Involvement Volunteers International WHY we need you in Thailand
- Although Thailand's economy is improving, there is still a wide gap between the rich and the poor.
- The majority of Thailand's poor live in rural areas, with a lack of education being a main contributor to poverty.
- Due to economical developments, environmental degradation is evident. The decline of biodiversity and deforestation is increasing.
- The expliotation of animals in Thailand is a big problem. With many being beaten and held in small cages for the tourist trade.
WHAT does Cultural Week Involve?
- Explore the local areas- walking tours, cultural excursions, temple visits, cooking classes, language lessons & traditional dance shows
- Visit nearby beautiful beaches
- Become immersed in local life by practicing your new language skills with the locals!
- Get to know your new home and settle in before your project starts
Why Involvement Volunteers International?
- Non Profit Organisation & Charity
- Over 30 Years Expertise Globally
- Low Program Fees - From US$295
- Excellent Safety Record, In-Country 24/7 Support & Emergency Assistance
- 1 Application Fee - Multiple Countries
PROJECT NAME: CULTURAL ORIENTATION WEEK
LOCATION: HUA HIN, THAILAND
START DATES: WEEKLY (SAT/SUN ARRIVALS)
ACCOMMODATION: VOLUNTEER HOUSE (SHARED ROOMS)
MIN DURATION: ONE WEEK
MIN AGE: 16+
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Criminal background check required
Overview
Based in the seaside town of Hua Hin, immerse yourself in Thai culture through a variety of different cultural activities and sightseeing in the morning and free time in the afternoons to fully enjoy the gorgeous beach surroundings.
Perfect as an add-on before your program, culture week can help you learn about local norms and help you feel more at ease and settled before the start of your program.
During the week you will take part in fun activities such as Thai customs, language, cooking and an artist’s village. Learn more about Buddhism by visiting local temples. You will also explore the Pranburi Forest Park & Mangrove plantations and go on a Pranburi Mangrove Boat Tour to explore beauty of the surrounding scenery.
We will take you to different beaches throughout the week, where you will be able to sit back, relax and unwind amidst white sand and crystal-clear blue waters.
Full schedule is in the dropdown section below, and may be changed according to local weather or circumstances.
Location
Hua Hin, is a lively fisherman-town and popular tourist spot these days offering all the standard beach stuff like snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing and with plenty of restaurants and tourist things like spas, water park, golf, shops and markets. There is a mountain at the end of the beach called Khoa Tekiab, with a temple that overlooks the beach. Surrounded by national parks, it’s a mountainous region where you can explore waterfalls and caves on various adventures. Buddhism is very prominent here and you will certainly get a good taste of the Buddhist way of life.
Project Tasks
- Familiarise yourself with the local surroundings
- Visit some local sights
- Broaden your knowledge of the local customs, history and culture
Food & Accommodation
You will be placed in one of our two centres in Hua Hin: Lotus House and Sunshine House (roughly 7km apart). Allocation is random and requests cannot be made in advance. Both are located in a village closer to Hua Hin with easy access to all daily necessities so that the participants can be at ease. The centres include a canteen, an outdoor swimming pool, and a garden. All rooms are equipped with bunk beds, shared bathrooms, and air conditioning. Rooms are single gender and sleep 4-12 people. The accommodation has wifi, hot showers, and western toilets. There are also private room options available.
*To ensure the security of our facilities, a key deposit of 300 THB (in cash) is required from every participant. This needs to be paid at the check-in time of your upon arrival at the accommodation and then you will receive your keys. This deposit will be refunded when the keys are returned, provided none are lost. If any keys are lost, the deposit is non-refundable. We advise you to bring a padlock if staying in Lotus house and for Sunshine house you will get a locker key.
Hua Hin centre has access to local shops, and laundry and easily get a transport facility by using the app GRAB.
- – 10 Km from the accommodation to Hua Hin airport (15-20 mins)
- – 11 Km from the accommodation to the Bus stop to go to Suvarnabhumi airport
- – 8 Km from the accommodation to Hua Hin night market/ mall
- – 9 km from the accommodation to Hua Hin Private Hospital
- – 5 Km from the accommodation to medical center
You will receive 3 meals on weekdays, and 2 on weekends. All the meals served inside the accommodation are homestyle, vegetarian-friendly and you can expect that they will be typically Thai, including plenty of rice or noodle dishes with vegetables and occasionally some meat will be provided as well, along with seasonal fruits for dessert.
While we do our best to accommodate our participants, what we provide for most meals is local cuisine. If you are a picky eater, have dietary restrictions, or if you think that you will not be satisfied with the local dishes provided, you might want to consider supplementing our menu with your own western type foods and snacks that are more to your liking.
Standard
Projects
- Cultural Orientation Week, Hua Hin
- Childcare, Hua Hin
- Beach & Environmental Conservation, Hua Hin
- English Teaching, Hua Hin
- *Construction & Renovation, Hua Hin
- Sports Coaching, Hua Hin
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1 Week - $395
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2 Weeks - $450
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3 Weeks - $595
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1 Month - $795
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2 Months - $1795
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3 Months - $2655
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Meals
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Airport Pickup
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Local Transportation
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1 Day Orientation
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24/7 In-Country Support
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Project Materials & Equipment
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Pre-departure Expert Advice
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Preperation Tools & Checklists
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Certificate of Completion
- Application fee is one off per person (unlimited placements)
- Click Here to convert the below prices to your local currency
- Discounts may apply if travelling in a pair or group!
- All credit card /international fees included in below pricing! 🙂
Testimonials...
FAQ
If you want to gain a head start on your projects and feel comfortable in your new surroundings, before you begin, this week is a fantastic way to do just that! It gives you time to adjust before your project begins, to explore the local area and to learn more about the culture and customs. This can greatly help you to communicate with the locals on your projects.
Monday
- Breakfast
- Program Orientation
- Thai Cooking class and Lunch
- Dinner
Tuesday
- Breakfast
- Thai Culture Lesson: Thai history, religion, traditions and, customs
- Lunch
- Thai Language Lesson
- Dinner
Wednesday
- Breakfast
- Visit Secret Cave & Chicken Drop Cave
- Huay Mongkol Temple & Buddhist rituals
- Lunch
- Market Village Mall & Souvenir Shop
- Dinner
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Pranburi Forest Park & Mangrove plantations
- Pranburi Mangrove Boat Tour
- Lunch
- Visit Sai Noi Beach
- Welcome and Good bye Dinner
Friday
- Breakfast
- Offering food to Monks at Local temple
- Excursion to the Artist Village
- Lunch
- Local Beach
- Dinner
This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
- Accommodation
- 3 meals p/day weekdays / 2 meals p/day weekends
- Arrival airport transfer (Sat/Sun arrivals)
- Filtered drinking water, coffee & tea
- 1 day orientation
- Daily transportation to project
- In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
- Fundraising support
- University course credits (where applicable)
- Certificate of Completion
- Airfares
- Travel Insurance
- Tours, Souvenirs & spending money
Programs begin every Monday, and volunteers are required to arrive the day prior, for orientation before the project. Your accommodation on the Sunday is included in the program fees.
A free airport pickup is included when arriving to Bangkok BKK (Suvarnabhumi) Airport, Level 2, Entrance 4. You must arrive between 06.00 and 16:00 on Sunday.
If arriving outside the pickup times, you can book a private transfer and any extra nights accommodation for an extra fee.
Alternatively, if arriving early you could wait at the arrival’s terminal for the pickup time, book accommodation at the airport and meet us during the pickup times or make your own way to the project (we will advise on how to do this).
From the airport to the accommodation in Hua Hin, it takes around 4 hours by public bus and then a shuttle bus.
Tuesday & Wednesday Evening
Volunteers have the option to go to the night market in Hua Hin city. Try some of the delicious local food that is freshly cooked in front of you. The street food is super cheap and tasty!
Friday Evening
You can go to the Cicada Market, a colourful night market offering freshly cooked food from different stalls. Look around the many art exhibitions, see the local handmade products and souvenirs and listen to live music featuring local artists.
Apart from chilling out at the beach, on weekends you can also try snorkelling, eat at the many seafood restaurants, play a game of golf, relax at a spa, go shopping, visit local markets (including a popular night market), and Hua Hin’s Vana Nava water park.
Khao Tekiab, a mountain at the end of the beach with a temple above, is also a popular spot, overlooking the beach. Hua Hin is also surrounded by beautiful national parks. A little further away is the Pa La-U Waterfall and the mystical Phraya Nakhon cave for the more adventurous!
Minors traveling to Thailand
Minors traveling to Thailand with/without parents/legal guardians are required to adhere to instructions of the Thai immigration. For more information, please check here.
Motorbike Hire
Please note, motorbike hire is strictly prohibited for volunteers, including when outside the centre on weekends. If a participant is found to have hired a motorbike, this will result in termination of the program with no refund.
For information on holidays and any programs affected, please see the following link: TH – Holidays – All Programs
With a long sandy coastline and jungle-topped islands anchored in crystal blue waters Thailand is a tropical getaway and favorite traveling destination for holiday makers and volunteers from all over the world. Thailand’s culture is generous, warm and outgoing and the cuisine is world renowned for a tropical abundance of fresh and varied flavors of spicy, sweet, salty and sour.
Thailand is a fascinating and exotic country to explore. Through volunteering, you’ll gain a love in the people, culture, scenery, cuisine and in the overall lifestyle of Thailand.
We offer diverse project options catering to many different interests. Volunteering is the ideal way of assimilating into the local Thai culture and experiencing the real lifestyle in Thailand.
November to Febuary is the best time to visit Thailand, with a pleasent temperature through most of the country. From March to May temperatures can get very hot. The monsoon rains start from about June to October. Showers usually are quite predictabe and come in short bursts, so this time of year can be great to visit, as everything is so green and there are fewer crowds!
Temperatures are around 30 degrees on average throughout the year. If in the North of Thailand in the winter, evenings can get quite chilly, so bring some warm clothes too!
Vietnam has one of the oldest cultures in South East Asia, creating a rich history with ancient traditions dating back thousands of years. It also has a large Chinese influence. Elders are very well respected in Vietnamese culture, the older you are, the more respect is shown to you. ‘Saving face’ is a concept shown by most Vietnamese people and is thought of as extremely important in their culture. This means that if you feel angered or annoyed by someone, you do not show it and remain respectful. If you lose your temper/ are rude, then this is seen as losing face and therefore a loss of reputation and self-respect.
Vietnamese is the most widely spoken language, other languages include Chinese, Khmer, Cham and tribal dialects. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are the main religious beliefs in Vietnam, and you will find many temples dotted around the country. You will often see the local people giving fruits and burning incense to give as offerings.
30 Years Non Profit Experience
IVI is an Australian charity & non profit organisation founded in 1989 and is one of the pioneers of overseas volunteering successfully placing over 20,000 volunteers globally.
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