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.
Marine conservation activities
Live alongside the locals
The amount of involvement between volunteers and locals does vary from trip to trip, but generally will only be minimal if a project is very remote. One of the key markers of most successful marine conservation initiatives, therefore, is how well they work in the local community because if they’re not behind you, the chances are your goals will either be achieved only in the short term, or not achieved at all. Volunteers are encouraged to help out at after school clubs, put on sports days or run simple presentations illustrating what the conservation work they’re doing means for the local environment and how everyone can get involved.
Our Marine conservation Holidays
Marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems!
From
US $995
5 days
ex flights
Whale conservation holiday in the Azores
Help assist in integral whale and dolphin conservation!
From
£695 to £4195
7 days
ex flights
Shark conservation in South Africa
Conserve sharks, whales and penguins in South Africa
From
£899
7 days
ex flights
Coral reef conservation in Belize
Hands-on conservation experience on idyllic Caribbean island
From
US $995
5 days
ex flights
Mozambique marine conservation project
Help in integral marine conservation in stunning Mozambique
From
£2199 to £7499
14 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
Polly Alford, from our supplier ReefCI, explains how money from your trip filters through the local economy: “There is a strong interaction with the community and the local population are really behind what we do. I didn’t realise when I first started this how much of an impact we would have on the local community, but in Belize certainly, tourism is still developing in the area, so when our guests are on the mainland they’re helping – they’ll stay at local guesthouses, use local taxis, our fruit and vegetables are bought from the local markets, and our tour guides are local. From a community perspective, our trips are contributing, even from bringing in lionfish and selling that to local restaurants so that they then have that to sell on.”
Explore your underwater world
Diving isn’t just a useful marine conservation skill; it’s an incredible underwater freedom that allows you to be privy to all of fascinating, brightly coloured and simply beautiful secrets of the sea. You don’t need to be a diver to join a trip; if you stay for longer than a week you can complete an open water course during week one and then the underwater world is your oyster. Not sure if diving is your thing? Start with snorkelling, an easy and relaxing way to explore below the surface of the crystal blue water without feeling out of your comfort zone. You may be on holiday to help with a job, but it’s a job that involves one of the world’s most eye-opening activities, so grab your flippers and get stuck in whenever you can.
Our top Marine conservation Holiday
Marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems!
From
US $995
5 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
Departures on weekends but transfers can be made on other days at an extra cost
Departures on weekends but transfers can be made on other days at an extra cost
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Marine conservation or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
01273 823 700
Call us until 4pm
Calling from outside the UK
You will get some free time on your conservation holiday; from an afternoon to an entire weekend - how you spend it is entirely up to you![]()
Get out and about
Whether it’s spent strolling around a local craft market, joining a batik painting class, or grabbing a local guide and letting them lead you to the best live music, local beer and food, your free time will be precious so use it to experience something new.
More about Marine conservation
Let us take you underwater with our marine conservation travel guide, discovering whether dipping your toe into marine conservation is the right kind of holiday for you and learning a little more about what this kind of trip entails.
With research projects, land-based projects and some that involve diving, marine conservation holidays differ quite considerably.
Our interactive map and highlights page details some of the best places in the world for marine conservation holidays.
What will you see in the ocean is one of the questions that travellers ask before choosing a marine conservation holiday.
It’s not usually the done thing, killing fish around a highly protected reef system, but lionfish spearing in Belize is one exciting exception.
Volunteer with marine conservation in the Seychelles to combine a holiday in paradise with an award winning effort to restore the ecosystems and native biodiversity of North Island.
Marine conservation holidays 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-holiday balance tips, location advice and how to do marine conservation safely.
If you want to travel right on a marine conservation holiday then be responsible.
More relevant guides
