Landing a hospitality internship in a 5-star hotel is a huge win for your resume. You’re going to learn how 5-star hotels and resorts operate, clock impressive professional hours, and embody the art of providing bespoke guest service.
But what happens during your free time?
Your weekends during your internship abroad shouldn’t just be about catching up on sleep or scrolling through your phone. This is the perfect time to go on adventures and see what else is out there!
If you’re ready to trade your intern uniform for some hiking boots or a swimsuit, here are 5 breathtaking national parks across Asia you might want to consider visiting on your days off.
1. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Vietnam)
If you end up choosing to intern in Vietnam, make sure to add Phong Nha-Ke Bang National to one of your weekend plans! It’s where you will find one of the oldest karst mountains in Asia (over 400 million years old) and also the largest caves on the planet.
- What to do: You might not have the thousands of dollars or the two-year waiting list to trek through Son Doong, the largest cave, but you can still kayak through Phong Nha Cave or zipline into Dark Cave for a mud bath in the dark.
- Tip: It gets very humid, so bring quick-dry clothes.
2. Cat Ba National Park (Vietnam)
Located right on Cat Ba Island in Ha Long Bay region, this park is where green limestone cliffs sit in the turquoise ocean. It’s a sensory overload and daresay the perfect escape if you want both jungle trekking and beach lounging.
- What to do: Hike up to the Ngu Lam Peak for a 360-degree view of the endless green hills. Keep your eyes peeled for the Cat Ba Langur, one of the rarest monkeys in the world, and they look like they have a gold mohawk.
- Tip: Rent a scooter with a few of your fellow interns to travel to the park entrance. It’s affordable, the coastal roads are beautiful, and it gives you total freedom to go around. Just wear a helmet!
3. Akan-Mashu National Park (Japan)
If your hospitality journey ever takes you to Japan, Akan-Mashu that is up in Hokkaido, this park is famous for its crystal-clear caldera lakes which are craters formed by volcanic activity and dense, mysterious forests.
- What to do: Visit Lake Mashu, which is frequently blanketed in a heavy fog that looks cinematic. Afterward, check out the bubbling mud volcanoes at Mount Iou or visit the local Ainu village to experience a completely different aspect of Japanese culture.
- Tip: If you’re visiting in the cooler months, take advantage of the natural onsen (hot springs) scattered around the park.
4. Khao Sok National Park (Thailand)
For those interning in the Land of Smiles, Khao Sok is the kind of getaway that boasts a rainforest that is older and more biologically diverse than the Amazon, with massive limestone towers shooting straight out of a hidden lake.
- What to do: Skip the standard hotel room for a weekend and book a stay in a floating bamboo bungalow. You can literally wake up, open your front door, and dive straight into the lake.
- Tip: There is zero cell service deep in the lake area, perfect for some digital detox.
5. Komodo National Park (Indonesia)
If you are placed anywhere near Indonesia, you have to make the pilgrimage to the land of the dragons. Spread across several volcanic islands, this UNESCO World Heritage site looks like a prehistoric paradise.
- What to do: See the Komodo Dragons with a certified ranger, because those things are fast! But the real showstopper for your Instagram feed is Pink Beach, one of the few places on earth where the sand actually glows a pastel pink due to microscopic coral fragments.
- Tip: The diving and snorkeling here are world-class. If you aren’t scuba certified yet, your internship period is the perfect time to get your license so you can swim with the giant manta rays here.
Ready to start your own international adventure? Apply now.
