale that sailors once took to be mermaids.

Why dive in Bali

The waters teeming with life keep divers returning to stay in comfortable lodgings, such as the Kuta Villas in Bali, year after year.  Bali is also popular with wreck divers, in part because of two sunken US Liberty ships off the coast.  These date from World War II and are of great interest, not only to dive enthusiasts but also to tourists with an interest in the war, as here is a piece of history that can be explored firsthand.

Bali is also popular because it offers a variety of diving ecosystems, from flat-bottom lagoons to intricate coral reefs, plus open-water dive experiences.

Practical considerations

Bali makes it easy for even beginners to enjoy a dive holiday.  A variety of operators provide both equipment hire and lessons as well as guided dive tours.  Tourists who like to plan ahead can find Bali dive companies on the web, while those that decide to dive on the spur of the moment need only go to one of the popular coastal areas such as Nusa Dua, Lovina Beach or Amed, to find a qualified dive operator.

These experts can advise visitors as to the best times to dive to the various sites around Bali, but do not be surprised if they recommend night diving.  At night, tropical reefs come alive with a new cast of characters, such as lobsters, shrimp, and crabs; night is also the best time to spot octopi actually moving about instead of trying to remain in hiding.  In addition, the coral itself can appear to “bloom” in the dark as it absorbs minerals and other nutrients in its watery environment.

Top Image by Riza

Both locals to Australia and visitors enjoying the “land down under” have long debated the merits of the nation’s two largest cities: Sydney and Melbourne.  In some ways, Sydney and Melbourne are similar; both are capital cities of their states and both are located along the coast in the south-eastern region of Australia.

Sydney, however, holds the distinction of being the “original Australia,” since it was the site where the First Fleet landed to establish the penal colony which began British settlement of this island continent.  Melbourne was founded almost 50 years later and named to honour the crown’s prime minister at the time, the 2^nd Viscount Melbourne.

Architecture

Sydney is the home of the single most iconic building in Australia, the Sydney Opera House.  Drawing more than 4 million visitors each year, the structure stands alongside Sydney Harbour, drawing attention with the magnificent curved sweeps of its distinctive roofline.  For some, this building alone gives Sydney the edge in any competition with Melbourne, which is located about 450 miles to the south-west.

Melbourne fans, however, have their answer in the city’s Federation Square, which is widely considered to be the most avant-garde building in all of Australia.  Tourists visiting Federation Square can enjoy cinemas, cafes, restaurants, and art galleries as they explore buildings with crazy angles and a patchwork appearance that makes it look as though pieces are missing.

Climate

Sydney offers visitors more than 100 days per year when the skies are a vibrant blue free of clouds, while Melbourne has half as many.  Good weather, however, is in the eye of the beholder.  Melbourne lovers are quick to point out that despite its clear skies, Sydney also has almost two full weeks each year when tourists are best off indoors since the skies open up and pour down torrents of rain.  In contrast, Melbourne only has three days on average when rainy conditions are so severe – and half as much rain as Sydney each year measured in millimetres.

Melbourne also has four true seasons; Sydney’s more even climate means that autumn and spring are not nearly as distinct.

Shopping

According to many Australians, the best shopping district in the nation is Chapel Street in Melbourne, where more than a thousand boutiques and stores stretch from South Yarra all the way to Windsor.  The area is particularly noted for excellent bargains in second-hand shops.

Sydney, on the other hand, can boast about Oxford Street, home to stores showcasing the efforts of the top fashion designers in Australia.  Again, the winner is probably a matter of opinion since the two shopping districts specialise in different sectors of the market.

Beaches

Melbourne is located a substantial distance from the open ocean, but offers tourists a variety of beaches along the shores of Port Philip Bay, which features more than 150 miles of coastline.  Sydney is located slightly inland, which means that many of its beaches line the Tasman Sea itself.  Sydney also offers beaches along rivers and harbours, which many locals feel gives it an edge over Melbourne in terms of variety.

In the final analysis, the winner of any Sydney vs. Melbourne competition will come down to a matter of opinion.  But that is as it should be.  Australia is a vast land providing students with ample diversity to keep them entertained for an entire gap year as they explore this continent’s many cities and natural wonders.

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From ancient times right through to the present day, individuals have been compiling lists detailing the “wonders of the world.”   The most famous of these lists was written by the Greek historian Herodotus before 400 BCE.  Known as the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,” it included such marvels as the hanging gardens of Babylon, the lighthouse at Alexandria, and the Colossus of Rhodes.

The medieval world recognised several wonders that did not exist when Herodotus walked the earth.  Lists of industrial and even natural wonders have also been compiled.  Two things are certain: there are ample wonders for today’s tourists to visit, and seeing them all will take travellers to most of the world’s continents.

The Pyramids

The only ancient wonder to survive virtually intact to this day is the Great Pyramid of Giza.  Most likely constructed as a tomb for the Pharaoh Khufu, the pyramid remained the tallest structure made by man for almost 4,000 years.  Tourists who visit the Giza Necropolis in El Giza, Egypt, can also view several other pyramids that were built later.  Surprisingly, tourists may actually go inside the Great Pyramid, using a “Robbers’ Tunnel” dug shortly after 800 AD.

The Colosseum

This famous stadium in Rome is ancient by our standards, though it was constructed centuries after Herodotus.  Constructed under the emperors Vespasian and Titus, the Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre ever built by the Roman Empire; in its heyday it seated 50,000 spectators who came to observe gruesome spectacles, such as gladiators hacking one another to death and fighting wild animals.

Today, the Colosseum is widely regarded as a pinnacle of both Roman architectural and engineering techniques.  It is particularly noted for its series of ascending arches that give strength to the structure.

The Great Wall of China

Reputed to be the only man-made object that can be seen from space, the Great Wall of China might well have been on the list of wonders compiled by Herodotus had he ever travelled far enough to the east.  Construction began in the 7^th century BC and the wall was added to by successive emperors, with most of the sections that are visited today dating from the Ming Dynasty.  In all, the wall stretches for almost 4,000 miles and was intended to protect China from invasion.  No trip to Beijing, the capital of China, is complete without a visit to the Great Wall, which can be reached on a short day trip from the city.

Natural Wonders of the World

The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is an amazing natural feature.  The largest coral reef network on earth, it is made of almost 3,000 separate reefs and provides tourists with an ideal place to scuba dive to see the brightly coloured coral formations and beautiful tropical fish.

North America also has its share of man-made wonders, including the Empire State Building in New York City. This building is considered a wonder of the Industrial Age and was the first structure with 100 storeys or more.

In terms of natural wonders, however, no other place in the world can match the Grand Canyon.  Located in the desert state of Arizona, the canyon is almost 20 miles wide and more than a mile deep in places; it stretches across the landscape for more than 250 miles.

Travellers that set out to tour the Wonders of the World will visit Africa, Asia, North America, Australia, and Europe.  Truly, there are marvels to behold on almost every continent on the planet.  This list will give you a good start, but it is far from exhaustive.  In fact, which sites deserve the accolade of “wonder” is a highly debated topic among tourists worldwide.  This is all to the good, since it means that many more wonders await the traveller who has the determination to seek them out.

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When students elect to take a gap year, they often have multiple goals.  After many years of school, it can simply be enjoyable to do something different for a brief time before embarking upon a career or a course of study at university.  A well-spent gap year can also serve to impress potential employers or a university faculty.

Volunteering abroad is a popular way to organise a gap year, but many young people are not in a position to go without a salary for months at a time.  Those without abundant financial resources of their own will need to find a way to pay their own way if they want to take advantage of a gap year abroad.  Fortunately, this is entirely possible because many gap year programmers are structured around a working holiday that can deliver many of the same benefits as can volunteering abroad.

Boarding schools abroad: a gateway to popular destinations

One common way for a prospective student to enjoy a gap year abroad is to work with an organisation that arranges placement for assistants to work in boarding schools.  These are located in various nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India.  For the more adventurous, there are also similar schools in nations where English is much less dominant as a spoken language; these include such countries as China and Thailand.

Boarding schools have an inherent advantage over other kinds of working holiday environments.  Because the workplace itself is structured as a live-in environment for the regular students, hired teaching assistants can often enjoy room and board as part of their remuneration.  This frees student tourists on a gap year from the need to navigate the wider world of a foreign country immediately.  Instead of searching frantically for an apartment in a strange city where customs and language may be very different, these student tourists can set up house in a relatively familiar environment and then venture out to enjoy the national culture when they feel comfortable to do so.  This is made even more feasible by the fact that a working holiday will pay a small amount, often furnishing funds weekly so that student tourists can frequently go out on the town and learn more about their temporary homeland.

One of the most common assignments during a working holiday gap year is to teach English, but boarding schools also sometimes need teaching assistants for other subjects.

Requirements for a working holiday gap year

Organisations that place students look for strong interpersonal skills such as initiative, patience, and tolerance of other cultures, communication skills, and leadership.

In addition to these, there are some purely regulatory requirements that must also be met.  Many destinations, for example, will require a visa – it must be one that not only allows entry but also gives permission to take employment whilst in the country. Some destinations will also require a round of immunizations to help students resist native tropical diseases.

Lest these details sound daunting, students should be aware that any reputable placement organisation would help them through the process, so that all requirements are met before they travel.

The best way to get started on a working holiday gap year is to find a sponsoring organization.  One of these will help you explore the various opportunities available in your chosen destination.

For many students, the only way to afford a gap year is to make a working holiday out of it.  Making a year abroad “work” for you, however, will do more than allow you to enjoy a year in another country.  It will also demonstrate to employers and university officials that you have the perseverance and drive to attain your future goals.

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Young people that choose to do volunteer work abroad during their university gap year will benefit in several ways.  The teaching institutions believe that students who are interested in issues abroad are more rounded individuals, that are likely to be successful in their university career. Many tutors appreciate the opportunity to work with students who have already proven themselves to be dedicated to the global community.  Potential future employers will also look favourably on an applicant’s gap year that has been spent in acquiring skills and experiences outside his or her home nation.

Gap year: popular destinations

Volunteer opportunities for students on their gap year abound in many developing areas of the world, such as Africa, South America, Asia, Central America and Oceania – an area of the world comprising the Pacific Ocean islands. In many of these destinations students will confront an unfamiliar culture, and depending on the type of volunteer project, the basics of a new language might have to be learned.

It is also possible to stay in Europe and still participate in important volunteer work.  Teaching projects and activities that centre on the conservation of vital land and marine resources are available in many European nations.  Climate change education is also a popular focus for gap year programmes on the Continent.

Gap year: popular schemes

A gap year of volunteering can be in various parts of one foreign nation or may be spent in one small village.  This type of gap year is frequently structured as an internship, since the student may be working intensively on one issue under the direction of a single set of mentors.  An internship, however, is not the only possible structure a gap year can take.

Many students find that they prefer to volunteer to work abroad on a series of projects that need willing hands.  Teaching, conservation work, sports education, HIV/Aids awareness programmes, construction work, agricultural work and helping at an orphanage are just a small selection of the type of work available. Organising a gap year around project work can allow a student to travel to a variety of destinations during the 12 months.  Other students find that they prefer to work on a single type of project to acquire specialised skills, such as drilling water wells in needy areas of the world.

Other students prefer to broadly diversify their projects from the very start.  It is perfectly feasible to plan a gap year that involves three months of volunteering to teach basic English skills followed by three months of a more physical contribution to a needy community, such as building housing in the wake of a natural disaster.  Such a far-ranging approach can help students to clarify their interests and improve their skills.

Useful tips and information

Those who have already settled on a career choice or academic path will benefit by finding a gap year programme that matches their primary interests.  Students looking at a medical career, for example, should consider projects such as volunteering at a community health centre in a nation such as Nepal.

Those with a love of animals might want to assist at an elephant sanctuary located in India.

In all cases, those considering a gap year volunteer experience should research the company or programme under consideration thoroughly before any money changes hands.

A gap year volunteering abroad can provide experiences that help students grow both on a personal and a professional level, making them into more well-rounded individuals that will have an advantage as they pursue their future goals.

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Located in northeastern Italy, Venice is one of the world’s most fascinating cities.  One of its major claims to fame is the fact that the city is not located on the Italian mainland at all.  Instead, it is situated on more than a hundred different islands in a shallow lagoon off the Adriatic Sea.  Over four hundred bridges and nearly 200 canals connect the islands into a community, with the canals serving as the main transportation routes in the oldest parts of town.

Throughout its long history, Venice has been known as the ‘Queen of the Adriatic,’ the ‘Floating City,’ and the ‘City of Bridges’.  Indeed, for many centuries Venice could only be reached by water.  Today’s tourists, however, can travel by train directly into the city or even drive across the lagoon by means of the Ponte della Libertà causeway.

Gondola rides along the Grand Canal

The main method of transportation along the major canals in Venice is the vaporetti, or waterbus, but most tourists that travel to Venice want to take at least one ride in an authentic gondola.  Among Venetians, these narrow, hand-propelled boats with Persian rugs and velvet-covered seating are reserved for special occasions.  For tourists, they provide a leisurely way to enjoy the length of the Grand Canal, a major waterway that bisects the city.

A tour along the Grand Canal allows visitors to Venice to enjoy a close-up view of the various architectural styles that flourished here from the 13^th to the 18^th centuries.  Many of the more than 150 buildings that line the canal are palaces constructed by the richest residents of the city during various portions of its history.  Since these impressive palaces rise directly from the water without any sort of pedestrian walkway along their front facades, the only way to appreciate their magnificence is to travel past them on the canal.

Saint Mark’s Basilica

The most famous church in Venice, Saint Mark’s Basilica is more than 1,000 years old and is located adjacent to the Doge’s Palace.  Technically a cathedral, the Basilica follows the principles of Byzantine architecture and features opulent mosaics gleaming with gilt as well as domes and spires reminiscent of those more usually found in Turkey or Russia.  The sheer luxury of the building has caused it to be dubbed the Church of Gold ever since the 11^th century.

The Piazza San Marco

The main public square in the city, Piazza San Marco, borders the Basilica on one end and is dominated by the tall bell tower of the church.  Known as the Campanile, this tower rises to more than 300 feet above the plaza and it is internationally recognised as a symbol of Venice.

Because cars are not permitted in the old sections of Venice, the Piazza San Marco holds the distinction of being the only large public square in Europe where human voices dominate the aural landscape.

The Carnival of Venice

One of the best times to see the city is during the Carnival of Venice, which begins each year about two months prior to Easter and runs through to Shrove Tuesday.  The carnival is characterised by parties where participants wear traditional Venetian masks.

Even when the Carnival is not in session, Venice attracts more than 50,000 visitors each day, marking it as one of Europe’s most desirable destinations.

Top image by Anieto2k

Bottom image by Ppz

Most potential tourists think of the mainland when they are considering a trip to Thailand, but this nation in South-east Asia actually includes hundreds of different islands located close to the coast of the mainland.  Many of these were traditionally uninhabited but today they welcome visitors from around the world for some unusual activities, such as the Full Moon Party that is held on Koh Phangan.

Some of the best festivals in this exotic part of the world take place only on an annual basis, which can make it very difficult for tourists to experience them.  The Full Moon Party, however, happens at least a dozen times each year since there is a new party every time the moon becomes full.  At its heart, the Full Moon Party is an enjoyable beach party that lasts all night long.

The Full Moon Party

Most activities at full moon take place on or around Haad Rin Beach on Koh Phangan.  Though the party started out as a small event drawing as few as 20 tourists, over time it has become a large festival attracting up to 30,000 tourists each month.  Much drinking and live music are integral parts of the party these days, with beach bars staying open until dawn and music incorporating such diverse genres as reggae and rhythm and blues, plus some dance tunes.

Some more unconventional activities are also an important part of the Full Moon Party.  Tourists may be invited to participate in adventurous events such as skipping over flaming ropes or drinking from “buckets” containing alcoholic beverages.  Many tourists who have attended a Full Moon Party regard it as the ultimate experience of its type, where inhibitions are loosened and thousands of people are simply intent on having fun.

Koh Phangan itself is located in the Gulf of Thailand and is famous for much more than the Full Moon Party.  Backpackers also find the island an appealing destination at all times of the year.  In addition, those that choose to visit Koh Phangan may want to explore the island’s nearby neighbours.  Both Ko Tao, located slightly to the north, and Ko Samui, located to the south have much to recommend them.

Ko Tao

Tourists to South-east Asia that enjoy scuba diving or have an interest in seeing some native wildlife at close range, favour Ko Tao.  The island itself is shaped rather like a turtle; coincidentally, it is a vital breeding ground for both green turtles and the species known as the Hawksbill turtle.  Because turtle populations had fallen over recent years, in 2004 the Royal Thai Navy and a number of local scuba diving outlets organised a program to assist these species.  The coalition introduced hundreds of young turtles to the aquatic ecosystem at that time.  This not only buoyed the turtle population, it also improved the scuba diving experience available on Ko Tao.

Ko Samui

Thailand’s third largest island draws more than a million tourists each year.  They come to Ko Samui for the peaceful and natural ambiance.  Sunbathing on the sandy white beaches surrounded by coconut trees is a popular visitor pastime, as is scuba diving amidst the coral reefs in the nearby waters.  Two of the most popular scuba diving beaches on Ko Samui are Chaweng and Bophut.

Whether attending the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan or enjoying the nearby tropical islands for their lush beauty or scuba diving opportunities, tourists visiting Thailand’s islands can enjoy a tropical holiday experience that easily rivals any to be found on the mainland.

Top image by JoeStump

Bottom image by Johannes Jander