Press Releases
Jul
Mad Monkey Launches ALL IN Group Trips across Southeast Asia
For years, the same story has played out in Mad Monkey common areas across Southeast Asia. Someone arrives solo, bonds instantly with a crew over a pool game, and quietly rearranges their whole itinerary to stay together. The alternative has always been the group chat that never becomes a booking — friends who don’t commit, dates that never align, trips that die in the planning stage. Mad Monkey was already sitting on the fix. Fifteen years of building social infrastructure — from a single hostel in Phnom Penh to 25+ properties across seven countries — gave the brand a working knowledge of how to build collective energy among strangers. ALL IN Trips is the next step: handle the logistics, let travelers focus on the social pulse. “ALL IN exists because there was a gap between what young travelers wanted and what the industry offered,” says Kyle Kenny, Commercial Director at Mad Monkey. “The 60-person coach-bus tour is over. People want intentional, small-scale adventures rooted in real local subculture, without giving up the freedom of independent travel.” What Makes It Distinct No coach buses, no mega-groups — departures run in small, capped cohorts. Every route is built around must-see stops with a twist, plus experiences guests can’t book solo — access that comes from fifteen years of local relationships, not a tour-operator markup. It’s real culture and real places, not plastic tourist stops. Free time is built into every itinerary, so the trip never feels over-programmed. Most guests arrive without knowing a single other person on the trip; most leave with a group chat that’s still active months later. Three Routes, a Mad Monkey Hostel Every Night Indonesia Island Hopping — 12 days, from $700. Sunset at Panorama Point in Uluwatu, a pre-dawn Mt Batur trek, island hopping through Nusa Penida, a bike tour on Gili T, and four nights at surf camp in Kuta Lombok. Cambodia Coast to Coast — 14 days, from $650. Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Koh Rong, and Koh Sdach, closing with a community BBQ of locally caught fish, hosted alongside Mad Monkey’s local team. Vietnam North to Central — 14 days, from $850. Hanoi’s Old Quarter, an overnight cruise through Lan Ha Bay, motorbikes on the Ha Giang Loop, and the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An. How It Works A $99 deposit holds a spot. Every route stays in real Mad Monkey beds every single night — no mystery dorms, no third-party swaps. Daily breakfast is included, along with a free night at the property the day before departure, so travelers arrive rested rather than racing the first stop. Evenings are built in too: games nights, pool hangs, and the kind of social pulse Mad Monkey common areas are known for. Domestic transport and 24/7 local crew support run throughout the trip. Bring Your Own Crew: The Squad Leader Program Not everyone waits for the group chat to fall apart before doing something about it. For the ones who’d rather build the crew themselves, Mad Monkey launched Squad Leader alongside ALL IN. Apply, get a unique referral code, and share it with the people already asking “wait, are you actually going?” Bring enough of your crew along and the rewards scale with you — full tiers and terms are available on application. It’s less an affiliate scheme than a bet on the person every friend group already has — the one who sends the flights, picks the dates, and gets everyone to actually commit. ALL IN isn’t a booking package. It’s a bet that the best trips still start the same way they always have…
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
The Solo Trip Is Getting a Group Chat: Why Gen Z Backpackers Are Turning Hostels Into Social Itineraries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Southeast Asia, May 2026 — Solo travel is still one of the biggest stories in youth travel, but we are seeing the meaning of “solo” change. At Mad Monkey Hostels, more guests are arriving independently, but they are not necessarily looking to experience everything alone. They want the freedom of a solo trip, with the option to plug into community when they want it. We call this the rise of the social itinerary. For today’s backpackers, a great trip is not always built around a fixed schedule or a formal group tour. It often starts with a hostel common room, a group dinner, a walking tour, a beach clean, a night out, or a conversation with someone who has just arrived from the same bus route. The plan is still flexible, but the social layer is built in. Recent travel data supports this shift. Explore Worldwide has reported a 33% increase in solo travel customers over the past 12 months and a 200% rise in searches for “tour groups for solo travelers,” suggesting that travelers want independence but are also actively searching for ways to connect. That is exactly what we are seeing across our hostels in Southeast Asia and Australia. Guests are not choosing social hostels only because they are affordable. They are choosing them because they make a destination feel easier to enter. A hostel gives solo travelers a place to meet people without overthinking it, join an experience without planning every detail, and feel part of something within hours of arriving. “We’ve seen a shift in solo travel. It’s no longer about being ‘alone’—it’s about having the option to connect. Our guests want the autonomy to do their own thing, but they also want built-in social opportunities, from local experiences to low-pressure hangouts in our common areas. At the end of the day, we’re providing a social ecosystem, not just a bed,” says Lexie Hadley, Head of Marketing. The appeal is especially clear for first-time solo travelers. A hotel room can offer privacy, but it does not always offer a first friend in a new city. A short-term rental can offer space, but it rarely comes with a ready-made plan for the evening. A social hostel gives travelers the best of both worlds: the independence to travel on their own terms, and the chance to say yes to shared experiences when they feel like it. This shift also says something bigger about the way young people want to travel. The “lonely nomad” story no longer captures the full picture. Many Gen Z and millennial travelers are not choosing between solo travel and group travel. They are creating something in between: independent trips with built-in community. At Mad Monkey, that can look different from destination to destination. In one hostel, it might be a shared meal before a night out. In another, it might be a local tour, a poolside event, a volunteer activity, or a community-led experience. The common thread is connection. Our guests may arrive solo, but they often leave with new friends, new plans, and a stronger sense of place. For us, the modern hostel is becoming one of the clearest answers to what young travelers are looking for right now. They want freedom, but not isolation. They want affordability, but not a boring stay. They want local experiences, but not a trip that feels overproduced. They want travel to feel spontaneous, human, and easy to join. The solo trip is not going away. It is just getting a group chat. About Mad Monkey Hostels Mad Monkey is a leading hostel operator…