If beaches aren’t really your thing and you need a place to just sit back, relax and chill against a backdrop of mountains, Chiang Mai is the place to be! There’s no shortage of excellent food and coffee offered in an abundance of hip joints for extremely fair prices. Despite the vast amounts of tourists passing through Chiang Mai for its rich culture and endless variety of activities, it hasn’t lost its authenticity and Thai charm. It’s no surprise that everyone can’t get enough of this versatile hub. Are you itching to become a volunteer in Chiang Mai yet?

• Chiang Mai, meaning ‘New City’ in the Thai language is actually the former capital of the previous Lanna Kingdom. The Lanna Kingdom then merged with Siam and now forms modern-day Thailand.
• Surrounded by mountains, Chiang Mai is situated in a valley and is home to Doi Inthanon, the mountains highest peak reaches 2565m and said to be part of the Himalayas!
• Besides housing more than 300 temples, Chiang Mai is home to 10 different Hill Tribes. Each Hill Tribe has their unique customs and beliefs.
• Although Chiang Mai remains a small city with an area of around 40 square kilometers, it boasts as many as 10 co-working spaces! It’s THE place to be for digital nomads due to its economic, laid-back lifestyle and the myriad of options of things to do.

There are many different ways for volunteers to become active and make a change in Chiang Mai. As it is a popular tourist destination, there is a great need in the field of elephant protection and it is necessary to educate tourists and locals alike on the cruel methods behind the popular tourist attractions. Read on to find out about the projects that volunteers can engage in and what kind of work you will be doing at each project.

Support local NGOs

Some NGOs working with rescued elephants are looking for photography intern volunteers! Considering the backdrop of rolling mountains and having elephants as your models, this is undoubtedly a unique opportunity for any art or photography student. If you’re fit and up for a daily hike to observe and take exclusive shots of these plus sized models roaming around and foraging in their habitat, this is definitely for you. The sanctuary is set amongst the Karen Hilltribe allowing volunteers to experience the unique culture and learn directly from these people who have a long history of keeping elephants. The Karen Hilltribe have a unique culture which will definitely get your creative juices running and undoubtedly result in some stellar shots.

Animal and Wildlife Conservations

Despite being great models, elephants also need to be taken care of which is why the sanctuary is also looking for volunteers to help take care of them in the semi-wild sanctuary. If you see a future as a veterinarian or simply have a heart for animals, joining the project as an Elephant Research Intern could be perfect for you. An extra perk to this organization is that it’s situated within the Karen Hilltribe which will expose you to an entirely new culture. Tasks may include:

• carrying out health checks
• performing research on elephant behavior as well as their habitat
• cutting grass for elephants in the dry season

Another elephant sanctuary is situated in the lush jungle of the beautiful Mae Taeng district of Chiang Mai. If you’re keen on saving this majestic beast, these are some of the tasks you can look forward to:

• feeding and watering of the elephants
• cleaning and preparing food
• constructions and maintenance of mud pits
• helping in local villages
• sourcing food from local farms and cleaning enclosures
• keeping the grounds clean
• planting trees
• looking after other wildlife

If you can’t get enough of helping out, the longer you stay, the better it gets! Long-term volunteers get the opportunity to care for baby primates, animals in the quarantine area and go on animal rescues!

Teaching English in Chiang Mai

There are also NGOs in Chiang Mai looking for English teachers! Volunteers with a teaching degree or ambitions in the educational sector can definitely contribute by teaching English at the school along with other locals. You will also have an important role in bringing across the important message about the captive elephant situation to the local community and other tourists.

Even though the projects you volunteer for will keep you more than busy, Chiang Mai has an endless list of activities to offer. Some of the most popular activities are:

• Muay Thai
• weaving
• river tubing
• thai massages
• night hikes
• cooking classes

You’ll need to volunteer long enough to make it through this lengthy list but that’s still not all Chiang Mai has to offer! If you need a break from nature and crave the city life, Chiang Mai has some very interesting art galleries and of course lots of temples. When you’re cultured out, you can go SHOPPING! With its world-famous Night Bazaar, you can literally shop til you drop and stuff your backpack with the most original souvenirs.

Chiang Mai is known for its fantastic Thai Food which you can not only sample at the Night market but also in the variety of restaurants scattered around the city. During certain festivals such as Songkran (the Thai New Year water festival) and Loy Krathong, you will be excellently located as a volunteer in Chiang Mai.

When traveling abroad, there are always a few things you should inform yourself about beforehand and that you should keep in mind to make sure that you will have a pleasant stay. This is some useful information about Chiang Mai and some tips that might help you.

Best travel season

Chiang Mai can get extremely hot in the hot season which starts in March and lasts until May with temperatures rising up to 35 degrees. The heat and dryness can result in smog and forest fires making it not the best time to travel unless you don’t mind volunteering and working in sweaty circumstances.

The rainy season which can still be quite warm with some refreshing showers or storms and usually sets in in June and lasts up until October. You may opt to volunteer around the end of the rainy season as you may enjoy lush and green nature. November is the start of the cooler season which is quite pleasant but also attracts a huge number of tourists. The cooler season is usually quite dry and lasts until the end of February. Temperatures can drop quite low the higher you are in the mountains so be sure to pack a warm jumper!

Safety & precautions

As a true tourist hotspot, Chiang Mai is considered relatively safe to travel, even if you're going solo. However, there are some things you might want to keep in mind to avoid getting in trouble with the law:

• Identification: You need to carry a photo ID with you always. But it's wise to carry photocopies instead of the original documents.
• Drug laws: Never (!) buy, use or transport drugs. In Thailand, this is punishable by death and there are no exceptions made for tourists!
• Honor the king: It's against the law to deface any image of the king (including Thai money)! You can be sent to jail for that.
• Drinking laws: The legal drinking age is 20. It's illegal to drink in temples or places of worship, public offices, education institutions, public parks, petrol stations and pharmacies.
• Use your negotiating skills: Be cautious with your money: Set a price before getting in a tuk-tuk and make sure that the taxis you're using are being metered.
• Common sense: Don't trust strangers who want to sell information about tourist attractions on the street. It's better to check with your hotel or hostel.

Health advice

If there's one thing you definitely do not want during your volunteer vacation, it's falling ill. And whilst you can't always avoid it, there are definitely some things that will help you to stay healthy during your stay while volunteering in Chiang Mai:

• There are no required vaccinations to enter the country, however, it is recommended to have valid vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and typhoid fever.
• If you are going to volunteer with animals, the US-based health protection agency CDC recommends that you should consider an anti-rabies vaccination as well.
• The street food is cheap and delicious, but you should still be careful when eating out. Western stomachs aren’t accustomed to the bacteria and often results in food poisoning or diarrhea.
• Remember to wash your hands before and after eating.
• Important: Don't drink tap water and avoid having ice with your drinks.
• Mosquitos are everywhere in Thailand. Use a spray-on repellent during the day and at night. You can also use a permethrin spray on your clothes. Leave them outside and wait until they're dry before wearing them.

Culture & religion

Buddhism has strong influences on Thai culture with 95% of the population being Buddhist. This is why many of the traditions and believes come directly from Buddhist principles. Some important values on forms of behavior in Thailand are the following:

• You should never touch a Thai person's head. The Thai people consider the head the most sacred part of the body and keeping face is very important to them. This means getting angry or raising your voice will not help any situation.
• A smile, however, will always help. The Thais tend to smile a lot, which is why the country is sometimes referred to as the "land of smiles".
• In contrast to the head, the feet symbolize the lowest part of the body. For this reason, you should never point your feet towards any person or sacred image. Never step over someone as this is considered very disrespectful.
• When visiting temples, you'll always have to take off your shoes. This can apply to houses as well.

Packing essentials

Depending on when you will be traveling to Chiang Mai and what kind of volunteer work you will be doing, there are some essentials you should bring with you to make life a bit easier and more comfortable:

• You should definitely bring swimwear as well as a raincoat and an umbrella.
• Don't forget sunscreen and insect repellent, the latter will help you to prevent insect bites and to reduce the risk of illnesses like malaria or zika.
• Bring the right clothes: You should choose light, but long clothes. Don't wear sleeveless tops or short shorts in public areas.
• Bring copies of your passport, travel insurance and blood type card and keep the originals in your hotel safe or another safe place.

As you will have noticed by now, there are many different projects that expect different skills and abilities from their volunteers. While you can find out the specific requirements for each project on their profile on Volunteer World, here are some general requirements that apply to most projects in Chiang Mai:

• You need to be at least 18 years old for most of the volunteer projects. When in doubt, we advise you get in contact with the local project manager, as in some projects you can also volunteer when you're 16 years old. There’s no age limit upwards: just check the 50+ icon on the program pages.
• You need to have basic English skills to join a volunteer project in Chiang Mai. Please note that some teaching projects might ask for more advanced skills though.
• Depending on the project you're interested in, you might need to provide a criminal background check and a health declaration before volunteering.
• You are more than welcome to bring your friends or family to work for the social project. Just contact the project manager and ask them for the available opportunities.