Malaysia
| country: | Malaysia |
| location: | Tioman Island |
| departures: | 2009: 2 Mar, 13 Apr |
| price: | From £1180 (2 weeks) - £1975 (4 weeks) plus £200 project donation. Excludes flights. Includes training, equipment, transfers, qualified leader, food, accommodation |
the amazing things you'll be doing
2 weeks to 3 months working on a marine conservation project
Join our Malaysia Eco-tourism & Conservation Project and experience rays, turtles and reef fish, not forgetting the incredible macro-life of nudibranchs, flatworms and corals. Not only is this a fantastic personal experience, but you will also be supporting essential research, conservation work & the local community. Dive in the incredible waters of Tioman Island and understand the local Malay way of life, relax with your team in stunning surroundings.
These include tropical rainforests (some of the oldest in the world), beaches and coral reefs, contribute to generating the information that can conserve Tioman’s unique culture and marine life, or enjoy knowing you are helping Tioman become a well-managed and sustainable dive destination and protected area.
Our Malaysia project gives volunteers the chance to encounter some seriously impressive marine animals; large and small, endangered and prolific. The rainforest of Tioman is one of the oldest in the world and has endemic species. Together with the fringing reefs close to the island, the resident green and hawksbill turtles will make your stay an unforgettable one. You can opt to join for 2 weeks to 3 months.
Tioman Island (local name: Pulau Tioman) is located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang state), and is around 39 km long and 12 km wide. The largest and most populous village is Kampung Tekek. Overall, the densely forested island is still sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a scuba diving haven.
Accommodation
You will stay in local accommodation with 24-hour electricity; the accommodation is fully equipped with bathrooms, showers, flush toilets with running water and a fan. All chalets are run and owned by locals. You will live with up to 8 others, including your Project Leader.
Food
Your breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided every day during your stay on the project site. Your food will be from the local restaurants in Tioman, making sure we give you the best culinary experience while supporting local business.
Who else is going?
Diving and marine enthusiasts from all around the world! Your team will be 8 people of a variety of ages and backgrounds. Regardless of age, all volunteers have one thing in common – an enthusiasm for scuba diving, the dedication to spend time carrying out valuable research and the desire to make a positive impact on marine life and local communities in Tioman. For this expedition all volunteers need to be PADI Advanced Open Water divers (AOW) However, pre-expedition additional dive training can be organised if you do not currently hold these dive qualifications.
On weekends there will be the opportunity to do a fun dive, included in the cost of your expedition. This will give you the chance to see some of Tioman’s stunning marine life without having to worry about counting or identifying! Sunday is a day of rest, where volunteers can relax, dive or snorkel on their own (not included in the project cost).
The weather in Tioman is tropical, with the best times to visit Between Mid-February and November. The best visibility months are March / April and October. The tropical warm seas around Tioman are generally around 27 degrees - 30 degrees year round. With an average visibility of 15m, means that Tioman’s waters really are crystal clear!
Marine life
Marine life includes a good range of reef fish, turtles, napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, many types of anemone and anemonefish. With good coral cover, predominantly hard coral reef builders, soft corals too, sea fans and dendronepthya (a world famous soft coral), along with many different nudibranch species and flatworms your passion for macro-life will grow day by day.
Tioman was declared a Marine Park in 1985
The MPA is an area of the sea zoned as a sanctuary for the coral reef community which is considered as possibly the most productive ecosystem in the world, with its diversity of flora and fauna. Coral reefs are also important breeding and nursery grounds for many commercially important species of marine organisms and fish.
Dive Training
For this project we require all our volunteers to be PADI Advanced Open Water (or an equivalent qualification from other recognised scuba diving bodies) scuba divers. Due to the nature of the research you will be carrying out and the close proximity you will have to the reef and associated marine life, it is essential that all divers have full control of their buoyancy and are confident in the water.
Not a diver yet?
That's fine! If you're not currently a qualified scuba diver you can still join the team. We offer set departure dates, so all non-divers will fly out 2 weeks before the rest of the team to get their PADI Open Water and/or Advanced Open Water qualification
Join our Malaysia Eco-tourism & Conservation Project and experience rays, turtles and reef fish, not forgetting the incredible macro-life of nudibranchs, flatworms and corals. Not only is this a fantastic personal experience, but you will also be supporting essential research, conservation work & the local community. Dive in the incredible waters of Tioman Island and understand the local Malay way of life, relax with your team in stunning surroundings.
These include tropical rainforests (some of the oldest in the world), beaches and coral reefs, contribute to generating the information that can conserve Tioman’s unique culture and marine life, or enjoy knowing you are helping Tioman become a well-managed and sustainable dive destination and protected area.
Our Malaysia project gives volunteers the chance to encounter some seriously impressive marine animals; large and small, endangered and prolific. The rainforest of Tioman is one of the oldest in the world and has endemic species. Together with the fringing reefs close to the island, the resident green and hawksbill turtles will make your stay an unforgettable one. You can opt to join for 2 weeks to 3 months.
the project
Where? Tioman Island (local name: Pulau Tioman) is located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang state), and is around 39 km long and 12 km wide. The largest and most populous village is Kampung Tekek. Overall, the densely forested island is still sparsely inhabited, and is surrounded by numerous coral reefs, making it a scuba diving haven.
Accommodation
You will stay in local accommodation with 24-hour electricity; the accommodation is fully equipped with bathrooms, showers, flush toilets with running water and a fan. All chalets are run and owned by locals. You will live with up to 8 others, including your Project Leader.
Food
Your breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided every day during your stay on the project site. Your food will be from the local restaurants in Tioman, making sure we give you the best culinary experience while supporting local business.
Who else is going?
Diving and marine enthusiasts from all around the world! Your team will be 8 people of a variety of ages and backgrounds. Regardless of age, all volunteers have one thing in common – an enthusiasm for scuba diving, the dedication to spend time carrying out valuable research and the desire to make a positive impact on marine life and local communities in Tioman. For this expedition all volunteers need to be PADI Advanced Open Water divers (AOW) However, pre-expedition additional dive training can be organised if you do not currently hold these dive qualifications.
a day in the life of a volunteer
Monday to Friday will be spent carrying out diving surveys, snorkelling and conservation / community work. The group will dive as a team and be assigned specific tasks them on a weekly basis. When not diving the team will be busy with local scientists, the creation of material for the community workshops, or renovation and development work at local schools. On weekends there will be the opportunity to do a fun dive, included in the cost of your expedition. This will give you the chance to see some of Tioman’s stunning marine life without having to worry about counting or identifying! Sunday is a day of rest, where volunteers can relax, dive or snorkel on their own (not included in the project cost).
dive information
Weather The weather in Tioman is tropical, with the best times to visit Between Mid-February and November. The best visibility months are March / April and October. The tropical warm seas around Tioman are generally around 27 degrees - 30 degrees year round. With an average visibility of 15m, means that Tioman’s waters really are crystal clear!
Marine life
Marine life includes a good range of reef fish, turtles, napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, many types of anemone and anemonefish. With good coral cover, predominantly hard coral reef builders, soft corals too, sea fans and dendronepthya (a world famous soft coral), along with many different nudibranch species and flatworms your passion for macro-life will grow day by day.
Tioman was declared a Marine Park in 1985
The MPA is an area of the sea zoned as a sanctuary for the coral reef community which is considered as possibly the most productive ecosystem in the world, with its diversity of flora and fauna. Coral reefs are also important breeding and nursery grounds for many commercially important species of marine organisms and fish.
Dive Training
For this project we require all our volunteers to be PADI Advanced Open Water (or an equivalent qualification from other recognised scuba diving bodies) scuba divers. Due to the nature of the research you will be carrying out and the close proximity you will have to the reef and associated marine life, it is essential that all divers have full control of their buoyancy and are confident in the water.
Not a diver yet?
That's fine! If you're not currently a qualified scuba diver you can still join the team. We offer set departure dates, so all non-divers will fly out 2 weeks before the rest of the team to get their PADI Open Water and/or Advanced Open Water qualification
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
 This trip is designed to ensure making a positive difference is at the heart of your time overseas. The price may be higher than some but you can be assured that this is because our partners overseas are being paid fair prices and our projects are receiving significant funding so that they are sustainable in the long-term – long after you have returned home. In fact our clients have raised over £1 million directly for projects overseas. In recognition of our commitment, we were awarded Highly Commended in the Best Volunteering Organisation category of the Responsible Tourism Awards. Last year we were asked by Jeffree Shahrizal to help introduce a conservation management project before the volume of tourists started to negatively impact their stunning island and its surrounding reefs. The result is a project set-up to promote genuine, culturally sensitive and responsible eco-tourism on Tioman, and enforce a suitable management regime to regulate the industry developing around the coral reef system. By combining your conservation efforts on this trip with investment in local people, you can help to make Tioman a destination that divers from around the world will be able to enjoy for generations to come. On this trip you will take part in some amazing diving whilst at the same time being involved in observational studies of the artificial reefs on Tioman and also frequent beach and underwater clean ups. You will also have the opportunity to truly experience Malay culture, being involved in projects with the local dive club (just set up for Tioman locals) and an awareness program for school children. A detailed breakdown of where your money goes can be provided. A significant proportion of your money will be used to fund the project, help fund local Malaysians to learn to dive, survey and become involved with the project, while also supporting local people and scientists to run grass-roots schemes that they support. Every client's project donation will include a £200 contribution to a local trust fund, which will build up over time for long term initiatives, such as the development and training of local people, educational schemes at local schools, baseline data and monitoring of coral reef health, effects of sedimentation and monitoring of turtle nesting sites. We use local accommodation, buy local food and support local businesses to enhance our impact on the community. We always aim to pay what is a fair price rather than seek out the cheapest deal. We integrate into the local community, supporting it wherever possible. Our partners include: Ecodivers Tioman, the Tioman Development Authority. We provide a high quality service to each client – we hold open afternoons to allow you to visit our offices and learn more about the project before you commit to the trip. We also train every client who comes away with us in Responsible Travel, Cultural Awareness and Project Understanding. You will also receive in-country training from your leader once you are in Malaysia. We are committed to sustainability in the UK as well as overseas. We recycle the majority of our waste. We use eco-friendly utilities providers, eco-friendly detergents and plant trees every year to offset our UK office carbon. All our staff flights are offset and we encourage all our clients to offset their flights through our partner charities. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |