World Volunteer Crew: Dyy, Nuna, Bao, and Vic - all simply AMAZING!

Day 8 - Leaving Koh Samui for Macao - Saying Goodbye to our new friends!

An early breakfast at 8am to start our day.  Lots of smiles, hugs, and photos with our new friends, Val, Dyy, Bao, and Nuna.

Following a short drive to the airport and another seamless transport transition and check-in, our flight took off just before noon and landing in Hong Kong shortly before 4pm.  Team One was fortunate to be able to leave almost immediately by bus to Macao, with Team Two's departure at the originally scheduled time of 5:55pm.  All teams were back at TIS and dismissed by 8pm.

The end to an amazing and eventful week.  Thank you students for being AWESOME!

Mr. Holtet, Mr. Adank, Ms. Guidolin, and Ms. Kin

Day 7 - Koh Tao - Koh Samui Ferry - Temple Visit - Muay Thai Training & Night Market. Enjoying our Last Full Day in Koh Samui

We began our day with a delightful 8 o'clock breakfast, savoring a sumptuous spread of croissant, eggs, sausages, yogurt, and fresh orange juice.At 9:20, we bid farewell to the hotel and embarked on a boat ride back to the Samui First House Hotel. After saying our goodbyes to the hotel, we hopped on a boat for a relaxed journey that lasted about an hour and a half. It was a laid-back ride, and most of us took the opportunity to catch some sleep along the way. We reached our destination at around 12:30 and headed straight to the popular Mit Samui Restaurant to satisfy our hunger with a tasty lunch. By 1:00, we eagerly started digging into the mouthwatering dishes in front of us. The food was absolutely delicious, filled with yummy things like fried chicken, veggies, curry chicken, and rice. It was a well-rounded meal with carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, making sure we left the table feeling satisfied and nourished. 

After our satisfying meal, we went to the temple, spending around 30 minutes there. It was a picturesque setting, perfect for capturing beautiful memories through photographs. Everything went smoothly, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in the serene surroundings. 

Following our visit to the temple, we continued our adventure by heading to a Muay Thai session to learn some impressive moves. The enthusiasm was contagious as everyone put in their best efforts, showcasing their kicking and punching skills. The training was intense, leaving us sweaty and tired but incredibly fulfilled. Once the session concluded, we made our way back to the Samui First House Hotel, where we checked in and had some free time. Some chose to swim, while others choose to shower and prepare for the evening in their rooms. 

At the designated time of 6:15, everyone gathered in the lobby, punctual and ready to proceed. We then made our way to a delightful dinner venue, where everyone enjoyed a satisfying meal that included a balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. It was a welcome replenishment of energy after the strenuous Muay Thai session, leaving us feeling re-energized and content.

After dinner, we headed to the night market, and it was a lot of fun! We had the chance to buy things we liked and stroll around. Walking after eating is great for digestion, so it felt really good. Everyone seemed happy and satisfied with their purchases as we made our way back to the First House Hotel. To end the day, Ms. D informed us about the plans for tomorrow. Although it was our last day, today was still filled with enjoyment. After the announcement, we went back to our rooms and went to sleep, ready for tomorrow.

(blog by Focus & Jennifer)

Day 6 - Koh Tao - Reef Snorkelling Trip with the Coral Tribe Project

Day 6: Enjoying our Last Full Day in Koh Tao

Once we finished eating breakfast at the hotel, we started off our activities by taking a boat to the waters surrounding Koh Tao in order to begin our snorkeling around the corals. After we swim around the corals, being amazed by the fish and corals, and getting stung multiple times, we eat lunch on the boat before returning back to the hotel. 

A while later, we finally presented our coral dome projects which we have worked on for a few days now, and showed it off to the judges. Once the “Boulder Corals,” a subset of “Team Coral” won the judges opinion, everyone takes an ice cream break at a café near the hotel, while admiring the cats which sat in front of it. 

After a long break, we ate a big dinner and played a fun group activity involving running, strategy, and silly moments. We then contemplated the week that we had so far, and the impact that these experiences have had on us while standing around in a circle. Finally, we headed back into our hotels for our last night in Koh Tao.

(Blog by Christopher Chan and Grace Zhang)

Day 5 - Koh Tao - Marine Conservation with the Coral Tribe

Building Coral Spiders and Beach Cleanup/Microplastics Surveys

Day 5 of the experience week was filled with engaging activities for the students! During the fifth day, students continued to work in “coral” and “shark” teams. The day began with the "coral" team participating in a beach clean-up. This activity aimed to educate the students about the decomposition time of various materials while also promoting environmental awareness. Students picked up garbage from the beach and experienced with filtering microplastics within the sand. After the clean-up, the team resumed their work on building coral dome designs in preparation for the upcoming presentation. Simultaneously, the "shark" team focused on constructing the coral “spider" structure, which would serve as a support system for the coral reefs' growth. The students learned valuable skills such as bending metals using a bending machine and different methods of attaching corals to the structure. We also explored techniques for camouflaging these structures to blend with the natural environment.

In the afternoon, the two teams swapped activities, allowing each student to experience both beach clean-up and structure building. Following the completion of the activities, the students were given some free time to relax and enjoy the beach, the pool, or rest in their rooms.

As a fun way to end the day, the students formed groups and took a walk around the streets of Koh Tao after dinner. They had the opportunity to visit different shops and explore a variety of amazing souvenirs and items.

Finally, the students returned to their hotel, preparing for an exciting snorkeling adventure the next day.

(blog by Isabella Chong)

Our Koh Tao partners, The Coral Tribe, are the guardians of coral reefs around Koh Tao and work tirelessly to promote artificial reef development and marine conservation education.  Excellent learning sessions packed with marine science!  See their website and the video for more on their great work!  Thank you World Volunteer for connecting us with these local projects!

Day 4 - Koh Tao - Marine Conservation with the Coral Tribe

Building Coral Domes Project and Snorkelling Adventures

We separated up into two groups on the fourth day of our TIS Experience Week in Koh Tao: 'Team Corals' and 'Team Sharks'. On Team Sharks, we spent the morning planning, building and learning how to construct nurseries for coral to develop in. In order to maximise the amount of area available for the corals to grow, we used yarn strings to plan and arrange the placement for the metal rods (rebar). After that, we created small models of our custom-designed coral nurseries to assist in the recovery of coral reefs! In order to preserve and restore reefs, it is crucial to monitor, control, and manage coral reproduction, which is made possible by these nurseries. While Team Sharks was working hard studying and building nurseries for corals, Team Coral went snorkelling with specialist divers to assess the stress levels of Koh Tao's coral reefs. Everybody received a sheet of paper to record the hue intensity of several corals and learned the tragic fact that coral reefs are declining due to global warming. The two teams switched activities after lunch so that everyone could fully participate in all activities. As evening fell, we strolled through Koh Tao's charming streets to our dinner at an Italian restaraunt, taking in the vibrant street culture and customs. We went mini golfing after dinner, which was a memorable and enjoyable experience. 

(blog by Carmen Chan & Marcus Leong)

Day Three - Saying goodbye (for now!) to Koh Samui - ferry to Koh Tao

Arriving Koh Tao Montra Resort, our home this week.

Departing our Koh Samui hotel bright and early on Tuesday morning, we made our way to the boat pier to catch our fast ferry to Koh Tao.  With a short stop to drop passengers off in Koh Phangan, we made it to our hotel in Koh Tao in just over two hours.  The Montra Resort Koh Tao will be our home for the rest of the week.  Beautiful, peaceful ambiance with all of our marine conservation activities a stone's throw away.  Did I mention the beach is on the doorstep?

Students were introduced to our local partners in marine conservation, The Coral Tribe.   Following an engaging presentation of Coral Tribe's work, team-building exercises and an orientation for their upcoming project work began.  Students demonstrated their knowledge of environmental awareness with well developed responses and excellent questions for their host.

The day ended with some pool time at the resort before heading off for another delicious Thai meal.   For the first time on the trip, students will get to have a little extra sleep and breakfast will be served about an hour later than usual.  But before calling it a night, our group leaders Vic & Dyy led everyone in a big game of beach Splatt!  So much fun!  Everyone is in great spirits and having a great time!

(Student video courtesy of Isabella Chong)

Day Two - Koh Samui to Ang Thong National Marine Park

Viewpoint Hike & Sea Kayaking Adventure

On the 11th March, students woke up before the sunrise to begin a day in the hot and warming Thailand. Then, we got on the ferry for about an hour to reach the Anthong National Park, where we hiked to see a relaxing view of the thorough sea and mountains. In the afternoon, students experienced kayaking by the shore and swimming by the beach. Students then were transported back to Samui via ferry and had seafood dinner in a local restaurant. After dinner, students  went on a shopping spree at a 7/11 nearby to buy essential items and other snacks.   In order to reduce plastic usage, students are only able to buy the items they can carry and are prohibited from using plastic bags and non-reusable plastic bottles. Finally, students were transported back to the hotel and had quiet time before lights out. (Blog by Hayden and Tyler)

(Student video courtesy of Isabella Chong)

Day One - Departure from TIS to Koh Samui

Heading off from TIS, the students took a bus to HK, then a two and a half hour flight from HK to Koh Samui. We were met at the airport and taken for a simple yet flavourful Thai dinner at a Michelin star restaraunt.  We ended the day checking into our hotel at Chaweng Beach in anticipation of an early breakfast and departure to Ang Thong National Maritime Park at 6:15 AM, which many students are not very happy about. (Photos from Alexa.  Blog by Cloris.)