Journey through Vietnam by Train

Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country replete with beautiful beaches and bustling cities, where history mingles with modernity, forging a unique culture evinced in everything from its architecture to its rich culinary traditions. To maximize their time in the country, travelers will head down the coast of central Vietnam by train, starting in the Ancient Town of Hôi An and hitting two beachside cities before concluding their journey in Ho Chi Minh City. In Hôi An, besides exploring its Ancient Town, one of the best-preserved and oldest Southeast Asian trading ports, travelers will also experience a cooking class at the Oodles of Noodles training school, where they can learn more about the local cuisine while preparing their own lunches. From there, the group will board an overnight train to Qui Nhon, a coastal city with an exquisite beach, before departing for Nha Trang, another coastal resort city, the next day. At Nha Trang, travelers will experience the famous 100 Eggs Mud Baths, where they can spend the day soaking and relaxing in the egg-shaped mineral and mud pools. The bustling metropolis of Ho Chi Minh city will be the final stop on the journey, where travelers will be able to explore Ben Thanh Market, widely regarded as the city’s largest and most authentic market, as well as the Reunification Palace, which served as the home and office of South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu during the Vietnam War.

This 7-day experience starts at $452 per person and includes accommodation, meals, transportation, and local guides. A part of G Adventures’ and Hostelworld’s Roamies collection, this trip involves plenty of hostel-hopping across Vietnam in addition to the two overnight train journeys. 

Improve Community Needs in the Heart of Ghana

Head to Ghana and lend a hand in Ho, a region still heavily dependent on international aid. Volunteers will spend a week getting to know locals along with providing community support and helping with educational needs. Community support projects range from building wells to helping ease the severity of the area’s dry seasons. Education projects include building and improving schools, spreading awareness of health education and teaching English. When not at work, enrollees can experience facets of the Ghanaian lifestyle through African dancing and drumming lessons, visits to local markets, soccer games and sessions on kente weaving. There is a planned excursion to West Africa’s largest waterfall as well as to nearby monkey sanctuaries. This is a one-week trip that costs $1,467.

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Adventure Along Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula

The Yucatán Peninsula, lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east, is renowned for its lush rainforests, tropical beaches and ancient Mayan ruins. On this experience, travelers will hop from one hostel to another as they journey from Mérida to Tulum. To start off their adventure, the group will explore some of the many cenotes – enormous sinkholes resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock – in Mérida; travelers can hop on a bike to cycle between a few of them and then swim in the turquoise waters to evade the heat. From there, the group will head into the jungle to take a guided tour of the Chichén Itzá, one of the most famous ancient Mayan ruins in the world, home to a number of architectural and natural wonders including the Temple of Kukulcán and the Sacred Cenote. Then, at Tulum, the site of an ancient Mayan port city, travelers will be able to explore and admire some more majestic Mayan ruins before heading to the beach to relax. The final day will be spent in Tulum where a variety of activities will be on offer, including snorkeling at the natural waterpark of Xel-Há and visiting some more cenotes. 

This 6-day experience starts at $443 per person and includes accommodations, transportation and 5 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner. This trip is part of G Adventures’ and Hostelworld’s Roamies collection: a series of immersive small-group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travelers.

Explore the Coast of Peru

Peru, located in western South America, is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with habitats ranging from the barren plains in the west to the lush Amazon rainforest in the east. On this experience, travelers will journey along the Peruvian coast, discovering small coastal towns, desert oases, islands and bustling bohemian neighborhoods along the way. Starting off in Lima, the capital city, the group will then head south along the coast to a small fishing town to experience a fresh seafood lunch and learn how Peruvian ceviche is prepared. Then, travelers will head inland and zoom around the sand dunes on dune buggies before trying out sand boarding and taking a swim in the desert oasis at sunset. The next day will be spent in Huacachina, another desert oasis, where activities like kiteboarding classes and pisco distillery visits are all on offer. To conclude this adventure, travelers will hop on a bus to the nearby town of Paracas for a boat excursion out to the Ballestas Islands, which are home to penguins, sea lions and all kinds of seabirds. 

This 5-day experience starts at $450 per person and includes accommodation, transportation, 4 breakfasts and 1 lunch. This trip is part of G Adventures’ and Hostelworld’s Roamies collection: a series of immersive small-group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travelers.

Adventure Through Costa Rica

Costa Rica, a country in Central America with coastlines on the Caribbean and the Pacific, is renowned for its lush rainforests and rugged volcanoes. During this experience, travelers will hop from one hostel to another in search of greater and more thrilling adventures. After a relaxing first day in San José, the capital of Costa Rica, the group will travel to La Fortuna, a small town putatively considered the gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park. Along the way, travelers will stop by the Poás Volcano, an active stratovolcano in central Costa Rica, and visit a community coffee project to learn about coffee production. Once the group arrives at La Fortuna, the real adventure will begin. From rappelling down waterfalls to whitewater rafting and paddleboarding on Lake Arenal, there is no shortage of adrenaline-inducing activities for travelers to experience. From La Fortuna, the group will then head to the cloud forest of Monteverde, where they will fly across the canopy on ziplines. Other activities on offer include visiting the butterfly garden, horseback riding and checking out the hanging bridges in the canopy to look for birds and other wildlife. 

This 6-day experience starts at $391 per person and includes accommodation, 5 breakfasts and 1 lunch and transportation. This trip is part of G Adventures’ and Hostelworld’s Roamies collection: a series of immersive small-group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travelers.

Explore 20 European Cities in 34 Days

Composed of 44 sovereign nations, Europe is home to a wealth of diverse cultures and histories. During this experience, travelers will have the unique opportunity to explore 20 different European cities in 34 days. Beginning in Amsterdam, the group will meander through Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Innsbruck, Venice, Florence, Rome, Split, Korčula, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Tirana, Saranda, Corfu, Meteora and Delphi, before ending their journey in Athens. Hopping from hostel to hostel, travelers will be able to soak up the art scene in Berlin, admire the clock tower in the main square of Prague, tour some of the world-famous museums in Vienna such as the Kunsthistoriches Museum, discover the birthplace of Mozart in Salzburg and take a gondola ride through the canals of Venice. Other highlights include basking in the grand architectural masterpieces of the Duomo in Florence, strolling along the Riva Promenade in Split, touring UNESCO-protected Kotor, learning about bees and honey production in Corfu and exploring the magnificent monasteries of Meteora. 

This 34-day experience starts at $3,628 per person and includes accommodations, 28 breakfasts, an overnight ferry, and all other forms of transportation. This trip is part of G Adventures’ and Hostelworld’s Roamies collection: a series of immersive small-group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travelers.

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Experience the Amazon with a Host Family in Ecuador

The Amazon Rainforest, the world’s largest tropical rainforest, is home to over 3 million species and covers much of Brazil and Peru, as well as Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and Ecuador. During this experience, travelers will have the unique opportunity to live with the Quechua people, the Indigenous people of South America who speak the Quechua language, and learn more about both the rainforest and the people themselves. Beginning their journey in Quito, Ecuador, travelers will go by bus and truck into the Amazon Rainforest where they will spend the next four nights with a local Quechua family in the small town of Tena. In the town, travelers will be able to learn about medicinal plants as they explore the rainforest, go on a canoe ride to the amaZOOnico Animal Rescue Center, experience a shamanic healing ceremony and participate in a blowgun contest. Other activities include a natural mud face mask treatment and a cacao culinary experience and tasting. At the village, travelers will get to know the Quechua people on a personal level, sharing meals with them and learning about the secrets of the rainforest with local community members as their guides.

This is a seven day trip and costs $559. This trip is led by the sustainable travel company G Adventures. All G Adventures trips are led by a local guide, a CEO, Chief Experience Officer, and trip revenue is driven to help the local community.

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