Introduction Day
Your project starts with an introduction day on the first Monday including a tour of the area surrounding the accommodation, available facilities, cultural "do's and don'ts", safety concerns as well as some basic local language lessons.
Monday to Thursday
Your actual project work starts with a presentation about the Turtle Conservation project including a briefing which will help you understand the project guidelines. After that, you will start to engage in the typical activities you are supposed to do throughout your stay such as feeding the turtles, cleaning the tanks, collecting seaweed and catching live food for the turtles. In addition, you will also create turtle toys, clean the beach and provide medicine for injured turtles if present.
Friday
On Friday you will feed the turtles and get an amazing opportunity to release turtles to the sea, but please note that this opportunity is only if you are leaving the program this week. If you continue another week at the project, you will engage in the regular activities at the turtle conservation center. For those who are leaving the program, there is also a feedback session regarding the project. After lunch, all volunteers take part in activities such as feeding the turtles, cleaning tanks and measuring the turtles' growth.
Other Project Activities
Making garbage bins for the local area
Creating turtle or environmental campaigns for the local area
Releasing injured turtles after treatment and clean the private beach
Turtles site construction work such as an extra turtle tank or wall, painting the walls etc.
Collect turtle information such as length of carapace, size of flippers, checking weight etc.
Please note that the volunteer activities and schedule can change at any time based on the needs of the project, local conditions, the weather and unforeseen circumstances. In Bali, nesting season for sea turtles will be from May until October, year after year.
Normally, if the participants attend the program out of the nesting season , they will join the activities below:
The participants are required to clean the turtle tanks, scrub turtles, fillet and cut fish for turtle, feed turtles, collect crabs, clean the community area (beach, village), create awareness signboards to save the environment and turtles, make turtle toys, collect turtle information such as length of carapace, size of flippers, check its weight, etc. and release the turtles.
We treat them until they are strong enough to survive in the ocean and release it afterward. Because if we release them when they are very young, once they make it to the ocean, many of these young sea turtles rely on floating seaweed mats, called Sargassum, to hide from predators. It means the ocean is unsafe for them when they are too young. Moreover, we can not release them as soon as they hatch because they can not dive in the deep ocean and they can not find food for themselves. They have to eat whatever food is floating in the ocean. The sea turtles' favorite food is jellyfish. But a floating, clear plastic bag can look an awful lot like a jellyfish dinner. When sea turtles consume marine debris by mistake, it can get stuck in their stomachs and cause major damage.
All sea turtles are affected by ocean trash, by mistaking the trash for food, getting a flipper caught in a discarded six-pack ring or being unable to surface for air while accidentally stuck in a fishing net. For every sea turtle that hatches, only one out of 100 will survive to adulthood.
Furthermore, not only is a hatchery maintained in the center, but we also rescue turtles which are stuck in the fishnets or elsewhere. We treat them until they recover and then we release them.
Nesting Season is from May - October.
Hatching Season - The time period for the hatching or the incubation time is generally 60 days. However, depending on the weather conditions, the temperature of the sand the process time period can vary. Usually according to our experience, it will be between 45 to 75 days. However we cannot guarantee the time the eggs will hatch.Then, we need to feed and treat them until they are strong enough (up to 8-12 months) and we will release them to survive in the ocean.
Social Activities
On Monday evening we'll show you a documentary about turtles which will help you to widen your knowledge about these amazing creatures. On either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday you will visit an amazing location called the Crystal Bay with breathtaking views. Your local coordinators will decide the day. Thursday night will also be a special one because we enjoy a welcome and farewell dinner by a bonfire at the beach. This is a great opportunity to get to know the newcomers better and say goodbye to those who are leaving.
Evenings & Weekends
During the evenings the volunteers are generally free, and there are no program activities scheduled unless otherwise mentioned. Weekends are always free.
Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.
Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.
This program can also include a Culture Week which is highly recommended but not mandatory - just inform your travel advisor if you wish to include it. Indonesia is one of the most interesting countries in the world for cultural learning and experiences, which means that this week is packed full of exciting adventures, cultural excursions and interactions.
During the Culture Week you will be participating in various activities to get you acquainted with the Balinese culture. You will study the Balinese language, and explore Ubud including the famous Monkey Street as well as the beautiful surrounding areas. Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, wood carving, handicrafts and performing arts, so we'll have you challenge your artistic and creative side with traditional Batik painting. Another fun thing to try out is a Balinese cooking class. Finally, you will make a traditional flower offering and offer your creation at one of the most impressive Balinese temples: The Holy Tirta Empul Temple. We take a short spiritual tour around this famous temple, bathe in holy waters and pray for good luck. Evenings during the Culture Week and the weekend after are free unless otherwise mentioned.
