The many ways that volunteering abroad can be harmful are being exposed in the media with increasing frequency.

In recent years, the concept of voluntourism has been popular all over the world, as it has so many benefits. In its simplest sense, it is a combination of volunteering and traveling. You go on a vacation not just to explore the beauty of certain destination, but to also share your efforts and do good deeds for the local community.

Interested in trying it? Below are five of the places where you can do this.

Quite possibly, volunteering while traveling is the most rewarding way to experience a destination. It’s an immersion into the local culture with a lasting social impact. For students, it opens their minds and their hearts, introduces them to privilege and empathy, and can ignite a new passion. Hostelling International USA (HI USA) recognizes this potential and doesn’t believe cost should get in the way.

If you’ve ever wanted to know about volunteering when you travel but weren’t sure where to start, I have THE BOOK for you.  Author Amy E. Robertson has penned the best volunteering guide I’ve ever read: Moon Volunteer Vacations in Latin America. And while it focuses on Latin America, this book should be the first thing you pick up if you’re ready to learn about volunteer travel.