Turtle Conservation Volunteer Project in Lombok - Senggigi
Purpose
Start dates
Duration
Volunteer hours
Age
Accommodation
Program fees
What's included
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
This program is ideal for:
Project details
Are you ready to embark on an incredible journey to protect the endangered sea turtles of Indonesia? Join International Volunteer HQ’s Turtle Conservation project in Lombok and volunteer in a Turtle Conservation center to help safeguard these magnificent creatures.
Originally launched in Nusa Penida in 2013, this project has expanded to Lombok to enhance conservation efforts across the island nation. As a volunteer, you can contribute to protecting Lombok’s turtle population while gaining valuable experience in conservation and reptile care.
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Sea turtles hold immense ecological, economic, cultural, and scientific significance. Indonesia is home to several fascinating turtle species, including the Olive Ridley, Green Sea, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, and Leatherback turtles.
However, these majestic creatures face numerous threats, such as habitat destruction from coastal development, pollution, climate change, and illegal poaching for their meat, eggs, and shells. They are also at risk of accidental capture in fishing gear, significantly impacting their populations.
IVHQ’s Turtle Conservation project is committed to protecting and conserving sea turtles and their nesting habitats through various methods, including providing protective hatcheries, treating injured turtles, conserving beaches from pollution, and collecting vital data to understand the species and their habitats better.
Your tasks as a volunteer will vary depending on the time of year which may include:
- Feeding the turtles
- Cleaning turtles and their tanks
- Catching live food for the turtles
- Collecting and monitoring eggs, nests, & building hatcheries
- Beach clean-ups & constructing garbage bins for the local community
- Creating turtle toys
- Assisting with medical treatment for injured turtles
- Releasing turtles into the ocean
- Conducting Environmental Campaigns for the local community
- Construction work at turtle sites, such as building, painting, or renovating turtle tanks
- Collecting turtle information, such as carapace length, flipper size, weight, etc.
Depending on the time of year, your tasks may include identifying turtle species, collecting eggs, monitoring nests, or assisting hatchlings as they make their way safely to the sea.
Why do Turtle Conservation volunteering in Lombok with IVHQ?
As a Turtle Conservation volunteer in Lombok, you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Supporting local efforts to boost turtle populations
- Learning about environmental issues and solutions
- Getting experience in turtle care and conservation
- Immersing yourself in Indonesian culture
- Exploring Lombok’s beautiful coastline
Volunteer requirements
- All volunteers joining the program must obtain the Social Cultural Visa (C6B). This type of visa is required to join the program, no matter your nationality or duration in Indonesia. The visa can typically take up to 15 working days to process and once registered you will be provided with instructions on how to apply for this visa.
- An exception to the above applies if a volunteer will be in Indonesia for less than 30 days and opts to participate in the Introduction Week, along with one or two weeks of volunteering. In this scenario, the volunteer can join with a tourist visa, which can be obtained upon arrival, for most nationalities.
- To respect the local culture and customs in Lombok, volunteers should be aware that they cannot have anything obstructing their face while at their volunteer placement.
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program.
- Volunteers aged 16 or 17 on their program start date must provide IVHQ with parental consent to participate in the program and may be asked to provide additional documents to the local team.
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ before departure. If you are unable to obtain a criminal background check, you can provide two character reference letters instead.
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Lombok photo gallery
Academic course credit
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course creditLocation
Location
Based in Senggigi, our volunteer programs in Lombok put you in a picturesque seaside town that offers a perfect blend of light-sand beaches, lush rainforests, and a bustling collection of cafes, bars, and restaurants lined along the beach promenade.
Experience tropical life through a series of activities from sunbathing, swimming, and water sports. The calm waters are ideal for snorkeling, allowing you to explore vibrant coral reefs and colorful marine life just a short distance from the shore.
For volunteers seeking cultural experiences, Senggigi offers easy access to nearby Sasak villages, where you can immerse yourself in the island’s rich heritage. Looking to explore further? Senggigi serves as a convenient base for day trips to nearby attractions such as the stunning Gili Islands or the majestic Mount Rinjani.
Arrival and orientation
The Lombok program orientation begins every Monday, and volunteers need to arrive at Lombok on the Sunday before their program start date. After registering for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Lombok International Airport (LOP) on the Sunday before your program orientation. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. Please note that airport pick-up is only available between 6 AM and 8 PM.
Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by our local team. The airport is located an hour’s drive from the volunteer accommodation. If other volunteers are arriving within a few hours of your flight, the local team will wait and transfer volunteers together to the accommodation. Your Program Fee covers your accommodation and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Indonesia before your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up at a prearranged destination in Lombok, on the Sunday before your orientation. Alternatively, you can make your way to the volunteer house.
Orientation is hosted by our local team. There are two options for orientation on the Lombok program.
1-day Orientation:
This begins on your selected start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program. You will have an introduction to the Lombok Program and the local staff, Indonesian customs, rules, expectations, and safety. This will be followed by a project-specific meeting that will cover all the details of your volunteer placement.
5-day Introduction Week:
The Introduction Week begins on the morning of your chosen start date and runs for the first five days of your stay. It will cover everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Lombok. You’ll learn more about the culture and get to tick off some must-do Indonesian experiences, including cooking classes, culture lessons, a city tour, a pottery workshop, language lessons, and a visit to one of the most sacred temples in Lombok. The Introduction Week also allows you to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Volunteer schedule example
Weekdays
Start times and daily workload depend on the project you are volunteering in, with some beginning in the morning and some in the afternoon. A typical schedule is as follows:
| 7.00 AM - 8.00 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer accommodation. |
| 8.00 AM | Travel to placement to join local placement staff and begin work on your project. |
| 12.00 PM | Lunch. Volunteers either eat lunch at the volunteer accommodation or, in some cases, at their placement. |
| 1.00 PM | Afternoon placement work begins. |
| 4:00 PM | Afternoon placements usually end. Volunteers are free to return to the volunteer accommodation, plan for the following day’s activities, or use their free time as they wish. |
| 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer house. |
Weekends
Volunteers have the weekends as their free time. There is no shortage of things to do in Lombok, or further afield, in the motor vehicle-free Gili Islands! Volunteers can fill their free time with snorkeling, visiting beaches, diving, surfing, trekking at the famous Mount Rinjani, and visiting historical temples and handicraft villages.
Volunteers can make travel arrangements once in Lombok, with the advice and guidance of the local team.
Accommodation and WiFi
You’ll be staying in a volunteer house which is a 10-minute drive from the Senggigi town center.
Living conditions are comfortable and volunteers can expect to share a dormitory-style room with up to five other volunteers. These bedrooms are separated by gender and have air conditioning. Each room has a shared ensuite bathroom, with a hot water shower and western toilets.
There is a pool, an outdoor garden, and a dining area for volunteers to socialize and enjoy their meals together.
There is WiFi available at the volunteer accommodation. However, we recommend purchasing a local SIM card with data.
The volunteer house has a 10:00 PM curfew every night. We ask volunteers to please be considerate and reduce noise after this time.
If you wish to arrive earlier than your recommended arrival date or spend extra nights after your program, we can arrange additional nights of accommodation for you. The rate is $70 per person per night and includes meals. You can book extra nights via your profile after registration, subject to availability.
Private room upgrades are also possible at an additional cost. These are subject to availability and you can request to book an upgrade once you have registered for the program.
Meals
Volunteers are served a mixture of Indonesian and Western dishes and volunteers can expect meals like:
- Mie Goreng (fried noodles and vegetables)
- Nasi Goreng (fried rice and vegetables)
- Gado Gado (mixed vegetables with a satay sauce).
For vegan and vegetarian volunteers, Indonesian cooking uses a lot of tofu and tempeh (soybeans) as an alternative.
Breakfasts are varied and include pancakes, fresh fruit, toast, tea, coffee, etc. Purified drinking water is also available in the volunteer house; we do not recommend drinking tap water in Lombok.
On weekdays you’ll get three meals a day, but during the weekend and public holidays, only breakfast and dinner are provided. If volunteers wish to eat out, there are numerous local restaurants to suit different tastes and budgets.
If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know when you apply so that we can make arrangements for you. However, it’s essential to prepare for some flexibility due to the possible limits of resources at this location. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of.
Pricing
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$329 (approximately $329) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $595 Equivalent to $85/day |
| 2 weeks | $785 Equivalent to $56/day |
| 3 weeks | $1,130 Equivalent to $54/day |
| 4 weeks | $1,470 Equivalent to $53/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,765 Equivalent to $50/day |
| 6 weeks | $2,065 Equivalent to $49/day |
| 8 weeks | $2,585 Equivalent to $46/day |
| 10 weeks | $3,110 Equivalent to $44/day |
| 12 weeks | $3,630 Equivalent to $43/day |
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Lombok generally find US$100 to be sufficient for weekly expenses, including transport and miscellaneous spending.
- Any changes or cancellations within 14 days of your start date are subject to a US$150 late change/cancellation fee.
- Meals
- Airport pick-up
- Transport to and from your volunteer placement each day
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- Return to the airport when your program finishes
- Flights
- Visa (if required), travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check.
- Personal spending money for snacks, laundry, public transportation, drinks and leisure activities during your free time.
Free-time experiences & tours in Lombok
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with IVHQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Lombok! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Lombok program.
Learn more about the Indonesian culture and tick off some must-do Lombok experiences.
Check what's required to visit Lombok
Safety and support
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
Essential country information
| Capital | Mataram |
| Population | 3,963,842 |
| Languages | English, Sasak |
| Currency | Indonesia Rupiah (IDR) |
| Time zone | UTC+08:00 |
Weather and climate
The climate in Lombok, Indonesia is tropical which is hot all year round, with their dry season from June to September and rainy season from November to March. Temperatures are high and uniform throughout the year, and are slightly higher from October to March and a bit lower from June to September, when the southeast monsoon blows. April is the hottest month in Lombok with an average temperature of 28°C (82°F) and the coldest is July at 26°C (78°F).
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