In February 2026, the Premiere students embarked on an “Edutainment” trip to Krabi, Thailand. The primary objective of the trip was to observe and study the local geological outcrops as well as analyse key environmental and ecological issues, bridging classroom theory with real-world practice in alignment with the official French National Education curriculum in Earth and Life Sciences (SVT).
Key highlights of the itinerary included hiking to the summit of Dragon’s Crest (Ngon Nak Nature Trail), rock climbing, studying limestone formations, exploring the mangrove ecosystem by kayak, and visiting a self-sufficient organic farm.
We spoke to some of our students to hear about their standout moments and takeaways from the experience. Here is what they had to say:
Paolina PÉRIER
Our day in Railay was definitely the highlight for me. After spending the morning studying rock formations, it was wonderful to see real-life examples of what we had been learning about in class. The scenery around Princess Cave felt almost magical. Getting inside required some climbing, which was a bit scary, but the view was completely worth it! The rock climbing instructors made us feel very safe, and sharing the experience with friends—swimming, exploring, and shopping—made it the perfect balance between academics and fun.
Throughout the five days, we did so much more than study geology. Hiking Khao Ngon Nak was exhausting due to the heat, but chatting with friends and teachers along the trail was fantastic. We also visited an organic farm where we learned about sustainable agriculture (and made traditional Thai coconut treats!), kayaked through mangroves, and spent time at the beach. Every evening, we worked for one to two hours to complete our graded SVT notebooks—so while it was very enjoyable, it was definitely not a holiday!
While geology still isn’t my primary passion, seeing these concepts in nature made them far more accessible and tangible. More than that, traveling as a large group brought us closer together. Working in teams under challenging conditions—the heat, long hikes, and group assignments—built unexpected friendships and made the trip an unforgettable success.”
Marion PAILLÉ
The most memorable moment for me was our day on the island of Railay. The landscapes were beautiful and the day was amazing. In the morning we studied rocks with an amazing view and visited a cave. Then we had a nice swim in the ocean before lunch with everyone on the other side of the island. And in the afternoon we did a climbing activity and it was so fun.
At the end of the day we went back to the hotel and had fun in the hotel pool.
During this trip we did so many fun activities we went kayaking and visited a rice field, went to the beach and had nice swims, we ate at a restaurant on the water which was very cool, we did shopping at a traditional market and bought souvenirs for our families.
This trip made me learn a lot of things that I didn’t know. We saw so many different environments and we learned a lot about the history of the rocks and the different types.
Elisa BENAIGES
There were many memorable moments during the trip, as it is a real opportunity to be able to take classes outside the high school. My best memories remain canoeing and the relaxing moments on the beach. This trip also allowed me to get to know students with whom I didn’t necessarily spend a lot of time before. We shared some great moments together. There was also the visit to the organic farm, where we discovered how the house was built as well as all its crops and plantings.
The schedule was packed. We participated in all the activities related to our SVT classes, as well as sports activities like hiking, rock climbing, and canoeing. I really appreciated being able to observe in the field what we study in class. In 11th grade (Première) SVT, we focus particularly on rocks, and the trip to Krabi helped us better understand their formation through field observations. We also conducted landscape studies. We even had classes at the end of the day in a hotel room—tiring, but interesting.
It perhaps reinforced my choice of the SVT specialty, since I am continuing with this option in 12th grade (Terminale) this year. The concepts studied, like geological fieldwork, became concrete through field observations. It was also great to spend time with students and teachers in a different context, outside of high school. Thank you for this incredible experience.
More than just a science trip, Krabi gave our students a fresh perspective on the world around them—and memories that will last far beyond the classroom.
