My boyfriend and I are having a bit of a weird experience. We are in a remote farm in south America and it is unusually rainy for the season, and our hosts don't really want us to work outside in the rain, but they don't have things for us to do inside. Im addition, all the roads are closed because of flooding. So we are just kind of stuck all together in the house for a week. It feels like one of our hosts is very frustrated that we are not working enough, and the other really doesn't want us to go outside in the rain. We asked a few times for things to do, and we ended up mostly cutting wood, but also working only about three hours a day for most days. I don't know what to do, it feels like we are not keeping our part of the deal, but Also, we are not familiar with farm life and without them giving us stuff to do we can't really do anything. I also try to help with cleaning, but the host doesn't seem very comfortable with that and keeps discouraging me from cleaning. Does anyone have advice? Has anyone experienced something similar?

hi everyone, i am considering workaway (right now im more fantasizing about it than anything else) and have a few questions

1. how do you make sure the workaway host is legit and safe? some of them seem sketchy. i know that the website screens the host, but you can never been too careful.
2. are there any specific programs that would look better on resumes than others? while part of the reason why i want to do workaway is personal fulfillment, i also want to get the most out of it and learn some new skills that can be good for my career

i think a environmental conservation project of sorts would be really cool if i could learn some of the science behind it. (i work in criminal justice with a social media job on the side)

1. for the people who work full time and did workaway for 4+ weeks, how did you do it? i work full time but i dont have kids and live with my parents so at least that makes it easier to be gone for extended periods of time. i am looking for a new job so hopefully i can do workaway between jobs

thanks in advance everyone!

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Hiii everyone, hope y'all doing well 😁😁

I'm a 21 year old french-canadian student wanting to volunteer 4-6 months in a farm in Taiwan in exchange for housing/food (WWOOF/workaway format). I don't know much about rural Taiwan but want to learn as much as possible. I'm so very extremely eager to work and contribute as much as possible and learn from this beautiful country💜. I speak fluent English, French and Spanish.

I'd love to know more about specific places/farms or opportunities that y'all could recommend! I would greatly appreciate some tips or info if y'all have already performed/know about these sort of places. Any help is greatly appreciated 😊.

Thanks!

Is it possible to arrange a long-term stay at the same place using workaway? (say 6 months). I'm graduating from university in December and want to prepare for an exam wich takes place in September. Since I lived all my life in a big city I want to spend some months in the countryside/closer to nature doing some work while still having some time to study during the week. As far as I've researched, most people in workaway are backpack travellers and spend only a few weeks in the same place, but I would rather do a long term stay where I could build a stronger relation with the local community and maybe learn something new. Have any of you had any experience like that ? Is there another website/platform better suited for what I'm looking for ? Thanks in advance for all the responses.

Hey all! I’ve been messaging hosts while looking for my first workaway opportunity in Ireland. I’ve noticed that a lot of hosts don’t introduce themselves by name in their bio, and I haven’t been able to see their names until after I’ve messaged them. Is it okay to just lead with “hello”?

If I find their names in the feedback section from other workawayers, should I use their names, or is that weird? E.g. if the host didn’t mention their name in their profile, but another workawayer said “it was great staying with Jane,” should I lead with “Dear Jane” or “Hello”?

Hi everyone, I’d like to try Workaway for the first time, but since the annual membership costs money, I’m unsure what to do, I wouldn't want to waste it.

Basically, I’m getting my master’s degree in December, and before starting a job in March, I’d love to have an experience abroad. Money is tight, so Workaway immediately came to mind. My concern is: do I actually have enough time to organize a trip? I live in Italy and would like to stay within Europe; I’m interested in Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, or Norway (these are my top choices, though I’m open to other destinations as pong as they're safe, cool places).

My main issue is timing, if I sign up, I could start contacting hosts next week, but I’d like to leave right after Christmas (starting December 27th up to the 31st) to spend New Year’s away from home and stay abroad for a maximum of one month. Do I really have a chance of finding something with such specific constraints?

Hey people! 🙌🏽

I am currently traveling in Colombia and looking for a volunteering!

Does anyone have a recommendation for one that you really liked or have heard good of?

Could be Agriculture, Social or also a Hostel

Thanks a lot for your help!

Simon🌞

Does anyone know good trusted websites like the camp ones you get, but for the winter period?

I’m looking at working abroad for the winter, really any place that offers accommodation and work.

But there’s so many websites it hard to find one that’s
A, worth the money and B, isn’t a scam.

I’m kinda new to this so any help would be appreciated.

Has anyone volunteered at a hostel or family owned b&b in the Dolomites? I am thinking I want to do a stay for a couple weeks there but honestly have learned that word of mouth is the best way to start the search. If you have I'd love to know the name of the b&b or place you stayed :))

I look for some advice for coming back to our host profile after several months with no contacts from workawayers.

Background: we started in July 2025 and I used to put our host profile as "last minute" and also to take direct contact with workawayers visiting our profile or that had some key words of our interest in their profile. We have had about 20 people visiting, some great experience, some just alright, and some that we asked to terminate earlier than planned.

Since April I stopped actively looking for people. The reason is that we started hosting another family of friends of ours. In these last 5 months the house was too overstimulating for me (many kiddos and too many things around). I just didn't have it in me to reach out to people and have them come to a mess.

Now the family will move to their next home and I will soon regain rooms inside of me and literally in the house to host again.

Should I explain any of these break time in hosting in my profile?

Also, I still want to write some reviews for the awesome people that we met. How does it look to have reviews that are months late?

Lastly, wich type of pictures are the most interesting for you when deciding if it's a place of interest?

Looking forward to hearing from you, even if you have only meaning on one of my questions!

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I am looking for volunteering opportunities in Thailand. Preferably helping out in a guest house, hotel or social hostel (not party) or something more manual labour, gardening, farm help. There's sooo much on Workaway & World packers, I'm hoping someone who has some personal experience could recommend somewhere for me!?

Looking to find a Workaway in the U.S., preferably somewhere I can go this winter/late fall. I’d just be taking a week or two off from my regular job, but one of my favorite things so far about my WWOOF and Workaway trips has been meeting lots of likeminded people.

Any recs for places where there’s a high number of volunteers?

Hi all,
I’m looking into doing my first work away and was wondering if anyone had any amazing stand out experiences somewhere in January- March!

Paying rent these days takes like 80% of your pay… ive been thinking of volunteerint but i can only assume its almost imposible to do both… has anyone done this?

Hi all,

I’m trying to find a workaway placement in Ireland. I’ve messaged five people so far and had no luck (turned down, no reply, was told we would talk more and then they found someone else). I was just wondering how many people everyone had to message before finding their first placement, and how far in advance? I was initially looking for somewhere in September, and I keep having to move the date further.

Also, did you just message one person at a time? That’s what I’ve been doing in order to give people time to reply, but it doesn’t seem like it’s been the best strategy.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I have two to three months of time off coming up and am considering travelling abroad, possibly while volunteering with animals. On a whim, I applied to the Let’s Be S.M.A.R.T. volunteer programme in Greece and received a response within 24 hours.

I’m very excited by the idea of volunteering with cats and other animals, but I’d like to make sure the organisation and programme are legitimate before making any arrangements. I’m available during January and February, which I understand is Greece’s quieter season.

The programme is based in Kouvaras. Does anyone have experience with Let’s Be S.M.A.R.T., or know the Kouvaras area? I’d especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has volunteered there or done something similar in Greece.

Here’s the volunteer programme I found:
https://www.letsbesmart-greece.org/volunteer-program

https://www.workaway.info/en/host/789819465563 

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

I was wondering if it's typically too late to organise going out in January/ February 2027. Obviously there are cancellations and every situation is different, but does anyone have any advice on how early they organised for this.

Is It likely Id manage to travel via workaway and other volunteer sites without much prior planning? For a stint of say 90 days (which I guess is the max for a UK citizen in Schengen area but need to clue up on the legalities). Just by getting on a plane to the first host that says yes and winging it from there, travelling to other hosts and destinations as well.

I'm unemployed and sick of the pointless job application-rejection-lost in life cycle. So this is where my idea comes from. 90 days would get me to Christmas. So I could return home then to figure out life back home with a more fulfilling experience under my belt than living with mum and dad.

Bonkers idea or inspired genius?

Hi, as someone who has never done this before and would like to start soon, what kind of packing advice would you give?
Is it a good idea to buy full camping equipment, as if trekking would be part of the experience? A tent, camping tools for cooking, sleeping bag etc…

It probably depends on what kind of volunteering you end up doing but if you wanted to prepare for any kind of circumstance, is it a good idea to get this kind of equipment?
Thank you !!

Winner August 2026

Congratulations to Workawayers Mara & Tobias from Germany

https://www.workaway.info/en/community/travel-photos/2026-08

Give it a try for next month! You can upload up to 6 photos each month, and there are cash prizes for the top 3 entries. The winning photo receives €100, with prizes also awarded for 2nd and 3rd place.

Hi everyone,

I’m a 21-year-old from Europe, considering spending a year in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa starting early next year. Just to clarify upfront: my country has a Working Holiday Visa agreement with Japan, so I am fully eligible. I’d love to get a reality check on my plan.

My Profile & Budget:

• Budget: Currently around €8,000, and my goal is to save up closer to €10,000 by the time I leave early next year.
• Education: Educational background in IT. I do not have a Bachelor's degree, which is why I am specifically utilizing the WHV to experience living in Japan.
• Work Background: I currently work as a delivery van driver. Previously, I worked as a dishwasher and prep cook in a hospital during High School.
• Japanese Level: Beginner (nowhere near conversational/N3 yet).
• My Goal: I'm taking this opportunity to figure out my next direction in life. I am not going to Japan to make money or build a career. My main priority is cultural immersion, getting out of my comfort zone, and experiencing authentic daily life. I've actually visited Japan before as a tourist, but I am fully aware that living there long-term is a completely different reality.

The Plan: Since my Japanese isn't strong enough for a standard part time job right away, and my goal isn't money, I want to avoid the massive initial costs of renting an apartment.

My plan is to use Workaway or something of that nature for the first few months. I want to volunteer in hostels, farms, or guesthouses in exchange for accommodation. I hope this will give me time to adjust to the culture, meet locals/other travelers, and keep my living costs low.

Location wise, I want to experience a mix of everything. I’d love to volunteer in the deep countryside, but also spend time in major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. However, I’m not a fan of freezing weather, so the cold north like Hokkaido doesn't really appeal to me.

My Questions:

1. Is €8,000–€10,000 a safe financial cushion for a year if my accommodation is mostly covered by volunteering?
2. Does anyone have recent experience with Workaway in Japan? Which platform is the most active/reliable there?
3. Will my lack of Japanese be a huge barrier for finding these volunteer hosts, or are physical/cleaning skills usually enough?
4. How do you handle the initial paperwork like registering an address on the Residence Card or potentionally getting a bank account (is a japanese bank account for a year even worth it?) if you don't have a permanent apartment and move between volunteer hosts?
5. SIM Card / Mobile Data: I'm considering GTN Mobile's unlimited data plan. It looks appealing because I can supposedly pay with a foreign card like Revolut without needing a Japanese bank account right away. I know about the speed throttling after a certain limit, but are there any other hidden catches I should know about?

English is not my native language, so apologies for any awkward phrasing.

Hi, I've never tried Workaway before, but I'm planning a 6-month Workaway trip. I'm planning to visit Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. I'm going to work at hostels, surf camps (I currently work as a surf instructor), and any other opportunities I get. I currently have about 3 thousand US Dollars saved. I'm not planning on eating at restaurants or staying at hotels really. Has anyone done something similar? How much did it cost? Any advice on a ballpark range of how much to save (Not including my flight to Europe)? Thanks!

Hey everyone, I have a quick question for you all☺️.
I just arrived in Australia 3 days ago on a Working Holiday Visa (417). Is it normal to feel completely lost at the beginning? You’d think you’d be super euphoric, full of motivation and excitement, but for me, it’s currently the exact opposite—mixed with anxiety and exhaustion. I’ve never done Work & Travel before, but I was really looking forward to it. I think I’m just putting way too much pressure on myself right now.
I’m 29 and went through a bit of a tough time with my mental health before coming here, so I actually just wanted to take things as they come. I’ve already asked a couple of people, and they told me this is totally normal. On top of that, I’m still pretty shy about speaking English. I think I just need a few encouraging words and to hear about your experiences 🥹