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 wildlife
The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish![]()
- Jacques Cousteau, oceanoghrapher
Whale sharks
Whale Sharks are the largest fish in the ocean; they grow up to 19m in length and can weigh up to 15 tonnes living for between 100-150 years. They eat plankton and small fish and are harmless to people, but their gentle nature makes them an easy target for hunters after their meat and fins, and they also die from boat collisions and entrapment in fishing nets. Diving with whale sharks is a thrilling, rewarding experience, but their very presence is dependent on the health of spawning fish aggregations. Like many of their shark relatives, whale sharks are in decline and they are classified as endangered.
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
Raja Ampat diving project, Indonesia
Dive and conserve the stunning coral reefs of Raja Ampat
From
£1095 to £3550
15 days
ex flights
Lionfish spearing marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect reef ecosystems by hunting invasive species!
From
US $995
5 days
ex flights
Seychelles Island conservation holiday
Volunteer on a private island paradise in the Seychelles!
From
€2500
4 weeks
ex flights
Dolphin conservation holiday in Greece
Holiday on stunning Greek Island with daily dolphin tours
From
€850
7 days
ex flights
Coral reefs
Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems, housing tens of thousands of marine species including octocoral, sea turtles, hundreds of species of fish, molluscs and sponges. About one-third of all marine fish species live part of their lives on coral reefs and despite their importance to marine life, the world's total adds up to less than one percent of the sea floor - an area about the size of France. They have a very slow growth rate, developing from 10cm to as little as 0.3cm per year and, shockingly, one quarter of all coral reefs worldwide are damaged beyond repair. The remaining healthy reefs are incredibly vulnerable to temperature change, pollution and human touch.Sea turtles
Sea turtles are one of the most ancient creatures in existence and the seven species that can be found today have been around for 110 million years. The sea turtle's shell, or 'carapace' is streamlined for swimming through the water and unlike tortoises, they can't retract their legs and head into their shells. Slaughtered for their meat, skin and shells, sea turtles also suffer from egg theft and nearly all species are now classified as endangered.
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 6pm
Calling from outside the UK
What can you see and where?
Polly Alford, from our supplier, ReefCI, shares her knowledge of marine life in Belize:
"Belize is on the migratory path for the whale sharks, which are the biggest fish in the sea. You can see more whale sharks in Punta Gorda than anywhere else in Belize and you can see them at any time of year. There are lots of other species of shark in Belize including nurse sharks and silky sharks, but that doesn't mean you'll see lots of sharks all the time and it's always an incredible reward when you do. You can also expect to see sting rays, moray eels, turtles, big snappers and big groupers."
"Belize is on the migratory path for the whale sharks, which are the biggest fish in the sea. You can see more whale sharks in Punta Gorda than anywhere else in Belize and you can see them at any time of year. There are lots of other species of shark in Belize including nurse sharks and silky sharks, but that doesn't mean you'll see lots of sharks all the time and it's always an incredible reward when you do. You can also expect to see sting rays, moray eels, turtles, big snappers and big groupers."
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.
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.
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
