With carbon emissions a massive 82% lower than hotels, hostels are already sustainability success stories 🤩 But what are they doing to get there? How do hostels protect the environment, support local communities and champion local culture?
In our Sustainability Stories series, we’re shining the spotlight on hostels that go the extra mile to have a positive impact and help travellers explore more responsibly. In previous posts, we’ve covered volunteering, accessibility and next-level recycling at hostels from Spain to Colombia. Now, we’re putting Mad Monkey on your radar 🐵 With hostels across Southeast Asia and tons of cool CSR (Coporate Social Responsibility) initiatives, they make it fun and easy to do good on your travels.
Ready to travel with purpose? Watch the video below, then scroll for more 👀
Meet Mad Monkey
Mad Monkey was founded in 2011 by three backpackers who fell in love with Cambodia and its people and wanted to take action to address the immense poverty in the country.
From day one, Mad Monkey’s mission has been to blend travel with meaningful community impact, driving lasting positive change by facilitating connections and transformative experiences for both guests and local communities 🫶
Today, the hostel group has presence in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia. Every hostel aims to provide the best customer experience in the most sustainable way for the benefit of its guests, team members, and the local community.
Mad Love: a movement with heart
In September 2024, Mad Monkey launched a new sub-brand, Mad Love, announcing exciting plans to deepen their commitment to socially responsible travel. From educational programmes to environmental conservation, Mad Love amplifies Mad Monkey’s core values. Making a real difference to local communities and giving guests a memorable experience is at the centre of the Mad Love movement 🧡
A Mad Monkey rep said: “Mad Love represents the heartbeat of our CSR efforts, embodying our passion for community upliftment and environmental conservation. It’s not just a programme; it’s a movement of love, dedication, and transformative action.”
Education initiatives
Mad Love partners with schools across Southeast Asia to provide essential resources, improve facilities, and ensure that students have what they need to thrive. The ultimate goal? To empower local communities by investing in the future of their children🎒
In the Philippines, Mad Love works closely with schools in Siargao, Siquijor, and Nacpan Beach – they’ve organised meal programmes to combat student hunger, supplied classrooms with critical learning materials, and helped create supportive environments that foster growth.
In Gili T, Indonesia, efforts include partnering with local community schools to improve infrastructure and provide much-needed educational resources, with hostel guests and team members often pitching in.
Sustainability efforts
Mad Monkey Hoi An (Vietnam) and Coogee Beach (Australia) have a Level 2 Sustainability Badge thanks to eco-friendly efforts – and it doesn’t stop there 🍃 Using these as their shining examples, Mad Monkey plans for all their hostels to reach similar sustainability milestones by reducing waste, conserving water, and encouraging guests to travel more sustainably.
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Their commitment to the environment goes beyond what happens inside the hostels. For World Oceans Day, beach clean-ups were organised at Nacpan Beach, Panglao, Siargao and Koh Rong as part of a long-term dedication to protecting and preserving the natural beauty of the places they call home.
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For one of the Mad Love launch events, the team ran a Nacpan Beach clean-up where hostel guests and team members joined forces with 100 children from a local community partner to pick litter and learn about the importance of sustainability. There was also a DJ to keep the energy high with epic beats! 🎧
Similarly, in Chiang Mai they hosted an Eco Fun Run to launch Mad Love, where guests and team members laced up their shoes for a 30-minute run around the city’s iconic landmarks, all while collecting trash to keep the streets clean. This was followed by lunch and poolside games at the hostel 😊
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Clean water projects
As an essential requirement for both health and community growth, clean water access is a major focus of Mad Love initiatives.
In Vang Vieng, they’ve partnered with Abundant Water to install water filters at Naduang School, giving students access to clean, drinkable water every day. Across Cambodia, they fund water wells in rural communities to ensure families have a consistent and reliable source of clean water 💧
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How you can get involved
Join the Mad Love movement
Mad Love events happen every quarter. They’re announced a few weeks in advance on social media, so make sure you follow @madmonkeyhostels on TikTok and Instagram! You can RSVP on the event pages or sign up when you arrive at the hostel.
Join fun events
In the Philippines, Mad Monkey Hostels host nightly events like bingo and beer pong, where a percentage of the cost is donated to partner charities. At Mad Monkey Nacpan Beach, you can join children from Calitang Elementary School on Wednesdays to help with the weekly beach clean-up🌴
Donate
You may spot donation boxes during your Mad Monkey stay. Donations help fund numerous projects such as feeding programmes, school supplies, crisis responses and more.
Volunteer
Guests are encouraged to visit Mad Love’s partner organisations (this should be organised in advance by chatting to the hostel team).
And more…
There’s more to come in 2025, including online donations to help fund projects year-round and Mad Monkey merch where all proceeds will go directly to charity. Watch this space!
Every stay with Mad Monkey goes beyond unforgettable adventures – guests can create a ripple effect of positive change in local communities by supporting impactful projects and making meaningful connections. We’re totally here for it, and hope you are too 🫶
More Sustainability Stories:
Sustainability Stories: Volunteering at Rio Hostel Buritaca – Hostelworld Travel Blog
Sustainability Stories: Recycling at St Christopher’s Inn, Barcelona – Hostelworld Travel Blog
Sustainability Stories: Championing Accessibility at INOUT Hostel – Hostelworld Travel Blog
