Environmental Education Volunteering in Ubud - Bali

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The popular IVHQ Bali program is based in Bali’s cultural centre of Ubud, with volunteer placements located predominately in the villages of Pejeng and Penestanan. The Turtle Conservation volunteer project is located on the island of Nusa Penida, which is a 45-minute boat trip from Sanur.

If you want to volunteer in Indonesia near the beach, IVHQ also offers a separate volunteer program on the northern coast of Bali in Lovina. If you are interested in volunteering in Lovina, you can explore the full range of volunteer opportunities in Bali here.

Volunteers are required to fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport, which is a 15 to 17 hour flight from most major airports in Britain.

Volunteers begin the IVHQ Bali - Ubud volunteer program every Monday and can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 12 weeks.

For travellers looking to make an impact while volunteering in Indonesia, IVHQ offers programs in two Bali locations. Both volunteer programs aim to strengthen the local community through volunteer work focused on education, childcare, environmental protection and healthcare. Our Bali volunteer programs have a particular focus on English language education and this is because having a basic understanding of English is a big advantage for the future job prospects of young people in Bali. Bali has always been a popular destination for IVHQ volunteers and our focus for both program locations has been on ensuring they provide a consistent experience to volunteers and deliver against their promise of helping local projects to be successful and thrive long-term. In the last 12 months volunteers on the Bali program spent around 22,000 hours supporting wildlife and environmental conservation initiatives, around 55,000 hours working on projects that aim to improve education outcomes, and over 9,500 hours undertaking hands-on projects that improve local facilities and infrastructure.

Latest impacts achieved:

• Supported at least 17 kindergartens’ access to native English speakers each day and provided a valuable source of additional labor for daily activities
• Delivered basic English language education to around 1,400 young people, including more than 100 children in early childhood schools as part of the kindergarten project
• Actively supported 20 schools with volunteers who undertake a range of teacher-support tasks
• Delivered stationery and other equipment to underprivileged children at a large number of schools and education centres
• Provided labor that could otherwise have not been afforded to help build or renovate four kindergartens, and several schools
• Enabled the Turtle Conservation project to significantly expand it’s impact and reach through delivering more than 17,000 hours of volunteer time

The Bali volunteer program orientation begins every Monday and volunteers need to arrive in Bali on the Sunday before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Denpasar International Airport (DPS). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarised letter from their parents to support their documentation.

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation. If you are travelling in Bali prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Ubud or Denpasar on the day before your program orientation.

There are two options for orientation for the Bali - Ubud Program:

• 1-day Orientation
• 5-day Cultural Immersion Week

1-day Orientaion The 1-day orientation that starts on your selected start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program. You will have an introduction to the IVHQ Bali - Ubud program and the local staff, Indonesian customs, rules, expectations, and safety. This will be followed by a project-specific meeting with the project preparation you’ll need to complete for the following day.

Volunteers on the Turtle Conservation project choosing this option will need to arrive into Denpasar International Airport (DPS) on the Sunday before 1pm. As you will be transferred straight to Nusa Penida for your 1-day orientation the following day.

5-day Cultural Immersion Week The popular Cultural Immersion Week is hosted by our local team in Ubud. This begins on the morning of your chosen start date and runs for the first 5 days of your stay. Please note that if you choose this option it will add an extra week to your time on the program and costs US$358. It is an awesome way to kickstart your volunteer abroad experience and it covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Bali, plus you’ll learn more about the culture and get to tick off a must-do Bali experiences! The Cultural Orientation Week will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socialising.

The Cultural Immersion Week schedule is as follows:

Please note, this schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on the needs of the program, local weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Once the Cultural Immersion Week is complete, Turtle Conservation volunteers will travel to Nusa Penida to start their project. Volunteers in Ubud will prepare for the start of their projects the following week.

If you would like to join the Cultural Immersion Week, just make a note in your application or contact your IVHQ Program Manager after you register.

First Day: On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.

Weekdays: A typical volunteer day is as follows:

8.00 AM Breakfast at the volunteer house.

9.00 AM Volunteers spend 1 to 2 hours planning for their projects and head to their placements at 1pm. Work and hours is dependent on the project and placements that the volunteer is working at.

12.00 PM Lunch

5.00 PM Work at the project usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel back to their homestays, go sight seeing, or do some shopping.

7.00PM - 8.00 PM Dinner at the volunteer house.

Please note, this schedule can vary depending on the project that the volunteer is participating on.

Volunteers are accommodated in volunteer houses, located approximately 15 minutes drive outside of central Ubud. Village life is quintessentially local and you will get a good chance to see typical Balinese life – roosters crowing and all! Living conditions are comfortable and all volunteer houses have fans in the bedrooms. Volunteers can expect to share a dormitory style room with three to seven other volunteers. The bathroom is shared with a hot water shower and western toilets. WiFi is available at the volunteer accommodation and there are great internet cafes in the Ubud centre if you would like to access a higher speed connection.

Accommodation Upgrades

For couples or volunteers wanting more privacy, private rooms with an ensuite are available for an additional US$169 per week. There is also an option for an extra bed to be added to the room to accommodate up to 3 volunteers for an additional US$85 per week. Both of these options are subject to availability and can be booked directly with your IVHQ Program Manager once you have secured your spot on the program by registering.

Families volunteering with children 12 years and under will need to pay an extra US$200 per week to cover private accommodation and extra care during the program.

Turtle Conservation Accommodation

Volunteers on the Turtle Conservation project are transported to Nusa Penida on the Sunday before their start date (if they are taking part in the 1-day Orientation) or after the Cultural Immersion Week on the Sunday. Living conditions on the island are basic yet comfortable and volunteers can expect to share a room with one to seven other volunteers of the same gender. There is WiFi available at the volunteer accommodation, however the connection is unreliable so we recommend purchasing a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone during your program orientation in Ubud. Please note there are no accommodation upgrade options available on the Turtle Conservation project in Nusa Penida.

Volunteers are served mainly Balinese style dishes and should expect light vegetarian meals. Rice is a staple in the Indonesian cuisine, and eaten daily, typically teamed with fresh vegetables and occasionally tempeh/tofu. Volunteers can expect typical dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice and vegetables - often considered as the national dish), mie goreng (fried noodles and vegetables) or gado gado (mixed vegetables with a satay sauce). Western meals may be served during the week. Breakfast can include fresh fruit, toast, and eggs. Tea, coffee, and toast will be available throughout the day. Purified drinking water is also available in the volunteer house; we do not recommend that you drink the tap water. Three meals per day are provided on weekdays, and breakfast and dinner only during the weekends. If volunteers wish to eat out in Ubud, there are a large numbers of restaurants and local warungs (restaurants) to suit all tastes and budgets. If you have special dietary requirements, please let us when you apply so that we can make arrangements for you. However, we need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, and as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.

Read verified reviews from British IVHQ volunteers in Bali:

“If you are looking to travel, learn about a new culture and take part in helping the community then IVHQ certainly gives you an opportunity to do so. I had a fantastic time and gained life experience, along with meeting friends for life. You have the opportunity to live like a local and meet people from all over the world which truly is the best experience! The children I taught were absolutely fantastic and grateful for the help and guidance volunteers provided, they were excited to learn English which made the experience all the worth while. Playing games with the kids, learning about their families and getting to know them on a personal level proved most rewarding and I would love to return back to Bali to see them again in the near future. IVHQ gave me the opportunity to travel somewhere on my own but feel part of a family. Thank you.” - Jenny Anderson, United Kingdom (Teaching Volunteer in Bali)

“It was so refreshing to go to Bali and fall in love with life again. I loved everything about Bali - teaching the kids, the relaxed way of life, the scenery, the culture, the food etc. If I had to pick one thing it would have to be the people - the locals, the fellow volunteers and the local team. I met some very like minded volunteers that I know I’ll remain friends with for a very long time and formed some very strong bonds with some of the locals and members of staff. I’m hugely grateful to both IVHQ and the local team for making my trip so special. It was very hard to say goodbye and I miss it greatly already but I’ll cherish the memories forever.” - Thomas Judd, United Kingdom (Kindergarten Volunteer in Bali)

“The first week in Ubud was wonderful, I absolutely loved seeing all the different sights that our coordinator showed us. The Turtle Conservation project in Nusa Penida was brilliant. All of the coordinators went above and aboard to make the volunteers welcome and sort out any problems they had. They made the house feel like a home and nobody was left out. The local staff productive and implemented many systems to better the survival rates of all of the turtles. The house staff were lovely. Another part of the project that would be the same without. They helped you out and looked after us. And the food was always delicious! I enjoyed my time on Nusa Penida so much I am already planning my return. Thank you again for a wonderful experience that I will always remember.” - Amber Cave, United Kingdom (Turtle Conservation Volunteer in Bali)

Discover more reviews from IVHQ Bali volunteers here

During the weekends, volunteers have spare time to relax or take the opportunity to explore Ubud, or other parts of Bali. Popular destinations and activities include the beaches of Sanur, Seminyak or Kuta, cycling or trekking tours on Mount Batur, and visits to rice terraces and temples.

See our Bali Travel and Tours page for more volunteer travel options in Bali!

Weather and climate: Bali has a tropical climate with year round warm weather and an average temperature of 30°C. High humidity can be expected during the wet season, October - April. The dry season is between the months of May - September and has the lowest humidity.

Volunteers who are under 18 years old will be required to provide IVHQ with parental consent and two character reference letters in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team. All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide a criminal background check to IVHQ’s local team on arrival in Bali. Additional requirements apply for Teaching and Healthcare volunteers, please read the project descriptions above.

Speaking Bahasa Indonesia is not a prerequisite for the IVHQ Bali - Ubud volunteer program, however on certain projects, the volunteer work will be restricted with limited language ability. Past volunteers feel that taking lessons can help you immensely with your day to day volunteer work and communicating with local people. Volunteers interested in taking classes can arrange these directly with the local staff once in Bali.

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.