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Thailand Marine Conservation

by: Gapforce

9.4 (5)Verified

Lying in the crystal-clear tropical waters of the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao’s abundant and diverse coral reefs offer some of the finest scuba diving found anywhere on the planet! The perfect location to maximize your diving and reef ecology experience, this exciting and in-depth program has been specifically designed for volunteers wishing to engage in marine conservation activities that protect, ...

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Program Highlights

Become an experienced and qualified diver – no prior diving experience required!

Gain a thorough, in-depth knowledge and understanding of reef ecology and conservation.

Work on several underwater research, monitoring, and marine conservation projects.

Enjoy island life on one of Thailand’s most popular backpacker hangouts!

Become a fully qualified Divemaster (12-week program only).

Quick Details

Locations
  • Koh Tao, Thailand
Availability
Year(s) OfferedYear RoundDuration:
  • 2-4 Weeks
  • 5-8 Weeks
  • 9-12 Weeks
Cost Per Week$600-900
Age Requirement:Varies
Types & Subjects:
  • Biological Research
  • Conservation
  • Eco-Tourism
  • Environment
  • Marine Conservation
Guidelines:
  • All Nationalities
See all program details

Awards

GoAbroad Top Rated Provider 2024 - Gap Year AbroadTop Rated Provider 2023 - Gap YearYET 2023Go Overseas Community Choice Award - Top Rated in Safety 2022CanGapYear Out GroupDuke of Edinbrugh

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about the programs

Overall Rating

9.4

Total Reviews

5

Just an incredible experience

December 02, 2024by: Andries Brummer - NamibiaProgram: Thailand Marine Conservation
9

Earlier this year, I completed an incredible experience with the Thailand Marine Conservation Program. While many in our group participated for a gap year, my goal was to earn my divemaster certification and deepen my understanding of conservation efforts to apply back home. The vibrant marine life and unique ecosystems were incredible and made me fall inlove with the ocean all over again. Overall, this program was a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow both as a diver and a conservationist. The program was expertly led by Marine Biologist Jade Bosco, who managed our education and schedule. She was exceptional at teaching us about local marine and reef ecology. Jade was supported by Ciara, another passionate biologist who oversaw our diving training and participated in most of our projects and eco dives. Their enthusiasm and passion was great to experience. In all honesty I could write a book about these two and how much they love the ocean. While I could go on about how special everything was, Jade and Ciara we're a highlight and I can't imagine better people to learn from and experience this program with. After starting with basic dive training, we moved on to survey dives focused on coral ecology, where we learned to identify various corals and marine life. As we improved our skills, we began working on the artificial reef, learning more about the ecosystem, planting new corals and maintaining the reef. Personally I loved our weekend cleanup dives—they were some of my best experiences. It was calming, peaceful and just gave me a good feeling. In addition to all the educational dives, we also had fun dives that allowed us to simply enjoy the underwater world outside of the program. Overall, the mix of training, conservation work, and fun dives just hit the best balance for me. For my divemaster training, I had the privilege of learning from Frankie Gard-Storry, one of the best instructors I’ve ever had. Frankie struck the perfect balance between professionalism and what I can only call stupid fun, making every moment memorable and helping me manage my time between the ecology program and my divemaster training, even though I got very ill (pretty sure he carried my 130kg body to the clinic with only one arm while I was blacked out) basically a superhero. Throughout the program, I had the pleasure of meeting an amazing group of people from all over the globe. While many weren’t part of the program, they added so much to the experience. From locals to fellow divers and travelers, each person added something unique and special, making my time truly memorable. The island itself was fantastic, and the Thai cuisine was absolutely delightful and mouth watering—something I miss the most! Although I chose to explore on foot and by taxi, I’d recommend renting a scooter to fully experience everything the island has to offer. There’s so much to do beyond diving and classes, ensuring that you’ll never be bored. The locals we're wonderful, warm and friendly. I want to extend a massive thank you to Jade, Ciara, Frankie, and the entire Roctopus team. Your dedication and support made my experience unforgettable. While there were many others who contributed to this amazing journey, naming everyone would make this review quite long. Just know that I truly appreciate everything you all did to make this adventure, experience and education so special. Andries Godlieb Brummer

Our Rescue Diver Team featuring Instructor Frankie.Just some loveOur weekend Cleanup team (honestly still some of my favorite dives) fraturing Biologists Jade and Ciara.

Overall Fantastic Experience

October 01, 2024by: Tom Hollingsworth - United KingdomProgram: Thailand Marine Conservation
10

I did the 4 week course and couldn’t recommend highly enough. Jade led a driven and passionate eco-team which it was inspiring to be a part of. She delivered interesting and high-quality tuition on multiple aspects of marine ecology and then we got the opportunity to apply some of these principles in specific eco-dives, participating in exciting current projects and even designing and conducting our own project. Dive instructor Ciara gave exemplary diving tuition and it was amazing to explore the many stunning dive sites of Koh Tao, which were teeming with life and beautiful reefs . All of this was combined with fantastic accommodation and food, an extremely friendly and welcoming community, and ample opportunity to explore and enjoy the wonders of the island.

Arriving at one of the dive sites.Sairee Beach, right next to the dive shop.Night dive as part of advanced open water qualification.

Couldn’t recommend enough!

May 24, 2024by: Anna Martin-Williams - United KingdomProgram: Thailand Marine Conservation
10

I spent an amazing two months doing this marine conservation programme. The quality of teaching for both the diving and ecological sides of the programme was incredibly high and done with a lot of care. I would really recommend this to anyone considering it. Particular thanks to instructors Jade and Ciara for making the experience as great as it was.

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • Koh Tao, Thailand

Types and Subjects

  • Adventure Types
  • Ecology
  • Scuba
  • Fields
  • Marine Science

Availability

Years Offered: Year Round

Duration:
  • 2-4 Weeks
  • 5-8 Weeks
  • 9-12 Weeks
Intern Duration:

    Age Requirement

    Age Requirement Varies

    Guidelines

    • All Nationalities
    • This Program is also open to Solo, Couples, Group

    Cost per week

    $600-900

    Program Cost Includes

    • Accommodation / Housing for Program Duration
    • Some Meals / Partial Meal Plan
    • Airport Transfer (Pick-Up)
    • Airport Transfer (Drop-Off)

    Accommodation Options

    • Dormitory

    Qualifications & Experience

      Language Skills Required

    • English

      Accepted Education Levels

    • Any/All Education Levels Accepted

    Application Procedures

    • Online Application
    • Physical Exam/Health Records
    Gapforce

    Gapforce

    9.4Verified

    Ready to Learn More?

    Lying in the crystal-clear tropical waters of the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao’s abundant and diverse coral reefs offer some of the finest scuba diving found anywhere on the planet! The perfect location to maximize your diving and reef ecology experience, this exciting and in-depth program has been specifically designed for volunteers wishing to engage in marine conservation activities that protect, restore, and conserve Koh Tao’s coral reefs. With both 4 and 8-week programs available, get ready for a comprehensive marine conservation experience! If you're looking for a little more, join us for a full 12 weeks and complete an award-winning Divemaster training course, which is perfect if you wish to achieve a professional diving qualification that allows you to transform your passion into a p...

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