Gap year travel

[xxxxStellaxxxx]

Please help! My daughter is planning to travel to Thailand via Real Gap. Does anyone know/have experience of this company? And any tips on the best gap-travel companies? Advice much appreciated :)

I have a friend in Thailand with Real Gap right now. She also went to South Africa with Real Gap earlier this year. From what she has told me the Real Gap organisation seems pretty sound.

They're absolutely fine...my daughter's been all over with them. A very reputable company! But if you're taking out travel insurance to cover your daughter and chances are she'll end up scuba diving or doing something "adventurous" (because they all do!), just make sure that you read the small print on your policy. I insured my daughter with True Traveller www.adventuretravelinsurance.co.uk but I've heard World Nomads www.worldnomads.com are also good for this kind of thing

daughter going to other side of planet should organise her own travel insurance, with advice from parents. Responsibility lesson #1. And insurance is a must, not an 'if'.

an uninsured accident could mean you face the unattractive choice of losing your house or leaving the child in the other country. It has happened.

please make sure they understand what is insured, and that they are not covered if drunk.

another answer on your other thread.

My 18 yr daughter is planning to travel to Thailand in the summer with Gap360. I had just paid the deposit of £199 when I decided to read the Foreign office advice. Bad idea: sounds potentially dangerous - everything from violent random attacks, drink spiking, rape, political unrest, terrorism, dengue fever and high rate of road deaths, not to mention dangerous sports! Didn't get much sleep last night. Any thoughts or advice from parents who have been through this?

revived zombie but what the heck - yes, all those things are true. Although she shouldn't be in the 'no go' areas anyway, and a lot of those risks are in the UK too.

these exotic destinations are not Tenerife with warm water, there is more to it than that. That said, many go to Thailand and come back unharmed.

your daughter needs to do the research in conjunction with you.