Volunteer travel guide
Volunteering abroad used to be a long term commitment for a highly qualified few. Today, opportunities have opened up for people of all skill levels, in virtually every country in the world.
How to choose a marine conservation vacation
From the Maldives to Mexico, Canada to Costa Rica, the locations that host marine conservation vacations are as diverse as the work you'll do on them, so it's essential that you have an idea of the trip that you want and are clear on the kind of work that each trip involves before signing up![]()
On the land or in the water?
All projects will accept that you are giving up your free time and that you want to make a valid contribution to their initiative, but how you make that contribution depends mainly upon whether you want to work under the water, or outside of it. First, ask yourself if you’re a diver, and if you’re not then ask yourself if diving is something that you’ve always wanted to do.
If you’re already a diver, do you want to build on that that skill and use it to do something that will really benefit the environment? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions then it’s likely marine conservation in the water – helping out with reef protection work, collecting data, fish ID sessions and surveys – is the right vacation for you. These trips largely involve early morning starts, up to three dives a day and lectures, presentations and talks in the evening.
Our Marine conservation Vacations
Peloponnese turtle conservation vacation, Greece
Sea turtle volunteering on stunning Greek beaches
From
€850
9 days
ex flights
Marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems!
From
US $755
5 days
ex flights
Lionfish spearing marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect reef ecosystems by hunting invasive species!
From
US $755
5 days
ex flights
Whale conservation vacation in the Azores
Help assist in integral whale and dolphin conservation!
From
£695 to £4195
7 days
ex flights
Marine conservation vacation in Thailand
Join an innovative marine conservation programme on Koh Tao
From
£875
7 days
ex flights
Raja Ampat diving project, Indonesia
Dive and conserve the stunning coral reefs of Raja Ampat
From
£1095 to £3550
15 days
ex flights
Whale & dolphin research in Ligurian Sea, Italy
Whale and dolphin conservation trip
From
€700 to €910
6 days
ex flights
Dolphin conservation vacation in Greece
Vacation on stunning Greek Island with daily dolphin tours
From
€750
7 days
ex flights
Seychelles Island conservation vacation
Volunteer on an exclusive island paradise in the Seychelles!
From
US $2800
4 weeks
ex flights
Dolphin conservation in Greece
Dolphin research and conservation in western Greece
From
€720 to €750
6 days
ex flights
Mozambique marine conservation project
Help in integral marine conservation in stunning Mozambique
From
£1895 to £7140
14 days
ex flights
Marine conservation vacation in Portugal
-Marine Conservation Dive and Clean the Atlantic Ocean
From
US $1299 to US $3259
7 days
ex flights
Costa Rica turtle conservation experience
Help protect turtles by volunteering in Costa Rica!
From
£640 to £3895
8 days
ex flights
Belize marine conservation internship
Hands-on conservation experience on idyllic Caribbean island
From
US $3020
4 weeks
ex flights
Caribbean coral reef conservation in Carriacou
Diving and Reef conservation in beautiful Caribbean waters.
From
US $1945
14 days
ex flights
Whale shark research in Mexico
Snorkelling with Whale Sharks & Giant Manta Rays
From
£2060
8 days
ex flights
The great white shark conservation project in South Africa
Encounter iconic Great White Sharks in South Africa!
From
£895 to £3995
15 days
ex flights
Thailand marine conservation and diving vacation
Diving and marine conservation on a beautiful Thai island
From
£1295
14 days
ex flights
Shark conservation in South Africa
Conserve sharks, whales and penguins in South Africa
From
£829
7 days
ex flights
Reef conservation volunteering in Belize
Live on a private Caribbean island
From
£995
7 days
ex flights
South Africa marine conservation diving vacation
Learn to dive and contribute to research in Sodwana Bay
From
£1345
14 days
ex flights
Dive to remove plastic waste from the sea in Barcelona
Conservation and diving adventure to tackle plastic pollution
From
£1199
7 days
ex flights
Caribbean Lionfish hunting in Carriacou, Grenada
Help nature in her fight against invasive lionfish
From
US $995 to US $1965
7 days
ex flights
Marine conversation volunteering in Croatia
- Marine Conservation - Volunteering - Responsible Travel
From
€1099 to €2749
4 weeks
ex flights
Marine Conservation in Portugal
Help on daily dives to remove debris from the ocean
From
£1169
7 days
ex flights
Volunteer with turtles in Costa Rica
Protect nesting turtles on Costa Rica's beautiful beaches
From
£989
7 days
ex flights
Whale Shark conservation vacation in Tanzania
Whale Shark Conservation in the stunning island of Mafia
From
£785 to £4599
14 days
ex flights
Research, research and research again
The accommodation, level of involvement with the local community and amount of time you’ll spend working throughout the day or night varies greatly with each different trip, so the most important thing you can do when choosing a marine conservation vacation is research as much as you can. Speak to your tour operator in detail and find out what the aims of the project are and what activities you will be doing on a daily basis, but also what they’ve already achieved, so you can get an idea of what past volunteers have helped to make happen. It’s also a good idea to ask where the data is going – is it being fed into local marine fisheries departments, or being used in collaboration with local or international universities? You want to ensure that your time, money and energy is being made the most of and that the initiative is making progress in a conservation area that you feel passionate about.Finding a marine conservation trip that matches both your own interests and your skill level is as important as your enthusiasm and commitment while you’re there – match the vacation to your own expectations and not only will you learn and achieve loads, but you’ll also have lots of fun with a group of like minded people while doing it.
Our top Marine conservation Vacation
Peloponnese turtle conservation vacation, Greece
Sea turtle volunteering on stunning Greek beaches
From
€850
9 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2021: 24 Jun, 31 Jul, 19 Aug
2021: 24 Jun, 31 Jul, 19 Aug
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Marine conservation or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Expert advice from our suppliers
Anne Smellie, from our supplier, Oyster Worldwide, shares her advice on how to choose a marine conservation vacation: "If you are looking to do a project, you need to go with a company or organisation that thoroughly briefs you on all aspects of the trip, so that your expectations are managed and correct from the outset. If that doesn’t happen you could think you’re booking something completely different to what it actually isn’t and you’ll arrive disillusioned and unhappy, plus the project won’t be happy with you because you will have turned up with all of the wrong expectations. It’s the tour company’s responsibility to make sure you’re prepared, so it’s essential to ask as many questions as you like and find out why the conservation is happening and what sort of things you’ll be doing to support the work."
More about Marine conservation
Let us guide you underwater as our marine conservation travel guide allows you to find out whether a marine conservation vacation is for you and what Responsible Travel recommends when it comes to our marine conservation cultural pick.
If you don’t know where to go on a marine conservation vacation then don’t worry we’ve got an interactive map of our favourite highlights with typical daily timetables to allow you to see what you will be doing on a marine conservation vacation in Belize, Costa Rica or the Seychelles.
Aside from taking the chance to explore your underwater world, marine conservation activities will also take you above the ocean wave with time to get out and about, as you live alongside the locals, just as important as what lies beneath.
What will you see in the ocean is just one of the questions that travelers ask before undertaking marine conservation wildlife vacations but it’s not until you’ve seen passing whale sharks, a vibrant coral reef and sea turtles first-hand that you’ll really get to experience wildlife in all its natural glory.
It’s not usually the done thing, killing fish around a highly protected reef system.
Volunteer with marine conservation in the Seychelles to combine a vacation in paradise with an award winning effort to restore the ecosystems and native biodiversity of North Island.
Marine conservation vacations in Timor-Leste revolve around the island of Ataúro, whose waters are packed with a diverse collection of fish and other marine life, all flitting around some of the best corals the planet has to offer.
We’ve garnered some tips from our friends in marine conservation including training advice, work-vacation balance tips, location advice and how to do marine conservation safely to ensure you’re equipped with all the marine conservation advice you need to find the right trip.
If you want to travel right on a marine conservation vacation then be responsible.
More relevant guides
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: USFWS - Pacific Region] [On the land or in the water: Henrik Hedegaard]
[Research: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast]
[Getting your hands dirty: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast]
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