Volunteer travel guide
Volunteering abroad used to be a long term commitment for a highly qualified few but that has since changed.
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.
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.
Lionfish spearing marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect reef ecosystems by hunting invasive species
From
US $995
5 days
ex flights
Maldives whale shark conservation snorkelling cruise
Maldives whale shark conservation cruise with local experts
From
US $2349 to US $2699
8 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
Family marine volunteering, South Africa
Discover and help protect marine life as a family
From
£875 to £1075
6 days
ex flights
Maldives marine conservation cruising vacation
The South Ari Atoll is a thriving marine sanctuary
From
€4000
14 days
ex flights
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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 Marine conservation articles
Marine conservation might be a serious matter, but it doesn't mean that a vacation has to be.
Some of the best places in the world for spotting cetaceans and helping wildlife.
Lionfish spearing in Belize is one exciting exception to the usual rules about saving wildlife.
Combine a vacation in paradise with an award winning effort to restore its ecosystems.
Marine conservation is all about raising community awareness and getting the locals on board.
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