By Hollie Tu

Last month I headed out on a tiny plane into the interior of Borneo to spend 10 days with the Penan. The Penan are one of the indigenous peoples of Sarawak and were, until recently, the only people to live a nomadic lifestyle within the rainforest. Today, most Penan have settled in villages where they primarily cultivate the land yet still utilize their hunter-gatherer skills to supplement their diet.

Volunteer Tourism: Seeking Experiences that Make a Difference by Dr. Wearing, Senior Lecturer, University of Technology, and Dr Lyons, University of Newcastle, will be published by CABI in 2012. Concentrating on the experience of the volunteer tourist and the host community, this new edition builds on the view of volunteer tourism as a positive and sustainable form of tourism to examine a broader spectrum of behaviors and experiences and consider critically where the volunteer tourist experience both compliments and collides with host communities.

By Kelly Austria

Inspired by our treks and visits to mountain communities, in 2007 we formed a group based on a shared common love for nature and compassion for the kids living in these mountains. We decided to hike on a new trail, and called our group TREK, or Trails to Empower Kids. Our first outreach program was held in the mountainous province of Benguet, in the municipality of Itogon, Philippines.

By Alexandra Frischmann

Travel2change is a nonprofit organization with the mission to connect travelers, organizations, and local communities in order to initiate change in a sustainable manner. The goal of travel2change is to capitalize on the potential of travel to make a positive difference in the lives of travelers and local communities alike and to create projects that will have an impact and foster sustainable change.

By Kirsty Barnby

Community Support Network (CSN) is Fiji’s newest non-profit voluntourism organization offering a two-week volunteer and island discovery tour program on Fiji’s untouched Northern Islands. This off-the-beaten-track experience prides itself on being an authentic cultural immersion program and puts a wholesome 80% back into the island communities in the form of training, equipment, infrastructure and education.

By Melissa Lim

The Borneo Ecotourism Solution and Technologies (BEST) Society is a non-profit foundation formed by Borneo Eco Tours, a leading tour operator specializing in regional ecotourism adventures and accommodation. The BEST Society was established in 1995 in Sabah, East Malaysia, when Borneo Eco Tours joined hands with the Sukau Rainforest Lodge to organize a large environmental protection project in Kelananap oxbow lake.

By Rose Grech

My friend Greg and I arrived on Easter Sunday at organic farm and vineyard, Montezuma Canyon Ranch, just south of Monticello, Utah. This was our first wwoofing experience, where we stayed for two weeks (“WWOOF” stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). During our two-month long trip, the longest stay we had was five nights in Denver, where it was nice to stay in one spot for a few days. I’d never stayed on a farm before, and was unsure what work we would be doing.

By Megan Coatley

Travelers in Costa Rica have plenty of choices when it comes to surf schools and coastal retreats. But Bodhi Surf School is not just your average surf school; it is a company built on sustainable principles, and with the conscious traveler in mind. Nestled in the heart of the small Pacific fishing village of Uvita, Bodhi’s mission extends far beyond simply getting visitors to stand up on a surfboard. In Sanskrit, the word “bodhi” means “awareness.”

Every year, eager travelers set off to experience the legendary Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia. A journey along this leg of the famous ‘Indochina Loop’ is virtually guaranteed to provide a good balance between adventure, cultural awakening, natural beauty and just plain good fun. One major destination in the Golden Triangle is the historic city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The second-largest city in the country, it is a vibrant gateway to the spectacular northern region.

Yurts – rounded wooden structures, canvas covered, comfortable, spacious, more like a home than a tent – are easily dismantled and moved (in theory). Mongolian yurts evolved as the home of choice for the nomads of Central Asia. In Mongolia, one of the regions yurts originally hail from, an innovative foundation called Ger to Ger (or ‘Yurt to Yurt’) is working with nomadic families to invite adventurous soles to discover their world.