Hands Up Holidays specializes in combining work and play. Its nine-day Taste of Thailand in Style trip begins with an overnight cruise from Bankok to Authaya, with tours of both cities. Three days are spent volunteering at an orphanage in Phang Nga, which is home to children who lost their families to the 2004 tsunami. Volunteers help with basic repairs, garden, and spend time with the children. Afterwards, the tour continues to a beach resort with access to great diving and snorkeling.

From $3,900, (201) 984-5372, handsupholidays.com. Photo courtesy of Hands Up Holidays.