Help Thai tsunami survivors this Christmas

Christmas is a time of giving and what better gift than to give something tangible to tsunami survivors – your time and effort. Boxing Day 2004 will be forever etched in the memories of millions of people around the world, especially in Asia, where the tsunami struck and wreaked havoc in India, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Indonesia, Burma and Thailand.

This Boxing Day Hands Up Holidays (handsupholidays.com) is offering travellers the opportunity to remember this tragic event in a special way, by travelling to Thailand on a nine day itinerary and for three of these days helping at an orphanage set up after the tsunami.

The orphanage is in Khao Lak, about an hour north of Phuket, one of the worst affected areas in Thailand. Activities include painting, cleaning and washing, so reducing the burden of the primary care givers, enabling them to focus on tending to the children.

The volunteering element of this itinerary is bookended with a stay in Bangkok, offering plenty of time to explore the city and the nearby “Bridge of the River Kwai”, finishing at Thailand’s only African-style luxury tented safari camp, Elephant Hills Nature Lodge.

This trip is suitable for individuals, couples and families alike.

Set departure and independent departure dates are available including Dec 22 and Dec 29 though places are quickly selling for these latter two dates.

Priced £1,500, this nine-day trip includes breakfast, a special Christmas/New Year dinner, 5* accommodation, local guides, carbon offsetting and all volunteer materials. Flights to Thailand are not included.

Hands Up Holidays organises other volunteering activities to Thailand including elephant conservation, teaching English, repair and renovation work in tribal villages.

For further information on these trips or any of the other featured destinations worldwide visit Handsupholidays.com.