Pacific Discovery

Pacific Discovery Pacific Discovery offers experiential gap year semester and summer programs abroad to some of the most amazing places on earth.

Inspiring summer, semester and gap year educational travel programs abroad: http://www.pacificdiscovery.org

1 week! That’s all that’s left before the next crew of Pacific Discovery students begins their gap program. See you soo...
03/09/2026

1 week! That’s all that’s left before the next crew of Pacific Discovery students begins their gap program.

See you soon. ✈️

We got the sweetest note from Taylor, an alum of our South East Asia gap program, who stumbled on an old video from the ...
01/09/2026

We got the sweetest note from Taylor, an alum of our South East Asia gap program, who stumbled on an old video from the trip and sent it to her group members turned lifelong friends, 11 years later.

Swipe to see the replies. 🥹

A student on our Fiji program was feeling unwell and spent a day resting in the village. Throughout the day, a near-cons...
31/08/2026

A student on our Fiji program was feeling unwell and spent a day resting in the village. Throughout the day, a near-constant stream of villagers came to check on him through the window. A smile. A quick hello. Sometimes a longer chat. Sometimes food or water left at the sill.

He had known these people for less than a week.

Pacific Discovery instructor Louisa Gallie asks the question in her latest blog post that none of us can quite shake: how many of us living in the suburbs can say our close friends do the same — let alone a community we have just met?

Culanuku is a rural Fijian village of roughly 150 people. No running water. No hot showers. Curtains instead of doors. A mattress on the floor. One house in the entire village with indoor plumbing.

And our students consistently say it is the most meaningful place they visit on the entire program. Louisa writes about what students actually gain from giving up physical comfort — the belonging, the warmth, the social richness, and the questions about happiness and wealth that follow them home long after the program ends.

It is the kind of reflection that does not fit in a brochure.

Read it here: https://hubs.ly/Q04vNTb_0


Pacific Discovery Instructor has surfed solo down the coast of Nicaragua, traveled independently across Asia, taught in ...
24/08/2026

Pacific Discovery Instructor has surfed solo down the coast of Nicaragua, traveled independently across Asia, taught in Denmark on a scholarship, and led eight structured gap year programs across the Pacific.

She is not going to tell you one is better than the other. But she will tell you they are completely different experiences, and that understanding the difference might change how you think about your next step.

Read her honest comparison of solo female travel vs a structured gap year program: https://hubs.ly/Q04v7R080

The Fall semester is almost here! Pre-departure is in full swing as students prep for a life-changing 10-weeks. Swipe to...
06/08/2026

The Fall semester is almost here! Pre-departure is in full swing as students prep for a life-changing 10-weeks. Swipe to see where they’re going!

(Limited spots remaining)

Southeast Asia or South America? It is one of the most common questions we get from students who have decided on a Pacif...
29/07/2026

Southeast Asia or South America?

It is one of the most common questions we get from students who have decided on a Pacific Discovery gap semester but cannot choose between our two most popular programs.

So we put together a complete comparison guide.

Both programs are 10 weeks.
Both run in small groups of 14.
Both are built on 25 years of bespoke program design and triple accreditation.
Both include: accommodation, meals, transport, service learning, activities, and 24/7 instructor support.

What is different is everything else.

🐘 Southeast Asia takes students through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Elephant conservation near Chiang Mai.
A slow boat down the Mekong.
Angkor Wat.
Buddhist meditation.
Four countries, one semester. Medium activity level. From USD $15,000.

🦎 South America takes students through Peru, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands.
The Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu.
Spanish immersion.
Trekking with llamas in the Sacred Valley.
Snorkelling with sharks in the Galapagos.
High activity level, high service learning.
From USD $15,500.

Both start September 10. Both have limited spots remaining.

Read the full comparison guide — including a side-by-side breakdown and our "which one is right for you" section: https://hubs.ly/Q04r5K6g0

20/07/2026

Food waste is one of those problems that's easy to overlook until you see it up close. Our Bali Summer students got that chance last week, spending time volunteering with Scholars of Sustenance, an international food rescue foundation working across Bali since 2016.

The concept is straightforward but powerful: SOS collects surplus, high-quality food from hotels, cafes, and restaurants that would otherwise be thrown away, then repackages it into nutritious meals for communities in need.

Our students spent the day helping pack and deliver these meals directly, seeing firsthand how much good food goes to waste in a high-tourism destination, and how one dedicated team is turning that surplus into real nourishment for people who need it.

For parents asking what "service learning" means on our programs, this is a clear example. It's not a passive volunteer hour. It's students working alongside an established, respected local organization, learning about food insecurity and sustainability in a way that sticks with them long after the trip ends.

We're grateful for partners like Scholars of Sustenance who do this work every single day. Moments like this are exactly why we build our programs around real service, not just sightseeing.

Curious about the Bali Summer Program? Send us a message, we'd be happy to walk you through it.

Recap of recent adventures from our New Zealand & Fiji Summer program 🇳🇿🌿
17/07/2026

Recap of recent adventures from our New Zealand & Fiji Summer program 🇳🇿🌿

Henry Grayson arrived in Latin America with a handful of Spanish phrases and zero formal classes booked. Two years later...
16/07/2026

Henry Grayson arrived in Latin America with a handful of Spanish phrases and zero formal classes booked.

Two years later he was fluent. Not because he studied harder. Because he stopped waiting until he was ready and just started speaking — in markets, on buses, at dinner tables with host families across Peru and Ecuador.

Henry is now a Pacific Discovery instructor and group translator on our South America Semester. In his latest post, he breaks down exactly what happens when students stop treating Spanish like an academic subject and start using it as a tool for genuine connection.

Four reasons. One of them will surprise you.

Read the full post: https://hubs.ly/Q04njClY0


15/07/2026

Some of the most meaningful moments on our Bali Summer Program don't happen on a beach or a hike. They happen waist-deep in a mangrove forest, pulling plastic out of the roots that hold this island's coastline together.

Last week, our students partnered with Rip Curl School of Surf's Mangrove Mob in Sanur for a hands-on cleanup and conservation morning.

Paddleboards became work boats. Gloves and woven baskets replaced trash bags. And by the end of it, our group had a much deeper understanding of why mangroves matter: they filter pollutants before they reach the ocean, they shelter marine life, and they protect the coast from erosion.

For parents wondering what "service learning" actually looks like on our programs, this is it. It's not a token volunteer hour. It's students learning directly from local experts, doing real work that leaves a visible difference, and coming away with a sense of responsibility they'll carry home.

We're proud to partner with organizations like Mangrove Mob who are doing this work every day in their own community. Moments like this are exactly why we build our programs around genuine service, not just sightseeing.

Want to know more about the Bali Summer Program? Send us a message, we'd love to talk you through it.

Address

202 Glenda Drive
Queenstown
9300

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 8am - 3pm
Wednesday 8am - 3pm
Thursday 8am - 3pm
Friday 8am - 3pm

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