Ahh, Bali. Shimmering sands and turquoise waters. Out of Indonesia’s 17,000 islands, it is by far the most well-known and most-loved by tourists and travel vloggers. It is a paradise island for travelers, a dream destination for honeymooners, and an amazing place to volunteer!
Volunteer in Bali and it’ll feel like every day is magic.
The choice to volunteer abroad cannot be made without having ideas in your head of the location you want to be in! Thinking of planning a tropical honeymoon in Bali? Why not turn that normal vacation into a rewarding experience you will remember forever, and help the planet while you will already be there?
For spring-breakers and college students on summer or winter leave, doesn’t a tropical getaway plus resume-building experience sound like the perfect way to go? We certainly think so! And that’s exactly why you need to discover Bali volunteer programs.
Why volunteer in Bali?
Volunteer work in Bali means that you can have your cake and eat it too. Volunteer at your choice of program in the morning and afternoons and spend your evenings on the beach, admiring the scarlet sunset.
Volunteer vacations are the new trend, and the perfect way to fulfill your travel dreams while doing your part to make this world a better place. Bali volunteer opportunities are nothing short of the best of both worlds.
Read more: 9 Things to Know Before You Volunteer in Bali
The Balinese are considered to be warm and friendly. When you’re out at the market, you can expect to receive welcoming smiles. While volunteering within the local community, however, you can expect to gain a lot more!
Behold and discover during Bali volunteer opportunities!
When you volunteer in Bali, you will work closely with local communities, which allows volunteers to engage in positive cultural exchange. Working alongside members of a community much different than yours, but working towards the same goal, creates a sense of togetherness that would otherwise not be felt.
You will find it easy to make friends with the local community members during volunteer work in Bali, and you will enjoy learning about their culture as they will enjoy hearing about yours. In addition to networking, don’t forget that there are communities everywhere that are in need of helping hands, and that you will be doing a really wonderful thing by helping out.
Discover below the various ways in which you can enjoy this beautiful island, its lovely people, and its jaw-dropping scenery while giving back!
1. Embrace the tropical water
If you have a passion for scuba diving and coral reefs, why not join a marine conservation opportunity? Volunteer in Bali by the sea and you will be able to do the same activities you would have done on a normal Balinese vacation (swimming, diving, etc.) while simultaneously doing good in the same area of ocean you are enjoying!
Due to climate change, many corals are being bleached by the ever-warming ocean water and are dying off. To bring back fish and other ocean life, your volunteer work in Bali can assist in creating and planting artificial coral reefs. In addition to this, volunteers can partake in scuba dives to collect plastic and other trash in the water to keep the lovely diving area clean.
- Recommended Program: Volunteering Solutions - Marine Conservation Volunteering Program in Bali
2. Get up-close with amazing sea life
Volunteer in Bali by the sea and you just might make some new friends.
Do you dream of holding a baby sea turtle in your hands before you set it free into the ocean? Do videos of other volunteers cleaning little turtles with toothbrushes make you swoon? You have come to the right place!
Of the only seven species of sea turtles in the world, Indonesia has been blessed with six of them — so get acquainted while you volunteer in Bali! These turtles include the green turtle, hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback, flatback and loggerhead.
Unfortunately, all species of sea turtles are endangered and face extinction. Luckily, you can join an amazing rescue and rehabilitative program on the Indonesian island of Nusa Penida (right off the coast of Bali) to provide care for sea turtle eggs, hatchlings, and injured sea turtles.
- Recommended Program: GoEco - Indonesia - Bali Sea Turtle Rescue
3. Experience a new place and culture
The island of Bali is home to various religious sites, historical sites, gushing waterfalls, sandy beaches, and more! Who doesn’t want to experience all of this, while also giving back? Bali volunteer opportunities are full of adventure!
Volunteer road trips are the perfect combination of travel and volunteer work! During volunteer road trips, two weeks can be spent traveling the country and participating in cultural activities. The last week is reserved for volunteer work in Bali.
Participants generally have the option to choose which placement they prefer, after being introduced to the options during the beginning of their road trip experience.
Road trippers can both provide the community with money from tourism, while also physically assisting the place that they are visiting and enjoying. What better way could there be to experience a new place and culture than a road trip combined with volunteer activities?
- Recommended Program: GoEco - Indonesia - Bali Island Road Trip
4. Gain professional experience in a paradise location
Don’t be surprised if you’re constantly in awe that your volunteer work in Bali is both fun AND professionally relevant.
Volunteering in Bali is becoming increasingly popular, and the wide array of options allow volunteers to partake in professional, sustainable, long-running programs. For example, there is a large need for English-speaking volunteers to assist in schools and after-school clubs, which can boost your CV and help you decide if that education degree is truly what you want.
University students in other fields can also gain hands-on, professional experience from Bali volunteer programs, including medical and pre-med students. Students can enhance their expertise by teaching basic hygiene to school children as part of a health education program. Teach children to brush their teeth and wash their hands properly, and answer any related questions!
- Recommended Program: International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ] - Volunteer in Healthcare Education in Bali
5. English speaking volunteers are needed
Bali is one of the most popular tropical destinations for travelers, and each year hosts millions of tourists. Since this is such a popular location, it is important that the Balinese are able to understand and speak basic English in order to work in the tourism industry, or in other international areas of work.
Teaching English can be a rewarding experience when you volunteer in Bali, and most of these volunteer opportunities take place in schools with young children. Teaching English does not always have to follow a rigid curriculum; volunteers who teach English in kindergartens, for example, can teach the language through playing games with the children.
Read More: 6 of the Best Volunteer Programs in Bali
Teaching English is a relatively simple way to become a teaching volunteer, and there is no feeling like helping children achieve their full potential and putting a smile on their face.
Some of your hours with Bali volunteer programs may even be approved by your college or university to be the equivalent of academic credit hours! Please check with your university prior to registration.
- Recommended Program: Teaching English Volunteering in Bali - Lovina with IVHQ
6. Communities are in need of more helping hands
Committing time and effort to a local community will make a world of difference.
If working with children is not exactly your calling, and neither is working with animals, there is always construction work to be done! While you may have a little less contact with the local community members during these tasks compared to teaching opportunities, you will be able to physically see the positive changes that your hard work has had on the local community.
Constructing and renovating is one of the most rewarding forms of volunteer work in Bali, since you directly see your impact. This option is perfect for first-time volunteers, strong volunteers, or people who are artistic and enjoy working with their hands.
- Recommended Program: International Working Holidays - Make a Difference in Bali: Work as a Construction Volunteer
7. Can’t decide on just one program? Join a combination program!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the different volunteer opportunities in Bali, why not try and test a few? Bali is just one small area of Indonesia, and many of the placements are in the same areas. Many teaching and construction programs take place in the charming, local village of Ubud, while sea turtle programs tend to take place on the jaw-dropping island off the coast, called Nusa Penida. This island is less than an hour away from the mainland!
Teaching and construction placements are common combination programs. Volunteers can work with children and play educational games for one week, and then spend the second week doing physical volunteer work. Combining programs allows volunteers to assist local communities in different ways, and prevents the chance of getting bored during a long-term stay.
- Recommended Program: GoEco - Indonesia - Education and Community Work in Bali
Next Step: Get Matched with 5 Bali Volunteer Programs for FREE
Don’t let these Bali volunteer opportunities pass you up!
Bali volunteer programs are about to change your life — and the lives of others!
Dive into crystal clear waters, relax on warm beaches, socialize with friendly locals, and enhance your resume while giving back to several communities when you volunteer in Bali! Get your hands dirty while working hard to build new schools and community buildings. Put a smile on the face of local kindergarteners and school children. Have a role in the conservation of endangered sea turtles.
No matter which Bali volunteer programs you choose to be a part of, you will be happy that you chose to join. These unique opportunities will allow you to make new friends, network internationally, and provide you with the rewarding feeling of giving back. At the end of each day of hard work, there is always the lovely sand to take a late afternoon nap in. Find Bali volunteer work now, and soak up the sun and culture anytime of year!
Explore ALL Bali Volunteer Opportunities on GoAbroad.com
This article was written with help from GoEco, who has been named a Top Volunteer Abroad Organization of 2018 by GoAbroad, a Best Sustainable Tour Operator finalist by the Global Youth Travel Awards, and one of GoEco’s programs in Belize was named a finalist for Most Innovative New Volunteer Program of 2018 by GoAbroad.
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