Southeast Asia Adventure Trip 2028

This is a non-study trip that anyone can apply to join. You do not need to be a licensed massage therapist to participate.

*If you are a licensed massage therapist who would like to participate in this Southeast Asia Adventure Trip AND THEN study for an additional week afterwards then please read details and apply for the Thailand Study Trip 2028

Application : We are only taking up to 8 participants so early application is encouraged. Please let us know you are interested in traveling with us by completing the free application below. Upon acceptance you will be required to submit :

• Signed travel and consent form

• Copy of your passport that is valid for at least six months past your arrival date in Thailand

• $650 deposit (per traveler) that is non-refundable and non-transferable

Sample Itinerary and Total trip cost coming soon. We are on our way to Asia soon and cross-checking our prices to make sure we get the best deal for you! Thank you for your patience. (You can currently estimate around $3,400pp for shared accommodations, solo options may be available for an additional fee).

The $650 deposit is credited to the total cost of the trip.

-  any remaining balance can be split into two payments with the final payment being due no later than August 1st, 2028.

- applicants accepted AFTER April 30th are required to pay deposit and first payment

- applicants accepted AFTER August 1st are required to pay in full

- all credit card transactions will be charged an additional 3.5% transaction fee.

- any refunds issued will also be charged a transaction fee.

WHAT’S INCLUDED :

• Welcome dinners in Bangkok, Siem Reap and Chiang Mai (excludes alcoholic beverages)

• Daily breakfast

• Transport and admission to all group events and domestic flights WITHIN Southeast Asia

• Three day pass to Angkor Temples in Siem Reap with transportation on scheduled group visits

• Transport and admission to Phare : The Cambodian Circus show

• A small, friendly group of up to 8 people

• Two, one hour trip-planning sessions online with your organizer and fellow travelers

• Full time services of your tour organizer who is available to help you with travel planning and make recommendations for things to do in your free time during the trip

• Accommodations in centrally located, boutique hotels with friendly staff

What’s NOT Included :

• Round Trip International airfare to/from Thailand.

• Domestic travel and airfare within the US.

• Optional activities and independent transportation during the tour outside of group organized events.

• Personal shopping and anything that you do in your free time.

• Cost of food and drink outside of breakfast and planned group dining events.

• Cost of alcoholic beverages.

• Travel insurance - recommended is Allianz

Please wait to purchase non refundable airfare or make additional travel plans until you have received notice of acceptance and the finalized trip dates.

Traveling USA to SE Asia (Starting Point Bangkok, Thailand. Ending Point Chiang Mai, Thailand)

By the time you add travel time on the front and back end of this trip you are looking at a total of just over two weeks for the entire experience. Traveling from the USA to Thailand takes in total about 24 hours including layovers. There is currently no direct flight available to Thailand from anywhere in the USA. From an international airport in the USA such as Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and Atlanta you can layover in places such as Taiwain, S. Korea, Japan and Hong Kong as examples. From there you can fly to Thailand.

Unless you live close to an international aiport, you will typically have to take at least one domestic flight within the USA to reach a US international airport with available flights to one of the main airport hubs in Asia. Although we do not include the cost of airfare with this tour we will facilitate two pre-scheduled group meetings online to help you prepare for travel.

Pre-Travel Virtual Group Meetings : We know you are excited. Now let us help you feel more organized and prepared! There are two, one-hour trip planning sessions scheduled virtually for all participants to attend at the same time. The purpose of these virtual meetings is to introduce fellow travelers and discuss trip related questions such as airfare booking, roommates, general travel expectations and more. Attendance to both online meetings is included and strongly encouraged. More info will be provided about the online meetings after your application has been accepted.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Examples of physical activities that you will likely encounter on this trip include

1. Carrying your own luggage up and down elevators/stairways to reach your hotel room.

2. Being on your feet, walking and standing, for 4- 6 hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. Climbing stairs and moderate outdoor trekking.

3. Sleeping with possible city noise and energy-conserving air conditioning systems that require you to be inside the room in order to turn them on and use them.

4. Navigating cities on your own after orientation and transportation lessons.

5. A general (and completely normal) experience of jet lag and culture shock that may cause you to feel a little bit discombobulated, tired and/or emotional.

We are dedicated to helping you have the best trip possible and strive for exceptional service, communication and organization.

Please feel free to get in touch with any questions you might have charlene@elevatemassage.training

We are happy to talk with you more about the trip before you apply.

Meet Your Tour Organizer : Charlene Gaffney - Charlene took her first trip to Thailand in 2014 to study Thai Massage as an LMT. In 2016 she spent three months traveling around SE Asia making connections for the first Elevate Massage Training Study Tour. In 2017 she led the first Thailand study group of LMTs and continues to organize tours to this day. She has traveled extensively through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with fellow travelers. In addition to SE Asia, Charlene's international travel experience includes trips to Europe, Mexico and Central America. She completed her final undergraduate semester of college at the University of San Jose in Costa Rica.