Plan My Gap Year (PMGY) Reviews 

I did the 4 week English teaching program in Cambodia. I had such a great time and the kids were amazing and so eager to learn which made the teaching even better! Jason has made such a great setup where the kids can learn and have lots of fun. Also Jason and his family are so kind, accommodating and welcoming, they really make you feel at home!

It was an amazing experience, all the people there were super friendly made a lot of friends.
Love the turtle conservation at Sri Lanka

I volunteered in Bali, Indonesia with PMGY on a childcare project, and it was honestly one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had.
My day-to-day role involved helping in a local school, spending time with the children, supporting teacher-led activities and getting involved wherever I could. What made the project so special was the relationships you built with the children and the other volunteers.

I felt really well supported both before and during my placement. Before arriving, I was given plenty of information about what to expect and had support available whenever I had questions. Once in Bali, there was always someone I could speak to if I needed help or advice, which made settling into a new country much easier — especially as someone travelling this far away from home for the first time.

Outside of volunteering, there was so much to explore. Some of my highlights included Mount Batur Hike, exploring the rice fields in Ubud, the weekend trip to Gili T and spending time at the beach and with the other volunteers.
One of the best parts of the experience was having people around who were all keen to make the most of their free time, so there was always something to do or somewhere new to explore.

The accommodation was a great part of the experience too. Living with other volunteers meant that it quickly became a social space where everyone would hang out, share stories about their day and make plans together. Some of my favourite memories actually came from the evenings spent simply sitting around and getting to know people and playing cards.

My biggest piece of advice for future volunteers would be to say yes to everything and be open to meeting people from all walks of life. Don’t worry about arriving not knowing anyone — so many people are in exactly the same position, and you’ll quickly find your people. I was arriving alone and everyone was super friendly. Be prepared for things to be different from home but embrace the experience and try to make the most of every opportunity!

I’m so grateful I chose to volunteer in Bali and would absolutely recommend the experience to anyone considering it. It was an experience I’ll never forget!

I went to Tanzania with PMGY and worked there as a nurse. Beyond the fascinating and numerous impressions I gained at the hospital, the other experiences—thanks to the various leisure activities available—were unforgettable. I always felt that there was someone to turn to and that PMGY was truly committed to supporting its volunteers.

We spend 1 month in tanzania in arusha. We had a wonderful experience. The teacher at our school were very welcoming, and the cordinators were very kind and attentive to our needs. We recommend this program.

Fantastic accommodation, food etc. and very good organisation. Thank you very much to Vishy and the team for making my stay amazing!

Staff is superfriendly and kind and always ready to help, nothing is too much asked !!, the hostel building is quite nice, enough hangout spaces and a pool. The bed rooms are very basic however and ours was quite small and the beds were really uncomfortable.
What I would have liked to know is that you should be very aware of the SEASON! Cause monsoon season doesn't just mean rain, it means unswimmable rough sea, no beach to sunbathe on and all the nearby towns are dead and there are barely any people (tourists and locals) - I was there in august. People and tourists move according to season/weather, when you go to Sri Lanka check if your location is in season!!
Also I think it's a nice experience for very young people actually doing a gap year after high school because it's very safe and easy and all organized for you. But I'm a bit older and wanted to use it as a safe basis as the start of my first solo travels but kind of regret that - if that is your incentive too I wouldn't do this, just book a sociable hostel, it was so easy meeting people as a solo traveler and they were also much much cheaper. There were quite a lot of freedom restrictions too and the average age was very young.
I also realised only afterwards that this was the most EXPENSIVE part of my trip while I did and saw the least. Yes you get 3 meals a day included, BUT you want to go out I'd say half of the times for food cause otherwise you're just stuck at the hostel and you get no return of money for that. If you do a weekend trip also with PMGY (which you are gonna want to do cause in the off season there is literally nothing to do close by), you're paying double for food and accommodation, I feel like they should compensate that. Prices get cheaper with longer stays though but again I'm not someone who likes to be stuck too long in one place when you're traveling to a new country. Also they organise some free activities but most of them you have to pay on top of it. You also pay to do the program I think, while in my head you should get money back especially when you're doing chores for like the dogs and the turtles or teaching children (I get it's for a good cause, BUT I wasn't aware of this when I booked cause I thought the prices looked quite cheap but they are relatively very expensive - Sri Lanka is just that cheap for food and accommodation, you are not getting any discount at all because you are 'volunteering', what I did think/assume at first and I don't think they are super transparent about online). So yeah, all in all not so positive as all of the other reviews, that's why I wanted put one cause I feel like I wasn't that propely informed. And definitely also partly my fault because these kind of volunteering programs are just not a match for me based on my traveling goals

I volunteered in India on the teaching programme. The day to day typically involved helping younger children with basic English and maths, however it was very rewarding. The site for teaching was on the doorstep of the accommodation, and the days always started with some games.

We received a huge amount of support when in India from Vishy (the coordinator). He was able to plan activities, organise transport, provide medical advice and recommendations for places to visit alongside much more.

We visited Agra, New Delhi and Jaipur, all of which I would definitely recommend, particularly seeing the buildings and markets.

The accommodation was definitely suitable, and provided a nice place to stay.

meeting new people from all around the world + feeling usefull in a completely different country.

The staff at Kwantu were amazing, there were so many weekend trips you could do and the staff always helped to arrange them.

Vishy & the PMGY team in India were so incredibly kind. They help organise everything & drive us anywhere we would like with no complaints. They suggest loads of places for us & make it so easy for us. Our experience was 10x easier because of the team. The cleaning staff are also so kind. It feels like a real family!

Teaching with PMGY was the best experience - I felt very supported by the whole PMGY team (especially Chamu!!) and it’s given me lifelong memories and friends!

I had an absolutely incredible time with PMGY INDIA. The team were so accommodating, helpful and supportive the entire trip. Any issues I had were responded to very quickly and the team are very organised. I would definetly recommend

After spending a month in Sri Lanka with this company I can confidently say this is a great, trustworthy program. I felt very safe in the Sri Lanka location, and I really enjoyed the activities they offered. Everything was very well organized, the staff was amazing, the house was clean, and the location was great! No complaints.

I had a great experience with PMGY Costa Rica. The PMGY staff were very helpful throughout my placement, particularly with giving advice about trips and helping us book activities and transport. They also organised my Spanish lessons, which took place at the accommodation. The lessons were really fun and interactive, with different games and activities.

The staff also organised activities such as fruit tasting and trips to guitar theatre shows, which were a great way to experience more of Costa Rican culture. I loved spending time with the friends I made at the accommodation, whether hanging out in the evenings or going out together.

The accommodation was really nice, and having the houses close together made it very easy to meet other volunteers and spend time together. It was also convenient for the Spanish lessons.

One of my favourite parts of the experience was using my weekends to explore Costa Rica, particularly Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna. My advice to future volunteers would be to get involved as much as possible, say yes to activities and trips, and ask the PMGY staff for advice - they were always happy to help.

I volunteered on the turtle project in Sri Lanka which was so much fun. There were lots of different activities at the turtle sanctuary like feeding the turtles, collecting sand for hatching and beach cleaning which was exciting each day to be able to help the turtles and environment. Before placement there was multiple helpful webinars to help you feel prepared before your trip. During placement there was 24 hour support at the PMGY house by the staff who were always happy to help as well as organise activities throughout the week. I also went on the weekend safari trip and to Ella which were some of the best parts of the trip. The accommodation was really nice with great dinners a pool and plenty of communal areas to hang out in. My advice to a future volunteer would be to do as many activities as you can and make the most of the area and explore.

I participated in the wildlife & environmental conservation for a week in Bali and thoroughly enjoyed myself! I found that the volunteering sessions were well planned and spaced out, allowing for ample rest with no rushes.

One thing that I appreciated was their ability to cater to our preferences. Even though I was the only one that volunteered on Friday, the staff were very happy to accompany me to the project sites.

I would say that this is an excellent experience for people who have not volunteered abroad before, and want to explore the area during their time there. However, my personal preference would be to volunteer at each project site longer.

I had the most amazing experience teaching with PMGY in Tabanan. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone.

Best 3 weeks ever! The accommodation was brilliant, the project was well led and fascinating, and the food was delicious. Made new friends and memories for a life time.

I did childcare in Sri Lanka with PMGY. The staff was amazing, there was always someone who could help.
I loved the childcare project, the children were always so happy to see you and the teacher was very helpful.