Join marine conservationists in their efforts to rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles, as well as enjoy spending time in one of the most idyllic places in the world.
April & May Volunteer Grant – Sign up for any April or May start date, and receive a $150 reduction on the 2-week program, plus an extra $50 off each additional week. Helping hands is needed during this time with the overwhelming workload involved in rehabilitating injured sea turtles.
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):
Arrival day, Wednesday: You will arrive at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (MLE) and transfer via domestic flight to Madivaru airport, which is 5 minutes from Naifaru island by boat. Naifaru will be your home for the duration of the project. If you arrive in the afternoon, you will receive a welcome presentation and introduction to the marine centre on the same day, as well as a small tour of the island.
Day 1, Thursday: You will join the team for breakfast followed by your first morning at the centre. This morning shift includes doing food prep and sea grass collection for the turtles, feeding the turtles, cleaning and pampering the turtles, cleaning the tanks, and interacting with resort guests who come for a tour of the Center. After this shift ends, it is usually already around lunch time. Following lunch, you can go for a snorkel or join one of the other activities before watching the sunset and heading to dinner.
Day 2, Friday: Fridays usually start earlier around 8 am for a beach clean-up. Following the clean-up, you will have breakfast before the morning shift with the turtles. After lunch, you either have some free time or can join an afternoon activity that can comprise of snorkelling, beach surveys, fish surveys, turtle rehabilitation swims, movie or documentary viewings, or interesting presentations from our marine biologists or vet. After dinner, the group might want to head to one of the local cafes to have a fresh juice and play some cards.
Day 3, Saturday: Usually is an excursion day! Volunteers begin the day by having breakfast together. Depending on the group and the weather, we will either leave after breakfast or after lunch to hop on the boat and go snorkelling, visit uninhabited islands, go for dolphin watching, or do some night fishing.
Day 4-8, Sunday-Thursday: The rest of the days follow a similar schedule with the morning shift occurring after breakfast (at 8:30), followed by free time or an afternoon activity between lunch and dinner.
Remaining weeks: The remaining weeks will follow the above schedule of working and having Saturdays typically reserved for group excursions. Volunteers departing will head back to Male on a Wednesday morning via a domestic flight.
What’s Included
What’s not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, hotel in Male for late arrivals (approx. $70 USD – cash payment only), cost of transfers between airport and hotel (if needed).
The project is on the locally inhabited island of Naifaru, which sits within the Lhaviyani Atoll in the north of the Maldives. As the fifth most populous island in the Maldives, Naifaru boasts a lively community and offers a fantastic opportunity to meet new people. Most of the approximately 6000 inhabitants are Maldivian, however Naifaru is also home to several immigrant workers from countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The island has many intricate streets lined with shops selling everything from ice creams to tailoring services, and there are several restaurants serving both local and western delicacies. Take the time to immerse yourself in the vibrant, friendly community and kick back and relax on the island’s beautiful beaches.
In the Maldives, we are lucky to be surrounded by an abundance of tropical marine life, including five species of sea turtle. Unfortunately, because of threats such as habitat loss, poaching, the illegal pet trade, and injury from ghost net entanglement, most sea turtle species are now endangered.
As part of a local NGO, the Marine Centre works to combat this by rescuing, rehabilitating and ultimately releasing sea turtles back into the wild where they belong (predominantly the green sea turtle and olive ridley sea turtle). Some of the turtles we receive are non-releasable, but function as a good example to raise awareness about the effects of human activities on our marine life. Most of the green turtle hatchlings we receive arrive at the center after being kept illegally as pets, whereas the team rescues most of the olive ridleys after being caught in discarded fishing gear.
As a volunteer, you will be an integral part of our team, working alongside our Marine Biologists to gain practical turtle husbandry skills from cleaning and feeding, to assisting with administrating medical treatment. There is an on-site veterinarian that volunteers work with on most days at the marine center (as well as the marine biologist). Additionally, you will play an important part in raising awareness about marine conservation issues in the Maldives and creating awareness on our island.
This program is perfect for budding conservationists who want to gain practical skills and field experience, or for volunteers who simply love sea turtles and want to interact with them sustainably.
Volunteer Activities
Mornings:
Afternoon Activities:
Evenings
Daily tasks may vary depending on the time and duration of your stay, and the number of turtles at the marine center. Saturdays are days off and set aside for fun morning or afternoon excursions arranged by the project staff.
Vet student placement
This program also offers veterinary student placement with more in-depth tasks. Veterinary students may apply of all university years but should still be enrolled in university. Surgical experience is beneficial, but not mandatory. We can provide further information during your application interview.
Community outreach
Even though it may have bright turquoise waters and white sand beaches, Naifaru Island is not a resort. Local island life is very different and reflects the huge wealth disparity in the Maldives. In Naifaru, many issues have arisen because of this disparity. For example, living conditions can be basic and the island’s waste management is very poor. As a result, there is a large amount of litter on the island, as well as incomplete construction projects where money has run out.
The local NGO’s work stems far beyond our marine conservation efforts. As a volunteer, you may also work with the community in many areas to educate, support and campaign for a better Naifaru. Whether it’s improving sports facilities, hosting beach clean ups or protecting the marine environment. This work contributes to a happier and more thriving Naifaru!
Please note: Volunteer activities can change based on the needs of the project. The Marine Conservation Program is available for 2-week durations but we strongly recommend at least 3 weeks to get the full experience. Weather also plays a role in what you will do and bad weather may prevent you from going in the water for several days.
Volunteers staying less than 29 days in the Maldives will just need a tourist visa. Volunteers staying longer than 29 days will need to apply for a business visa.
Business Visa Requirements
All applications to volunteer longer than 29 days in the Maldives need 4 weeks in advanced notice to apply for the visa. We will cover the cost of the business visa application by the programme fees. However, any additional costs required to get the documents listed below are not included.
Please note that we will provide you with further information and help after your application to and acceptance on the program.
Volunteer program minimum requirements:
Project staff organise weekly excursions for all volunteers (included in the project fee). Activities range from exploring uninhabited islands and specific snorkelling trips to dolphin watching, fishing, and searching for manta rays.
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