Detailed Itinerary

Date: June 28 - July 25, 2010

Day Zero: Arrival at Bangkok
Arrive at Bangkok International Airport, or local bus/train station, pick-up and transfer to a hostel or hotel in Wang Noi/Ayuthaya (approx. 1.5-hour drive).

Travelers spend their first week near Bangkok joining lectures on Thai culture and customs, and learning Thai language, all followed by afternoon trips.

Day One: Start of Orientation near Bangkok (7 days)
Join general orientation about Thailand, Thai language, culture, customs and others. Later, tour the former capital of Ayuthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site. By "tuk tuk" or mini-van, explore the ancient ruins of revered Buddhist temples and embark gorgeous large elephants (rides cost 400 Bt/hr) in and around the area.

Day Two and Three: Floating Market trip
Be ready at 06:00 am to travel to the Floating Market by van to enjoy a very unique market which you can see nowhere else in the world. This market opens early in the morning (at about 5:00am) and remains open only until 11:00am.

Day Four: Bangkok trip
Continue Thai language lessons during the morning. That evening, enjoy an overnight stay at a regional guesthouse on the Khao San Road and prepare for the next day's trip to Kanchanaburi. Before setting out for Kanchanaburi, explore some of the region's wondrous attractions, such as: the Emerald Buddha housed within the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and the famed Reclining Buddha.

Day Five and Six: Journey to Kanchanaburi
En route, enjoy the waterfalls of Erawan (bring your swimsuit!), the Bridge over the River Kwai, elephant camps, and more! During this time, participants are encouraged to wear shorts and be prepared to walk a great deal. NOTE: the costs associated with some of these days' attractions are NOT covered by the program fee (i.e. elephant rides, tiger temples, etc).

Day Seven: Return to Bangkok
En route: stay at the same guest house at Khao San Road for another night.

Day Eight to Twenty Two: Village Stay and Service Projects (15 Days)
Check-out of hotel at about 11:00am and set out for a beautiful rural Thai village at Samutsongkram Rajaburi or Nakhon Nayok to explore the Thai way of life. Stay with a caring host family and work in a local school as an English-teacher or supporting local children in primary schools and child development centers.

For the next 15 days, volunteers work at different schools located in Bang Sai, Wang Noi, Nakhon Nayok or nearby areas. Volunteers will be sub-divided into a few small groups. Rustic will place 1-3 volunteers in each school depending upon the number of school children. Spend time teaching children (age 6-12 yrs) in primary schools as English teachers or play with the local children (age 3-6 yrs) in child development centers. You will become an integral part of village life. Depending upon the situation, you may be required to work in the fields with local farmers and gardeners, preparing and distributing food for Buddhist monks, visiting the local floating market, catching fish and collecting wild vegetables, as well as hiking and biking around the local villages. The weekends (day 13-14) are free to be used at your own discretion (NOTE: during the weekend, if you choose to travel at your own expense, please inform your respective coordinator).

Day Twenty Three: Relax and Preparation for the tour (5 days)
Pack your luggage and be ready leave the family at 11 am. Set out for Pattaya - one of the most popular, sea-side destinations in Thailand. Spend three full days exploring this region's beautiful, sparkling beaches before returning to Bangkok for the conclusion of the program.

Day Twenty Four: Leave for Pattaya
During this sea beach program, we provide food allowance based on the reasonable local rate so that you can choose a range of delicious food items according to your choice.

Day Twenty Five: Relax in Jomtien Beach
Jomtien Beach is located about 2 kilometers from south Pattaya. In this beautiful beach, you can rest, relax and have fun with all kinds of water sports (Note that the costs are not covered for these sports).

Day Twenty Six: Koh Lan
At 8:00am, depart for Visit Koh Lan (Lan Island), a tourist-frequented site in the Pattaya region to observe turtle breeding grounds, nests, and other wondrous attraction within the island. That evening, return to your accommodations.

Day Twenty Seven: City Tour
Explore Model cities and the local temples.

Day Twenty Eight: Return to Bangkok
Check-out at of your accommodation and depart for Bangkok. Take a van/bus to Bangkok (Ekamai), taking a taxi (upon arrival in Bangkok) to your hotel or airport - depending on whether you are departing Thailand or remaining. NOTE: program concludes once participants return to Bangkok.

Program itineraries are samples and may change to meet the needs of volunteers and changes in field conditions. This itinerary will be finalized upon arrival in Bangkok.