Don’t let the teach-abroad chapter of your life be a snoozer. Keep your adrenaline pumping—and your heart racing—by filling your precious free time with the most adventurous travel activities out there.
If you’re an adrenaline addict, do your bucket list a favour by placing yourself in the heart of a destination that shares in (and can feed) your adventurous spirit. With the right mindset, any place can offer new experiences and thrills, but let’s face it—some just do it better. Read on to learn the top 5 TEFL job destinations for adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers like YOU.
The most adventurous TEFL destination
1. China
China might elicit images of tai chi, tea ceremonies, and lazy pandas, but it is more than a docile giant. It’s wild, it’s adventurous, it’s a little confusing (?), AND it’s a great place for TEFL teachers who love to get their heart rates pumping. For instance, did you know China is home to the world’s second-highest bungee jump, with a staggering platform clocking in at 233 meters (764 ft) above ground? Yikes! Awesome, but yikes!
And that’s not the only way you can soar to new heights in China. Visit the Hanging Monastery (and try not to peak over the edge), or brave the Bridge of Immortals as you take shaky steps from peak to peak in the Huang (Yellow) Mountains. It’s not called “Death Defying” for nothing!
- Thrillers: Bungee jumping, cliff walks, street food (scorpions on a stick, anyone?)
- Recommended TEFL job: Paid TEFL jobs
2. Thailand
Any self-identified thrill seekers who also love the water will meet their match while doing TEFL internships in Thailand. Be sure to pack all the right gear—your favourite sports sandals (Are you team Chacos or Keens?), a (modest) swimsuit, your goggles, flippers, and a sense of adventure—to fully immerse yourself in the variety of water-based adventure activities on offer in the Land of Smiles.
Go whitewater rafting year-round along chilled-out Pai, a river near the border of Myanmar. But don’t sunbathe too long—class III and IV rapids anxiously await your raft. Unwind from the whirlwind river adventure in nearby hot springs or waterfalls (cliff diving is 100% recommended!). After you’ve dominated the river Pai, set your sights on the Chiang Mai favourite Mae Taeng River—also home to more world-class rapids. Other awesome water sports to check off your bucket list include kitesurfing, SCUBA diving, kayaking, snorkelling, stand-up paddle boarding, and more. When your heart can’t skip any more beats, find your chill on a Banana Boat.
Thrillers: Whitewater rafting, kitesurfing, SCUBA
Recommended TEFL job: TEFL Paid Internship around Chiang Mai
3. Costa Rica
When most folks think “Costa Rica,” most folks think a variety of beautiful things. Jungle treks, poison dart frogs, clean air, a country that sternly protects and values its ecological diversity, and… shark diving? Hell yeah! Experience an adrenaline rush like never before by getting up close and personal to those big, meaty fish of your childhood nightmares. (Jaws could happen you know!). Throw ‘em chum and watch ‘em fight for a bite—an oddly graceful, yet (definitely) terrifying experience.
Get your fill of marine creatures then turn your attention to land. Take a coffee and jungle night hike to encounter creepy crawlies like tarantulas and other insects—even frogs if you’re lucky! Play wild animal bingo while trekking in Corcovado National Park, the perfect spot to spot animals with spots (jaguars), stripes (basilisk lizard), and more (scarlet macaws, anteaters, tapirs to name a few!).
Thrillers: Shark diving, animal encounters
4. Chile & Argentina
If you speak fluent “Backpacker-nese,” have every possible loyalty card to Patagonia, the North Face, et al., and sometimes get mistaken by strangers for working at REI (#TBH you don’t mind, as you usually know the answer to their question anyway), then a TEFL internship in gorgeous Patagonia is absolutely your calling. Get into the wild, backcountry of some of the world’s most gorgeous mountains by climbing, hiking, glacier trekking, camping, and more. The thrill of the summit = U N B E A T A B L E.
If your TEFL packing list includes quick-dry hiking pants and your favourite flannel, then you’ll feel right at home amongst the staggering peaks, alpine lakes, and electric blue icebergs of the American continent’s southernmost gem.
Thrillers: Mountain climbing, trekking, backpacking
Recommended TEFL job: Paid TEFL Internship in Argentina for Non-Native Speakers
5. Taiwan
If most of your favorite memories and adventures happen on two wheels instead of on foot, then you’ll love getting to know the bike paths of the island of Taiwan. It’s 602-mile Cycle Route No. 1 is becoming one of Asia’s greatest cycle routes. Most cycling routes can be found in the still wild and untouched eastern coast—the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of busy Taipei. If you have time off for the National Holidays and want a multi-day adventure, we highly recommend you join many of the locals and cycle the entire 900 km of the island (it only takes 5-12 days—easy peasy! *Gulp*).
Want to kick your biking intensity up a notch? Check out its rugged interior (Taiwan has almost 300 mountain peaks over 3,000 meters high) with your fat tires and join the up-and-coming mountain bike movement hitting the island. This terrain has it all!
Thrillers: Road cycling, mountain biking
You’re ready for a badass TEFL experience
Pack all of your adventure gear because your experience working abroad is bound to be anything but a bore. Redefine “epic” while improving your outdoor skills as a mountain climber, whitewater rafter, shark diver, cycler, and bungee jumper. Find new friends who share your love of verbs and nouns just as much as they love their headlamps and hiking boots. Check things off that bucket list!
Get in touch with a Premier TEFL expert today to start planning your ultimate adventure: TEFL abroad.
