WHAT ARE THE DATES?
Due to COVID-19, our 2020 trips are postponed until 2021. Our trip schedule for 2021 will be posted on September 1, 2020
Trip 1: June 3-13, 2020 FULL
Trip 2: June 17-27, 2020
Trip 3: July 1-11, 2020 FULL
Trip 4: July 15-25, 2020
Trip 5: July 29- August 8, 2020
HOW LONG IS EACH TRIP?
10 Days. 2 days for travel, 8 full days in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The trip will cover 3 main objectives; empathy, knowledge, and adventure.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
$3750 per teen
Includes: Roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles to Chiang Mai. 10 days of food, accommodations, transportation, experiences, and comprehensive travel insurance.
Does not include: Passport, baggage fees, snack, and souvenir money. We recommend not bringing more than $200.
Payment Schedule: $250 deposit due with application. $1000 payment due with contract. Remaining $2500 due 6 weeks prior to trip date.
WHERE IS CHIANG MAI?
Welcome to the Kingdom of Thailand, the Land of Smiles! Friendly and fun loving, exotic and tropical, cultured and historic, Thailand is the perfect place to learn more about yourself and the world we live in. Chiang Mai, called ‘The Rose of the North,’ is a land of misty mountains and colorful hill tribes, golden Buddhist temples, unforgettable elephant sanctuaries, and ancient walls and moats.
Despite its relatively small size, Chiang Mai truly has it all. Located 435 miles north of Bangkok in a breathtaking valley on the banks of the Ping River, Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 as the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Chiang Mai is a place where the past and present seamlessly merge with modern buildings standing side by side with gorgeous Buddhist temples.
HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE?
Our travelers need to be between the ages of 15 and 19 years old during their trip.
WHERE WILL I SLEEP?
Our travelers stay in our home. The overflow is at a condo in our neighborhood. We eat breakfast every morning in my kitchen and chat at my kitchen table or in our family room each night as we process the day's activities. In the village, we stay in the home of our friend, Aitid. The teens will sleep in sleeping bags on mats on the floor. By avoiding hotels and tourist vans, we help the teens get culturally immersed, but in an enviroment they are comfortable with.
IS THAILAND SAFE?
Yes, very. Thai people are kind, honest, and helpful. Thailand has been known for human trafficking, which is heartbreaking but is of no threat to our travelers. No tourist has been kidnapped, unfortunately, there are far too many impoverished local young people that can disappear without incident.
The medical care in Thailand is world class, people travel from all over the world to have access to their excellent care. We have an on call dentist and physician if any of our travelers become sick or injured.
WHAT WILL I EAT?
As parents of 3, almost 4 teenagers, we have a serious fear of "HANGER" (Hungry + Anger = Hanger). Our travelers will be well fed with not just the delicious food that Thailand is known for, but also the comfort food of home. We can personalize any meal if our traveler has allergies, gluten-free, or a vegetarian.
We will have a fun activity during your stay called, "Try this fruit". Southeast Asia is home to some yummy, funky fruit that is only found in this part of the world.
WHAT SUPERVISION WILL THERE BE
ON THE TEEN TRIPS?
Our travelers will be diligently supervised by 3-4 trained counselors; myself, my husband, and two recently returned LDS missionaries who served in the area, and are fluent in Thai. Each trip is capped at 12 travelers, offering a 4:1 ratio. Strict rules regarding behavior are detailed in the Traveler Contract. A broken contract may result in a trip home at the Travelers expense.
WHAT ARE THE RULES?
Our first priority at all times is the safety of our travelers. There are common sense rules spelled out in the Traveler Contract we expect everyone to follow. We have FIVE rules that if broken will result in the traveler being sent home at his or her own expense.
- Participating in or encouraging immoral behavior of any kind, which includes promiscuity or pornography in any form.
- Shoplifting, theft, or vandalism of any kind.
- Possession or ingestion of alcohol, drugs, or any illegal or mood altering substance.
- Possession of weapons or firearms of any kind.
- Doing anything harmful to yourself or others physically, spiritually, or emotionally.
WHAT WILL I DO?
Lucky for you we live here and have found the best of the best of the amazing things to see and do in Chiang Mai. Every day has a thoughtfully curated itinerary, but because we live here, we have the unique ability to be flexible if weather or circumstances demand. Your days will be packed full of compassion, education, service, adventure, and fun! (A detailed itinerary will be sent via email when the application is accepted and full deposit is received.)
EMPATHY: Spending several days with a local Hill Tribe will change our travelers' lives. These joyful, beautiful people don't have indoor plumbing and only received electricity to their village three years ago. They live in one bedroom homes on stilts high in the mountains among terraced rice fields and lush jungle. Our travelers will experience their simple way of life; how they grow their food, weave their clothes, cook over a fire, and care for their families and communities.
Our Travelers will spend 3 days/3 nights with a Hill Tribe in the mountains of Chiang Mai. Under local direction, they will provide 2 days of manual labor in a service project organized by the village and funded by Travel For More. They will love working side by side with the members of the Karen Tribe. They will have their hearts melt as they spend time in the village elementary school learning to communicate through smiles, selfies, and sports.
KNOWLEDGE: Chiang Mai is a large enough city to have all the conveniences of shopping malls and movie theaters, but small enough to still be rich in Thai culture. The 2 km2 Old City is nearly 1000 years old and has 30 breathtaking Buddhist temples inside its 700-year-old walls and moat.
Our travelers will explore local Buddhist temples and ancient ruins, participate in an enlightening 'ask a monk' conversation, spend time at local markets, ride on local transportation, and mingle with the friendly local population. The history and diversity of this beautiful city and culture will shift how they see the world and their place in it.
ADVENTURE: Our travelers have had their hearts changed, and learned about the world they live in... now we'll have some fun! They will spend an epic day serving at an elephant sanctuary, where they will feed and bathe elephants in an Instagram worthy jungle river. Our travelers will love the rush of an incredible zip line and ropes course traversing through the banana and coconut filled mountain jungle.
That isn't where the adventure ends; with night markets, tuk-tuk rides, cave temples, waterfalls; our travelers will experience all the adventure Chiang Mai has to offer.