Mad Monkey in the news
Jun
Mad Monkey Hostels and KrapMaps Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Sustainable Youth Tourism in Southeast Asia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mad Monkey Hostels, a leader in social and sustainable youth accommodation across Southeast Asia and Australia, has partnered with KrapMaps. KrapMaps is an innovative crowdsourced platform for waste management. This collaboration begins with pilot programs in two key destinations: Uluwatu, Indonesia, and Chiang Mai, Thailand. This initiative tackles a critical issue: waste management in popular tourist areas. It empowers travelers with a practical, community-driven solution. The KrapMaps app helps users find and map public waste disposal points, including recycling facilities. This promotes responsible waste practices and helps create cleaner local environments. “At Mad Monkey, our commitment goes beyond great social experiences. We also foster positive community and environmental impact,” stated Lexie Hadley, Head of Marketing at Mad Monkey. “Our partnership with KrapMaps aligns perfectly with our values. It turns environmental responsibility from a passive idea into an active, engaging experience for our guests. This directly helps preserve the vibrant places where we operate. Ultimately, our community becomes part of the solution, ensuring these cherished locations remain sustainable long-term.” Strategic Imperative: Empowering Responsible Travel Tourism brings economic benefits, but it often creates significant waste challenges. KrapMaps offers a scalable, tech-driven solution. It uses collective action. By gamifying the process of finding waste disposal locations, the platform encourages active participation from backpackers. This turns a common frustration into a constructive contribution. Pilot Program: Uluwatu, Indonesia and Chiang Mai, Thailand The pilot programs are currently operational at Mad Monkey Uluwatu and Mad Monkey Chiang Mai. Guests are actively encouraged to download the KrapMaps application and contribute to the mapping efforts within their local surroundings. This engagement is incentivized through a gamified system where top contributors at Mad Monkey properties can earn exclusive rewards, including complimentary stays and recognition on the global KrapMaps leaderboard. “We are immensely pleased to collaborate with Mad Monkey, a brand that deeply understands and champions community engagement,” commented Harley Treagust, Founder & CEO at KrapMaps. “Our shared vision is to cultivate a global network of environmentally conscious travelers who are proactive in preserving the beauty of their visited destinations. Launching this initiative in Uluwatu and Chiang Mai with Mad Monkey provides an ideal foundation for broader adoption and impact.” About Mad Monkey Hostels Mad Monkey is a leading hostel operator in Southeast Asia, known for experience-driven stays that blend affordable accommodation with community, adventure, and unforgettable social energy. With locations across Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, and Australia, Mad Monkey is more than a place to stay – it’s a place to belong. About KrapMaps KrapMaps is a pioneering sustainable travel application developed by and for backpackers. As the world’s first crowdsourced platform for locating waste disposal points, KrapMaps leverages gamification and community participation to empower travelers in reducing their environmental footprint and promoting cleaner travel habits.
Jun
Mad Monkey Gives Back: Over $11,000 Invested in Local Communities for Q1 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SOUTHEAST ASIA, MAY 2026 — We are incredibly proud to announce the significant achievements of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives for the first quarter of 2026, covering January through April. Our collective efforts completely surpassed targets, raising a total of $11,489 USD. We have channeled these funds directly into diverse grassroots projects, reflecting our deep commitment to empowering local populations and enhancing the well-being of the host destinations we call home. Spotlight on Impact: Education, Infrastructure, and Community Empowerment Bangkok, Thailand: Empowering Future Generations with AI Learning Our team at Mad Monkey Bangkok walked down the street to Wat Sungwej School to deliver our Q1 partner CSR donation, marking a massive milestone for our property. We made a substantial donation of 50,000 THB (approximately $1,531 USD) directly into our local community! Many students at Wat Sungwej live in lower-income areas and lack tech access at home as well as basic supplies. Our investment directly funds the school’s new air-conditioned AI learning hub—purchasing computing hardware, setting up English-learning software, and creating a comfortable, stimulating space for kids to study and connect together. To ensure complete transparency, we have even launched a physical Mad Love Board directly in our Bangkok hostel lobby, allowing our travelers to visually track the real-world, human impact of their stay and learn how to get involved firsthand! Hoi An, Vietnam: Providing Essential Support to Children Over in Vietnam, we have been contributing 70,000 VND (around $2.30 USD) per guest from our weekly Free Flow event every Friday. From February 27th to March 31st, our teams and guests successfully raised a total of 7,046,000 VND ($271 USD). We converted these funds into 20 comprehensive gift sets packed with essential items such as rice, cooking oil, and basic seasonings. We delivered these directly to Children’s Heritages to provide vital food security to local families in need. Mad Monkey Panglao: Tattoo for a Cause On the island of Panglao, we hosted an innovative “Tattoo Competition for a Cause” in March, with 32 local tattoo artists participating. We raised 3,200 PHP from a portion of the artists’ registration fees and an additional 5,100 PHP from walk-in ticket sales at the entrance. Together with our regular weekly Beer Pong for a Cause and Bingo for a Cause events, we raised a grand total of 27,443.00 PHP (approximately $445 USD). These funds flow directly into our Level 2 sustainability and community interventions on the island. Mad Monkey Phuket: Phuket Community Kick-Off: Colouring + Playgrounds Our team at Mad Monkey Phuket handed over 22,800 THB (approximately $700 USD) from our Q1 CSR initiatives. We brought food and supplies, and spent a genuinely heartwarming morning running art activities and coloring workshops with the kids—seeing exactly where the money goes makes everything we do feel even more worthwhile. The funds we have donated so far have completely transformed the neighborhood by helping build a cool new play area for them. Last time we visited, this plot was just an empty space; now, it is amazing to see the transformation into a vibrant playground where the children can play safely. Ultimately, none of this would be possible without the incredible synergy between our local community partners, our fiercely dedicated property teams, and most importantly, our guests. At Mad Monkey, we have always believed that travel should be a force for good. Our travelers are proving every single day that you don’t have to choose between having the unforgettable, time-of-your-life adventure and being a conscious global citizen. By simply showing up, engaging, and sharing in our journey, you are helping us leave a lasting,…
May
Mad Monkey Celebrates 60,000 Mad Loyalty Members Following Revolutionary Tech and Community Overhaul
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SOUTHEAST ASIA, MAY 2026 — We are incredibly proud to officially announce a massive milestone for the Mad Monkey family: our Mad Loyalty program has officially skyrocketed past 60,000 active members! This explosive growth marks a fundamental shift in how we connect with and retain our guests, sparking a dramatic surge in our direct bookings and community engagement. While we’ve been working hard behind the scenes for years, the real magic happened late last year. “We saw a massive inflection point in October 2025,” says Luke Coleman, Head of Technology at Mad Monkey. “That was the exact moment our new back-end system launched and a wave of cross-departmental initiatives truly came together. By seamlessly aligning our CRM, executing active on-site initiatives, and radically improving how we convert OTA (Online Travel Agency) guests into loyalty members, we’ve cracked the code. Travelers discover us through third parties, but they join Mad Loyalty to make their second, third, and future bookings directly with us.” The 5 Pillars Behind Our 60K Milestone We attribute this rapid acceleration to five key strategic initiatives where we completely transformed Mad Loyalty from a standard rewards program into an essential part of the backpacker experience: 1. Our V3 Platform Launch: Stripping Away the Friction We started by completely overhauling our digital infrastructure. When we launched our V3 platform, we significantly increased our website speed, stabilized consistency, and streamlined the user experience. By doubling down on Google Single Sign-On and cutting down mobile checkout steps, we successfully removed onboarding friction right at high-intent moments, keeping our highly mobile, tech-savvy travelers happy and engaged. 2. Our “Surprise & Delight” OTA Conversion Strategy Instead of viewing third-party booking platforms as competition, we decided to turn them into our biggest recruitment funnel. Our front-desk teams and digital prompts now allow OTA guests to retroactively attach their existing bookings to a newly created Mad Loyalty account. This creates an immediate “surprise and delight” moment where guests instantly see their tier progression and unlock rewards on day one, successfully converting third-party bookers into our direct ecosystem. 3. Turning Loyalty into a Social Travel Ecosystem We knew we would fail if we built a traditional, corporate “points-hoarding” scheme. Instead, we made our loyalty accounts double as social travel profiles. Our members can link their Instagram, showcase their personal traveler world maps, access “meet other travelers” features, and jump into in-app group chats. The platform directly reinforces our core DNA: helping solo travelers build genuine community and friendships. 4. Optimizing Our Automated CRM Journeys Behind the scenes, we completely optimized our CRM automation flows to supercharge the guest lifecycle. The exact moment a guest qualifies for a new tier or an exclusive perk, our automated, hyper-targeted nudges guide them through their rewards journey. This seamless digital nurturing gives our guests clear visibility into their progression, driving an immediate desire for repeat direct bookings with us. 5. Gamifying Our On-Site Operational Execution We know that great technology is only as good as the team executing it on the ground. We introduced weekly loyalty conversion reporting across all our properties, fostering healthy, gamified competition among our hostel teams. By implementing property leaderboards and recognition systems, our on-site operational crews now treat loyalty sign-ups as a top-tier commercial priority, rapidly sharing best practices across our entire global network. Cultivating Community, Not Corporate Schemes Ultimately, we hit the 60,000-member mark because our program actually aligns with who we are. Mad Loyalty functions less like a clinical corporate program and more like an exclusive back-stage pass to the ultimate travel experience—complete with loyalty-only happy hours, early-access promotions, and…
May
Cinco de Mayo at Mad Monkey: Southeast Asia’s Best Backpacker Fiesta
Cinco de Mayo at Mad Monkey did what Mad Monkey events are meant to do: put backpackers in one place, add tequila, tacos, loud music, and let the night turn into a bit of a beautiful mess. Across our hostels, 400+ travellers joined the fiesta. Some came in groups. Plenty came solo. Most left with new mates, messy camera rolls, and at least one “how did we end up here?” story. The biggest scenes? Uluwatu and Nusa Lembongan. Both went properly off. Think free-flow drinks, sweaty dance floors, Mexican bites, hostel chaos, and that exact point in the night where everyone stops pretending they are “just having one.” What Happened at Mad Monkey for Cinco de Mayo? Mad Monkey’s Cinco de Mayo event was built around the good stuff: 3 hours of free-flow drinks, DJs, tacos, nachos, margaritas, cerveza, tequila, and backpackers who were very ready to get involved The event did exactly what Mad Monkey events are meant to do: it made it ridiculously easy for travellers to meet, eat, drink, dance, and wake up with stories they absolutely needed to piece together over breakfast. Why the night felt like classic Mad Monkey A lot of places can hang a few decorations and call it a fiesta. Cute. Mad Monkey had the unfair advantage: we already had the backpackers, the bar teams, the communal tables, the poolside energy, the dorm-room pregame, and the “who are all these people and why are we best friends now?” atmosphere. Mad Monkey does not need to sanitize the backpacker experience. Communal dorms, buckets, late-night swims, chaotic group chats, and spontaneous adventures are the whole point. Cinco de Mayo just wrapped all of that in tacos and tequila. Why Mad Monkey is the place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo while travelling A regular bar gives you drinks. Cool. Mad Monkey gives you the whole night around the drinks. You get the pregame in the dorm. The random table you somehow join. The mate you met five minutes ago yelling the lyrics with you. The “we should all go to Siargao” conversation. The next-morning breakfast debrief where everyone slowly pieces the night back together. That is why Cinco de Mayo works at Mad Monkey. It is not just an event on a calendar. It becomes part of the trip. Uluwatu and Nusa Lembongan stole the show Every location brought its own flavour, but Uluwatu and Nusa Lembongan were the biggest party spots. Uluwatu had that full Bali backpacker charge: sunburnt travellers, big bar energy, tequila confidence, and a crowd that did not need much convincing to go all in. Nusa Lembongan had the island version: sandy feet, salty hair, loud music, and the type of night where people say they are leaving early and then absolutely do not. Both had what makes a Mad Monkey party work: people who actually want to meet people. No weird velvet-rope nonsense. No stiff table service. Just travellers, drinks, music, and a room full of “yeah, why not?” energy. It was a Southeast Asia backpacker moment, scattered across islands, cities, beaches, and social hubs. Why this matters for future travellers If you are backpacking Southeast Asia and wondering where to celebrate global events like Cinco de Mayo, the answer is simple: go where the backpackers already are. Show up solo, leave with a crew. Where one drink turns into a flight to the next island and the vibes are always real, never forced. No “icebreakers,” no filters—just unscripted madness and your new dorm fam. That is Mad Monkey. Watch the chaos: Cinco de Mayo on Instagram Want the proof…
May
Mad Monkey Hostels’ Biggest King’s Day Yet: 2000+ Travelers Across Southeast Asia Found Belonging
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE King’s Day has been part of Mad Monkey’s calendar for years. But on April 27, 2026, we did something we’d never done before. We coordinated our largest King’s Day celebration simultaneously across 24 locations in Southeast Asia. We expected a party. What we got was something much bigger. 2000+ travelers from dozens of countries came together. Dutch travelers celebrated their culture abroad. Non-Dutch travelers experienced authentic cultural celebration. Boat parties, free-flow drinks, live DJs, the iconic orange dress code. It was chaotic and beautiful and messy. But underneath all that, something real was happening. People were connecting. They were creating memories together. They were finding home while away from home. Why This Matters Travel research shows that 73% of travelers seek authentic cultural experiences. Gen Z is actively looking for community and belonging while traveling. But most travel experiences are transactional. Arrive, consume, leave. Cultural celebration is different. When you celebrate together, whether it’s a Dutch holiday or any other cultural moment, you’re creating shared memory and connection. That transforms a hostel from a place to sleep into a place to belong. We’ve learned that cultural celebration is one of the most powerful ways to build genuine community. When travelers participate in something authentic, something rooted in real culture and tradition, they connect with each other differently. They’re not performing for Instagram. They’re just together. What We Learned The scale of King’s Day 2026 revealed something about what we’re building at Mad Monkey. It’s not just about parties or cheap beds. It’s about creating spaces where people from different countries, backgrounds, and cultures can come together and feel part of something real. We had Dutch travelers reconnecting with their culture. We had travelers from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Laos experiencing Dutch traditions for the first time. We had people who arrived as strangers and left as friends. We had travelers extending their stays because they didn’t want to leave the community they’d found. That’s the hostel industry we’re building. Not transient party destinations. Genuine community spaces where cultural celebration creates belonging at scale. “Cultural celebration is infrastructure for community,” says Lexie Hadley, Head of Marketing . “When you bring people together around something authentic, something real happens. That’s what we saw on King’s Day.” The Bigger Picture This moment reflects a larger shift in travel. Younger travelers are moving away from curated, Instagram-focused experiences toward moments that feel genuine and meaningful. They’re seeking authentic experiences, genuine community, and a sense of belonging. Cultural celebrations, especially those that include both locals and international travelers, are becoming a key way travel brands create this sense of belonging. For us, King’s Day 2026 wasn’t just a party. It was a statement about what Mad Monkey stands for. Genuine community. Cultural authenticity. The power of shared celebration to create belonging across borders. About Mad Monkey Hostels Mad Monkey is a leading hostel operator in Southeast Asia, known for experience-driven stays that blend affordable accommodation with community, adventure, and unforgettable social energy. With locations across Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, and Australia, Mad Monkey is more than a place to stay – it’s a place to belong.