The 5 best island TEFL destinations
Ah, island TEFL destinations – there’s nothing quite like them. Beaches ringing the coast, palms stooping low to meet the water, tempting shoreline restaurants and golden-hour beer spots, and a whole load more is on the menu in these amazing places. If weekend days on the sands and evenings of sunset watching are what you’re after, then be sure to read on for our pick of the top 5 island TEFL destinations out there. From Thailand to Italy, there’s oodles to get through…
Taiwan
Taiwan is surely up there with the largest island TEFL destinations in the world. Formosa – the biggest island here – is over 13,800 square miles of downright gorgeous terrain. It rolls from the forested tops of the Taroko National Park all the way to the big beaches of the Kenting National Park. It also hosts the sprawling cityscape of Taipei, where over nine million people live, work, and play.
There’s no shortage of TEFL jobs in Taiwan. In fact, it’s one of our top Asian destinations these days. The pay can be excellent, too – think close to $2,450/month. Get in touch for more information about teaching here.
Malé
Malé is the main island and the home of the great capital of the Maldives. It’s one of the few places with any steady supply of TEFL jobs in this string of idyllic atolls in the Indian Ocean. They don’t pop up that often – there’s a relatively modest population of 500,000 living in the town. When they do, they’re open to folks with a TEFL cert, a BA college degree, and native English level. Salaries tend to be around $700-800 a month.
Oh, and don’t worry – Malé is close to plenty of beaches. On weekends, you’ll be able to hop on a boat and swim amid the coral gardens of Himmafushi or laze on the white-sand bays of Dhiffushi to name just two. Lovely.
Koh Samui
Long, golden-sand beaches fringe the north and the east coast of this island in the midst of the Thai Gulf. They’ve almost singlehandedly helped it become the leading light in Thai tourism in the last 20 years. Today, the whole place is packed with chic resorts with infinity pools and elegant villas for the honeymooners.
But Samui is also a bit of a TEFL course hotspot. Loads and loads of people come to the paradise isle to get qualified. Many opt to stick around and enjoy the hammock-swinging life once they’re done. However, jobs on Koh Samui are in high demand. They do exist: Around five large schools exist on the island and each employs over 20 teachers apiece. The trick is waiting until one becomes available and then pouncing ASAP!
Koh Rong
Okay, so you almost certainly won’t be able to get a TEFL job on Koh Rong itself. The island is little more than a sun, sand, and sea getaway off the Cambodian coast. What you can do is look for a job in the nearby port city of Sihanoukville and then spend every weekend you’ve got on the glorious talcum beaches after riding the short ferry across. Easy.
The reason we think this one’s worth an extra special mention is because Cambodia is now one of the top employers for non-native TEFL teachers and teachers without a degree. You might find that the turquoise seas of Rong are more accessible if you fit into either of those categories.
Sicily
The largest island in the Mediterranean is a doozy for would-be TEFL teachers looking to get stuck into everything that southern Europe can offer. What’s that, you ask? How about long, balmy summers, warm seas, fantastic wine and food, and historical towns that burst with 12th-century castles and cobbled streets. Good, eh?
Home to two major cities – Catania and Palermo – and a whole string of smaller towns, Sicily has ample employment opportunities. It’s also a good hub for TEFL summer camps, which tend to run between July and September most years.
If you have any island TEFL destinations to add to this list, we’d love to hear about them in the comments below. Alternatively, if you’re ready to get qualified and teaching in one of these surf-washed places, be sure to click over to our courses page to get started.