Marine Conservation Volunteer Program in Belize

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The Belize volunteer program is based on a small private island, 26 miles off the coast of Placencia in Southern Belize. This is a scuba diving volunteer program so volunteer work takes place at sea. Volunteers are accommodated in a well-equipped volunteer house on the island.

The program begins every Monday and volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 8 weeks. Accommodation on the island is covered from Monday to Thursday night and volunteers arrange and pay for their own accommodation on the mainland for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Volunteers are transported back to Placencia by boat on Friday and return to the island on Monday. There is a range of accommodation options to choose from in Placencia, or you can choose to explore Belize during the weekends.

The program begins every Monday and volunteers arrive in Placencia on the Sunday before their program begins. On Monday, volunteers travel by boat from Placencia to the island where the program is based (this transfer is included in the Program Fee).

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Placencia Airport (PLJ) on the Sunday before your program start date. Please note that flights to Placencia Airport need to be booked to depart from Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City. The airlines that fly from Belize City to Placencia are Maya Island Air and Tropic Air.

Once you have arrived in Placencia, you will need to take a taxi to the accommodation that you have booked for Sunday night. There are a number of taxis at the airport and the fare into town should cost between US$5-US$10.

Accommodation is provided from Monday to Thursday on the island each week. If you are staying for 1 week, you will need to book your own accommodation on the mainland for the Sunday before your program start date and for the Friday night when you arrive back to the mainland. If you are staying longer than 1 week, you will also need to arrange accommodation for the weekends during your program. If you are traveling in Belize prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to meet up with the local team in Placencia on the morning of your program orientation.

The program orientation will be held on the Monday once you arrive on the island. The orientation is hosted by the local team and includes an introduction to the IVHQ Belize Program, rules and expectations, health and safety, and an introduction to the local marine eco-system. Orientation will also give you a chance to get to know the other volunteers who you will be living on the island with.

First Day: On your first day of volunteering, you will be taken by boat out to the island, have orientation and lunch, then begin the project work or your dive certification.

Weekdays: Full days on the island typically include three dives, on Mondays and Fridays you will have one or two dives. A typical volunteer day is as follows:

6.30 AM Fruit tea and coffee at the volunteer accommodation

7.30 AM Volunteers begin work on the project

9.00 AM Breakfast at the volunteer accommodation

10.30 AM Volunteers continue work on the project

12.30 PM Lunch is served at the volunteer accommodation

3.00 PM Work at the project continues

6.30PM Dinner at the volunteer house and relaxing

Please note this schedule will vary depending on the project goals for that day and if you are working on your dive certification.

On the Belize program, you will be accommodated on a small private island in a volunteer house. The accommodation on the island is comfortable but basic. Bedrooms are located in the main house or in cabanas. The bedrooms are comprised of single or double beds and you can expect to share a room with one to four other volunteers. Most bedrooms have an attached bathroom, and there are basic cold showers and flush toilets. Bedding is provided, however due to the hot climate, most volunteers sleep with just a sheet and some may choose to sleep with the doors open. Regardless of the bedroom you have, you will have ocean views and wake up naturally with the sun and to the sound of gentle waves crashing. There are also hammocks, beach chairs and a volleyball net that you can use in your down-time.

Power is delivered to the volunteer accommodation by an on-site generator and the generator will usually run for up to 2 to 4 hours per day to charge electrical equipment. Volunteers are encouraged to minimize the amount of electronic equipment they bring, as the camp only has limited power points available to charge devices. We recommend volunteers bring solar chargers to charge their devices, if possible.

There is WiFi on the island which is reliable, however there are certain periods of time when the signal can be lost. There is no cellphone reception on the island which means you won’t be able to send text messages or make phone calls. It’s important to check in with family and friends before you arrive and depart from the island in case the WiFi is down during your program.

The island is isolated and you will not be able to go back to the mainland during the week, the return trip to the mainland is on Friday. Due to the remote location, it’s important that you bring everything you need for the week to the island on Monday.

Please note your accommodation is covered Monday through to Thursday night while on the program. You will need to book accommodation in Placencia for your first night (Sunday) and on the weekends (Friday through Sunday). As soon as you register for the program, the local team will provide a variety of accommodation recommendations to suit all budgets.

You will be served three tasty meals each day by the on-site cook. The meals are fresh, varied and balanced, and you can expect corn tortillas, beans, polenta, stir-fried vegetables, coconut curry, fresh seafood and sometimes other meats. Please note that you will not be able to purchase food on the island or go back to the mainland during the week, so it’s important to bring snacks with you. Keep in mind that you will be diving three times per day which means you may need to eat more than normal. You can easily stock up on high energy snacks in Placencia and take them out to the island with you. Nuts, oats and bananas are all great high energy food options. There is plenty of drinking water on the island so please bring a reusable drink bottle.

If you’re spending your weekend in Placencia, you’ll be able to relax on the white sand beaches, hire kayaks or paddle boards and even take yoga classes. There are also ancient Mayan sites, spice farms and waterfalls you can visit within a day’s trip from Placencia. Further afield, you can visit Caye Caulker, Great Blue Hole, Caracol, Ambergris Caye or San Pedro.

Weather and climate: Belize has a tropical climate year-round which means visiting at any time during the year is enjoyable. December to February are the coolest months, the average temperature is around 75°F (24°C). The rainy season runs from June - October the average temperatures are around 81/82°F (27/28°C), with highs around 86/90°F (30/32°C). You can expect light winds out on the island year-round.

Volunteers who are under 18 years old and are either traveling with one parent or independently will need to complete a Minor Travel Consent Form, which is required by the Belize government and international airlines. Independent volunteers under the age of 18 years will be required to provide additional waivers and documentation, which a guardian must complete.

All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance and upload a criminal background check to their MyIVHQ profile before arriving in Belize.

In order to participate on the Marine Conservation project, you must be a competent swimmer and have an Open Water Dive Certification. This certification can be obtained while volunteering on the island, or in advance of your trip.

Free Interactive Volunteer Training - All volunteers are encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training, which is available exclusively to registered IVHQ volunteers. The training is designed to build an understanding of important aspects that need to be considered before embarking on an IVHQ program. It helps volunteers to prepare in the right way by providing advice on what it takes to be a safe, responsible and valuable volunteer. Try a sample of the training here.