Indonesia - Bali Sea Turtle Rescue

The most memorable experience has to be watching the turtles be born and then continuing to take care of them each day. The Green Lion coordinators were also a big part of the amazing experience that I’ve had. At the Ubud centre and at the Nusa Penida centre, everyone is so professional and warm and welcoming. I would recommend the experience to everyone.

Such a meaningful way to travel. I loved learning about the culture and everyday life directly from locals, all while supporting their communities. I had an amazing time and wouldn’t change how I spent my first trip to Bali.

I spent most of my twenties traveling and working abroad, but life hit pause for a bit when I had twins. In April 2025, I finally dusted off my passport for a journey to Bali and Nusa Penida with my nine-year-old twins—and it turned out to be the most fulfilling trip of my life.<br><br>Booking through GoEco with the Green Lion was the best decision I could’ve made. From the moment I reached out, the GoEco team was incredibly kind, personable, and genuinely excited to help. They answered all my many (many!) questions with patience and detail, making sure everything was taken care of—both before and during the trip.<br><br>I’m so grateful GoEco connects travelers to inspiring organizations like Green Lion. Their commitment to ecotourism means you’re not just seeing the world—you’re experiencing it in a way that’s respectful to local communities and (hopefully) leaves a positive impact.<br><br>This wasn’t just a vacation; it was a reminder of everything I love about travel. Thanks to GoEco, I returned home with a full heart, a sun-kissed nose, and a deep appreciation for the beautiful people and places that made this experience unforgettable.

I absolutely loved my time volunteering here. It was way more than learning about sea turtle conservation or marine life. The trip was a full immersion in the Indonesian culture where I got to meet locals, other volunteers from all over the world and make friendships to cherish for many years. Beyond grateful for the experience. I recommend this to anyone who wishes to travel in a lively place and get to see the real Indonesia, not just the IG hotspots. I have also done the introduction week which is a great way to get onboarded and learn more about this land’s customs and traditions.

Photos

My name is Laurie I signed up thru GoEcho As I wanted to experience Solo travel thru volunteer It was a wonderful experience I arrived in Nusa Penida not really knowing what to expect By the end of the first day I was already feeling welcome by the staff and everyone was so friendly The meals were excellent and I bunked with four other young Ladies we all became friends And spent a lot of our free time Together I so appreciated the staff and they went out of their way to Get to know everyone and took the time to chat on a personal Level as well This was my first trip out of the country and it was so fulfilling In every way. New friends and volunteering my time for a good cause saving the turtles I was truly sad when it was time to leave I especially enjoyed the bonfire and staff playing music everyone sang along We were like one big happy family I am going back to spend two more weeks at the same location I know what to expect and I can’t wait

Photos

I really loved all the coordinators I met in Nusa Penida! Although they are under another company (Green Lion) I love how passionate they are in teaching everyone. The daily turtle activities was by far the best experience I’ve had.

The most memorable experience I had was getting to meet a bunch of people from different cultures. I also loved to meet all the locals and learn about their day to day lives. It was also super amazing to be able to work up close with different species of sea turtles.

My most memorable part of the program was not only the work with the turtles and the behind the scenes efforts that go into it,but the sense of community and friendship through the coordinators and group activities which made this trip so memorable. Ketut, Gde and Agus are some of the nicest people I have ever met, they are so welcoming and friendly and do such amazing work for the turtles and the environment which is truly aspirational. I'd recommend to anyone to do the bali turtle conservation trip!

Participating in a turtle release. Taking one if the older turtles down to the beach where the coordinators performed a blessing ceremony. Then watching the turtle slowly crawl to the water and disappear.

Working with the sea turtles in Indonesia, I not only got to be hands on in their conservation, but I also got to see a turtle released back into the wild as well as a new nest of babies hatch. It was an experience I will never forget. The coordinators at the sea turtle conservation center are doing an amazing job to make sure that the volunteers are learning about the animals as well as having a good time and I couldn’t have asked for four better people than Agus, Ketut, Gede and Yoan!

Working with the sea turtles in Indonesia, I not only got to be hands on in their conservation, but I also got to see a turtle released back into the wild as well as a new nest of babies hatch. It was an experience I will never forget. The coordinators at the sea turtle conservation center are doing an amazing job to make sure that the volunteers are learning about the animals as well as having a good time and I couldn’t have asked for four better people.

I did 2 weeks turtle project in Bali and a week yoga which both were amazing. The local people and lifestyle had a huge impact on me.i loved every moment of it, and already planning my next volunteer job and also my next trip back to Bali.

My favorite experience was working with the baby turtles: cleaning their tanks and feeding the 3 weeks old turtles. It was honestly an incredible experience! The local team, especially in Ubud for the culture week, was really brilliant. They made the experience really fun!

When I decided to volunteer one of the first questions I asked myself was; should I go solo or invite someone? So if you’re just traveling around and you’re scared you won’t meet anyone, think back. I am definitely an introvert and because most people are in your same situation it’s easier, everyone is extremely friendly and easy to connect with. You won’t regret going solo, many people who went with their friends wouldn’t open up as much because they had company, so they didn’t have the need as the ones who went solo. Apart from that it gives you an insight of your independency skills. The people I met were amazing, the locals, the coordinators and the volunteers. The volunteers ages ranged from 16-50 years old and they all were amazing people. Now about my experience in Bali, when I got there someone picked us up and took us to where each of us is staying, they usually divide the housing depending on your project, so it’s easier to connect with those you’ll be around with. Your first week you get to explore around Ubud and go to different temples such as the holy water temple and monkey temple, learn some of the language, hang out with your new friends and even learn how to cook some Balinese dishes! One side note: don’t look at the monkeys directly into the eyes, apparently they don’t like it. After this week has passed you will go to the island Nusa Penida, where you get to spend the next week(s) in your project. Here you will be divided into groups each week and have different schedule, where you’ll get to feed turtles, clean their tanks, make turtle toys (which are dead corals hanging and in their tanks), catch some crabs for them to keep developing their skills, clean the beach and streets and inform the locals about pollution and litter. We also get one day of the week to go to a beach nearby with our group (you’ll be taken there), on Fridays we had a bonfire at the beach were we all sing songs, eat together (they make western food) and the most amazing part is getting to release a turtle by the end of your trip, where the turtle gets blessed and goes on to fight again to return into its home. On the weekends you get to explore around, some places I went to and we’re extraordinary are: Kelinking beach, Angel’s billabong, Broken Beach, etc... don’t worry they have a map of the island in the accommodations so you can choose where you want to. Some other important things you might want to know are: On your way back you have to pay the cab to either the airport or where you’re headed, the boat is arranged for you. Something else I was confused of was that we had to leave on Saturday so I had to quickly book a hotel room because I thought I could stay until Sunday. They will provide local food (rice, watermelon, vegetables, etc..) 3 times a day on weekdays and breakfast (and dinner?) on weekends. You’ll have to share bathrooms with everyone at the island. There is an ATM at the island, BUT sometimes it runs out of money, so it’s better if you can already take out money you’ll be needing. I used it on going snorkelling, the cab to take us to kelinking beach, etc... and food for weekends and when we were eating dinner somewhere else. Also take some medicine for diarrhoea as you might experience it the first week, due to the change of food. Also some medicine for temperature just in case, as someone in my group got really sick she needed it. I really hope this helps you decide on this project and I really hope you have a great time regardless of you choosing solo or not!

Photos

I loved my time in Indonesia. I spent a week in Bali as part of the cultural emersion and then a week in Nusa Penida volunteering at the sea turtle sanctuary. I learned a lot about Indonesian culture and felt that I was able to give back to the community, and there is also a fair amount of down time to explore the islands. I met such cool people from across the globe that I never would have had an opportunity to meet otherwise, and we still keep in touch over a year later! The one flaw I experienced was an outbreak of bedbugs at the lodge in Nusa Penida, but perhaps it has been resolved by now. I would highly recommend this program for anyone looking to experience Indonesia and spend some time with cool people and adorable turtles!

Photos

I think meeting all these different people from different parts of the world with different backgrounds was the best part of the internship. I learned so much from these people and spread some knowledge of my own.

Meeting and becoming close with so many individuals from all over the world. Learned so much about myself and about giving back to your community. Would definitely recommend to anyone that’s considering attending

This was my first volunteering project and the best decision I have ever made. When I hold the small turtles and gently clean them with my sponge I was literally crying because they were so cute and needed our help to have more chance of survival. Also, I have met amazing people all over the world which become my friends that I still talk and the coordinators was always there to help answer my questions.

The program was great, but there was too much free time. We were all there to help as much as we could but we ended up lounging around for a large chunk of our time. Into week was good but it could have been done in two or three days. It dragged on and there was again too much free time. But other then that I had an amazing experience and the team at green lion was amazing.

The orientation week of GoEco was a great experience allowing us to learn about the local cultural, do and see local sites and events, and a great way to bond with some of the volunteers in the beginning.