Assist with a sea-turtle and community conservation project on a remote South Pacific island

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Program Overview
Life on the Program
Program Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

Hop on board a unique conservation program based on the warm, white beaches of Vanuatu, otherwise known as the “happiest place on earth”. Local community members have been managing this grassroots effort to conserve the local sea turtle population of Tasiriki Village on Moso Island, which serves as one of the largest nesting beaches for Hawksbill turtles.

During the time that you’re on the project you will spend your days living and working with the amicable and warm local community. Here you will have a chance to completely immerse yourself into village life and spend your free time taking walks on the warm beaches forests, or splash around in the turquoise reef waters as you snorkel, discovering the bountiful marine life.

Life on the Program

Starting early evening to early morning you will focus on your surveys on one side of the island, about an hour’s walk (about 2.5 miles) through the rainforest. Keep in mind that the nesting beach is an additional 1.5 miles, for a total of 8 miles of walking per day that takes place on uneven and sometimes rough ground.

Your accommodation will be in shared traditional bungalows situated on the water, where the other volunteers will stay. You will be consistently invited to engage in the local culture, history, food, music, language, dance and other local customs. Vanuatu functions at a much slower pace than most people are used to, so please be open to “island time” and don’t be too concerned if plans change at the last minute!

Each Friday many of the volunteers will choose to visit Port Vila on Efate Island to relax, browse the internet or visit the local shops.

Program Details

Your experience on the program will vary from other volunteers depending on when you visit, but you’ll lend a hand on the required tasks which occur year-round:

Beach measurements; dividing it into sections
Reef surveys
Capturing and tagging turtles on the feeding grounds (please keep in mind that tagging must be completed by our trained staff but you will have the opportunity to assist)
Assisting with construction projects
Night beach surveys and monitoring
Nest excavations (to determine nest success)
Monitoring and assisting the emergence of hatchlings

Much of the work takes place at night so you can reserve the day to engage with the local community by helping them on additional projects such as beach/reef/village clean-ups, collecting fire-wood or working with educators at the local kindergarten or primary school.

Volunteer Testimonials

Megan Rowland, Australia

The program was a great way to make new friends and to learn about a different culture was very interesting. It was great to see the turtles nesting and hatchlings at night on the beach. It was also a great experience to live without electricity and things that we take for granted at home. I like the idea of helping a good cause and getting to do it in a group of like-minded people and to learn about the place you are travelling to more in-depth than a regular holiday.

The entire village mothered us to bits and we were spoilt rotten! I was lucky enough to see 12 Hawksbill turtles and 2 Green turtles. The food was delicious and I just had the most amazing time...

Marie Tearle, United Kingdom

The entire village mothered us to bits and we were spoilt rotten! I was lucky enough to see 12 Hawksbill turtles and 2 Green turtles. The food was delicious and I just had the most amazing time imaginable. My goodbyes at the end of the trip were rather emotional, I cried buckets!! The generosity of the people, their ever smiling faces and enduring friendship will stay with me forever. May the project go from strength to strength; it was a truly amazing experience!!

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