Australia College Summer Program | Pacific Discovery

This was one of the best trips I have ever been on! I have already booked another tour with Pacific Discovery. I would highly recommend checking out there Facebook page where you can find photos from previous groups trips to see all the adventures and exploration you get to do whilst your away. My favourite part of the trip was sleeping under the stars on North Keppel Island - a surreal experience I will never forget!

The experience I had with Pacific Discovery was unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have done a lot of overseas travel but my trip to Australia was very unique. Pacific Discovery blends two different ways to travel into one. It gives you the feel of a guided trip but gives you the freedom to explore based on your personal interests. Since you are on trip with a tour guide you have someone who knows the area and how to get the most out of the environment that you are in. A huge part of the Pacific Discovery experience is learning to interact and live with the other individuals in your group. I did not know anyone going into this trip. So I knew I would have to learn how to interact and make connections with people who I had never met. Traveling in a van and sleeping six people to a room forces you to bond with others very quickly. Although getting along with my trip-mates was not easy at times, it made me a better person overall. I became more than friends with the people I shared the experience with, we became a family.

This was such an incredible experience! Going to a different country is tough to do when you're 18 - or any age, but Pacific Discovery made it seem less daunting. I remember feeling a little hesitant that the other people wouldn't like me or that I would do something embarrassing or they would make fun of me. That feeling lasted for less than an hour. The very first day we played some ice breakers and the leader checked in with each of us making sure we had all the help we needed meeting the goals we had for ourselves for the program. Whether it was social goals, personal or travel related that built the best foundation possible to have a fun and safe trip. I made friends I'll never forget and saw things I may never see again in that context. I am so privileged to have gone on that trip and met those people and I will never forget them.

For being so shy, I was very nervous about doing something so big with people I had never met before, BUT it ended up being the greatest thing I could have done for myself. The people I met were fantastic, my group got along so well, and we're all still in contact with each other. All of the amazing things you get to do on this trip, like snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, hiking in the Blue Mountains, learning how to surf, and hanging out with the wildlife, is something that I will remember forever! I'm so very glad that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, because I met some of the most amazing people and did some of the most amazing things that I will ever do in my life.

Last summer was my opportunity - after I've just finished my undergraduate degree - to visit Australia, a country I've been wanting to explore for a long time ! It was an amazing experience on so many different levels. First, we got to meet people from all over the world which was very enriching... it's incredible how many things you can learn just from talking to new people! Our leader (Beth) was an open-minded, cool, easy going person; I believe the experience would not have been the same without her. I think the best thing was that the group became a family after only 3-4 days, which quite unbelievable... we merged to become one and there was no big issues between people, which made the journey so much more appreciable. I would have to say that I got to cross-off quite a few things from my bucket list, and it made me feel alive, which is probably the best feeling ever !! Thanks to PD and to our amazing group and group leader for this trip that I will cherish in my memories forever !

This past summer has been such an amazing experience for me. I was able to explore Australia in ways that I never thought was possible. All the activities that we did were one in a life time experiences and I am so blessed to have been able to partake in them. The leaders (Chicko & Lou) were amazing. They were supportive and were there whenever we needed them. They wanted us to have the best time and I know that they put a lot of hard work into the program. My favorite part would probably have been surf camp. It was sweet to be able to have instructors that really cared about helping you learn the skill of surfing as well as caring for you in general. As cliche as it sounds, the group became a family. It was my home for a month, and we grew closer together as well as grew into better people. I could not have asked for a better trip with such amazing leaders and participants. Will forever be thankful to Pacific Discovery.

Being in a small group of 14 people was great as we built strong relationship with each other, especially thanks to the amazing activities we did. For example, we camped a week on North Keppel Island and worked for a conservation environnement learning program. The very natural and conserved environnement that we were in created a unique atmosphere.

Something unforgettable that happened on this island was when we decided to wake up at 5am to hike the little mountain to watch the sun rise. The thing that has marked me was that we decided to not talk until we would see the sun rise. So we did all the walk in silence, just our headlamp on our forehead, pointing at a few wild animals that appeared in our field of lights. Upon our arrival at the top, we sat down on the fresh grass facing the sea. The view was incredible. Still surrounded by the sound of nature's silence, as soon as the sun started to show up, without consulting each other, we all shouted ! This shout that came from our hearts was the expression of this moment of happiness.

I believe that this little story is the best example I could give of my day to day experience as it points out the amazing and very special energy that surrounded all of us during this trip from the start to the end.

I'm from Spain and I love to travel. Last year, i decided I wanted to make the best of my summer after finishing High School. I started looking for activities and adventures around the world and I found Pacific Discovery that would offer me all i wanted. I'm really greatful to have found it. I had an amazing experience. I got to know many people from around the world and discover the East cost of Australia. At the end I didn't want to leave my friends that had become a family.
We had the opportunity to do many activities such as surfing, bungy jumping and safaring.
I recomend this experience to anyone who loves to travel.