Bali Turtle Conservation & Rehabilitation Volunteering Project

Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling things you can do. This Bali turtle conservation project aims to promote and protect the conservation of marine turtles. Your main contribution will be working at the turtle conservation centre and depending on the time of year that you participate, as turtles don’t nest all year round, you may be identifying turtle species, collecting eggs, monitoring nests or watching hatchlings get safely to sea.

Currently this project is in its early stages and you’ll be working alongside a local team to help protect the endangered sea turtles of Indonesia. You’ll be staying on Nusa Penida, an island which is a 45 minute speedboat ride from mainland Bali. Being an island you should prepare yourself for a basic standard of living. There aren’t as many shops as on the mainland and there are fewer attractions available, however the beach is pretty much on your doorstep!

Please note that the itinerary is subject to change depending on the time of year, the weather conditions, and any unforeseen circumstances, however it should give you an idea of what to expect when you take part in this wonderful volunteering opportunity.

This amazing opportunity to spend time in Bali will give you a fantastic knowledge of marine turtles, but you’ll also have time to have a bit of fun with other volunteers playing beach games like volleyball or football and a visit to a stunning location called Crystal Bay.

Bali Turtle Conservation & Rehabilitation Volunteering Highlights

Learn about endangered marine turtles
Stay close to the beach
Beach volleyball, badminton or football
Turtle Documentary
Catch live food for turtles
Make turtle toys!
Help with beach clean-ups
Crystal Bay visit

About Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is located South East to Bali and is approximately 247km square. The island by nature is hilly and is drier than Bali. Nusa Penida is popular as a bird sanctuary and is also considered as ideal for diving as it includes many diving locations such as Penida Bay, Batu Lumbung, Batu Meling, Toya Pakeh, etc.

Turtle Conservation Volunteering

Bali Turtle Conservation Itinerary

This schedule is subject to change depending on the time of year, the weather conditions, and any unforeseen circumstances.

Sunday

As a welcome to all the new arrivals we have lunch and you have the opportunity to meet your fellow volunteers. You’ll be shown the beach, told about the supermarket, the ATM, local facilities and around the location so you can familiarise yourself with your temporary home.

Monday

After breakfast, you’ll be shown a presentation about the Turtle Conservation project and receive a project briefing which will help you to understand the dos and don’ts at the project. You’ll be getting involved with the typical activities you’ll be doing throughout the week.

Typical daily activities include: feeding the turtles, cleaning the tanks, catching live food for turtles and also cleaning the beach.

This evening you’ll see a documentary about Turtles which will help you to widen your knowledge about these amazing creatures.

Tuesday*

After having breakfast, you’ll get on with your typical daily activities. In addition, you will also create turtle toys, clean the beach and provide medicine for injured turtles if there are any.

Wednesday*

After having breakfast, you’ll get on with your typical daily activities. In addition, you will also create turtle toys, clean the beach and provide medicine for injured turtles if there are any.

On Wednesday evening, you can take part in some sports activities on the beach where you can play either volleyball, badminton or football.

Thursday*

After breakfast you’ll start cleaning tanks, feeding the turtles and collecting seaweed. You will also create turtle toys and provide medicine for injured turtles if there are any.

Thursday night will be a special one for you to enjoy the welcome and farewell dinner by a Bonfire at the beach. This would be a great opportunity to get to know the newcomers and say goodbye to those who are leaving.

*On either, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday you will visit an amazing location called the Crystal Bay which has a breathtaking view. Your local coordinators will decide the day in which you visit this exotic location.

Friday

After breakfast on Friday, you’ll feed the turtles and get an amazing opportunity to release turtles into the sea. This opportunity is only if you are leaving the program this week. If you continue another week at the project, you’ll be taking part in the regular activities at the turtle conservation centre.

For those who are leaving the program, there would also be a feedback session regarding the program. After lunch, you can engage in activities such as feeding the turtles, cleaning tanks and measuring the turtle growth.

Other activities you may participate in are:

Beach clean ups
Making garbage bins for the local area
Creating a Turtles/Environment campaign for the local area
Releasing injured turtles after treatment
Turtles site construction work: such as extra turtle tank or wall, painting the walls etc.
Collecting turtle information such as length of carapace, size of flippers, checking its weight etc.

Read on to find out more about where you’ll be staying and what’s included during your volunteering project.

Your Bali Accommodation

Shared dormitory style room (single gender) for 4-6 people
Private bathroom with hot shower
Bed linen provided (please provide own towels)
Your room includes a fan but no air-conditioning
Wifi available in public areas
Laundry facilities available at extra cost

Food & Drink

3 meals a day on weekdays, 2 meals on weekends
Free water, tea, coffee, milk

Indonesian food is tasty and diverse and you’ll experience a variety of flavours and meals during your stay.

Breakfast: Includes pancakes, fresh fruit, toast etc.

Main meals: Typical dishes included Mie Goreng (fried noodles and vegetables), Nasi Goreng (fried rice and vegetables) or Gado Gado (mixed vegetables with a satay sauce).

Vegetarians / Vegans: Indonesian cuisine uses a lot of tofu and tempeh (soybeans) and some western dishes would also be available.

Local Facilities

There are many ATMs close to the accommodation.
We have Wi-Fi at the house.
You can buy a local sim card for your mobile one at the local shop.

Attractions

You can visit beaches, go diving, surfing, trekking, visit historical temples and handicraft villages. Please note that we do not offer free transport to other locations.

Minimum Duration – 1 week
Start dates – every Monday
No Minimum or Maximum Age (Participants below 18 are required to provide parental consent letters and participants above 65 should have the medical clearance.)
Passport copy required on sign-up
CRB required on sign-up

Climate – Temperatures are pleasant, varying from 20-33 degrees celsius year-round. The monsoon season strikes in November and makes its way until March, bringing in humidity and a significant amount of rain. However, this usually does not stop people from visiting, as the rain usually begins in the late afternoons and evenings, meaning the daytime remains sun-filled. From June to September, the weather is dry and there is not too much humidity in the air.