Maldives - Sea Turtle Conservation

I was able to complete a scuba diving program which I continue to do regularly. we explored uninhabited islands, learnt about turtles and did lots of fishing. overall I plan to return to the Maldives next year and will definitely use GoECO for future volunteering experiences.

Very good program. Friendly stuff and the local support team. Feels like I saw Maldives otherwise I would not see. Great experience with impact and environmental focus. Would recommend to others who would be interested. Thank you !

Living in the Maldives with so many amazing people, contributing to the conservation efforts of Atoll Marine Center and spending so much time in the ocean on the reef was truly a dream come true. My biggest highlight was going on an excursion to snorkel with nurse sharks and a manta ray!

The staff at the Marine Centre were excellent. We learnt so much every day and were treated to some other amazing experiences like Swimming with sharks and Manta Rays and even night fishing with the locals. Being able to collect Sea Grass for Hope made my heart sing.

My partner and I signed up for a dive on our last day with the associated dive instructor and had a fantastic time! We saw so many wild sea turtles, and it made us appreciate the sea turtles at the center even more. I'll never forget Hope, Umee, Kanbili, Hadhiya, Olga, Tom and Cora, and look forward to hearing updates from the friends I made who are staying a bit longer!

The team were amazing and great to work with! Learnt so much from the experience, would recommend this to anyone who lives marine animals and is willing to work hard and get dirty! The meal options should really be improved, the food is fine for short term volunteers.

Sea swimming with turtles was absolutely amazing and I feel honoured to have been able to participate in this activity. Amyna, the marine biologist, is an absolute credit to the programme too. The volunteer accommodation was adequate.

It was all amazing! I loved being so hands on with all the turtles in the center's care. There was also a great balance between working and time off so it was possible to make the most of living in the Maldives.

I loved everything we did but specially the people, meeting people from different places makes it so interesting. This program is definitely a "must do", i would go so many times more. It´s an unforgettable experience, i enjoyed it so so much.

One of my most fondest memories was being introduced to the awesome world that is under the ocean in the most immersive sense that I have ever experienced and snorkelling amongst the amazing marine life.

The most memorable experience was rehabilitating and releasing turtles (61 hatchlings; 1 adult), excursions to other islands, the great staff at the Marine Centre and getting to know them, personally getting to know each turtle and their quirky behaviours.

All of the other volunteers and the local marine biologists onsite were so welcoming and friendly it really made my experience one I will never forget. Although I was only there for 2 weeks, my experience at the Marine Turtle Conservation Center in the Maldives was one I will never forget. The people were amazing, both the other volunteers and the locals, the weather was mostly great, the excursions were unforgettable, the view every single day was amazing, and the turtles were adorable as always. Each day brought new experiences and I learned so many new things about the turtles that I never knew before. I really felt like the work I was doing was making a difference in the community there and educating the locals on the threats toward the every day lives of sea turtles.

My two weeks volunteering in the Maldives was exactly what I was looking for. The locality. The environment. The turtles. The work. The adventures. The people. The culture. Now I cannot imagine traveling any other way - volunteering is the best way to really experience a place & it's people. I put some hard work into scrubbing the tanks of sea turtles, snorkeling to check on the coral garden & gardening at the Marine Center, but had ample time to explore the island, watch the sun rise, talk to locals, soak up the sun. The excursions & other activities organized were an extra bonus! Only way to get to know local culture is to live like a local! highlights of the trip was the people. The locals are friendly & welcoming people. The staff from the volunteer organisation & it's parent community group couldn't have been more accommodating. Loved every minute.

I wanted to take a trip, and the Sea Turtle Conservation was the cheapest option for being under 18. The times were flexible too. I loved the actual experience! And overall, I like that Go Eco included the insurance and registering fees. I loved the culture week in UBUD the most, and the housing at the turtle project. It was very community oriented there.

I spent 8 weeks volunteering for the farm and I had the trip of a lifetime. From waking up to the sound of lions roaring to going on game drives and walking with elephants this really is an opportunity that you cannot miss! I really enjoyed the mixture of hard physical work and animal activities, and the amount of one to one interactionsn you get with the animals is incredible! I really enjoyed the hard manuel work that we did, especially building the new tiger enclosure for the tiger cubs. I loved the range of people you met from all over the world and the team spirit, but most of all I loved the interactions you got with all the African animals.

I had a wonderful time volunteering and was made to feel very welcome by the staff at the marine centre. When I arrived and found out that I was the only volunteer and that I would have the volunteer house to myself I was very apprehensive however it ended up being a great experience.

All of the other volunteers and the local marine biologists onsite were so welcoming and friendly it really made my experience one I will never forget. Although I was only there for 2 weeks, my experience at the Marine Turtle Conservation Center in the Maldives was one I will never forget. The people were amazing, both the other volunteers and the locals, the weather was mostly great, the excursions were unforgettable, the view every single day was amazing, and the turtles were adorable as always. Each day brought new experiences and I learned so many new things about the turtles that I never knew before. I really felt like the work I was doing was making a difference in the community there and educating the locals on the threats toward the every day lives of sea turtles.

This entire experience surpasses my expectations in every way possible. I am a student studying marine biology and took this opportunity for the hands on work in the marine centre, which taught me more than any classroom ever could! However, I did not take into consideration the volunteers and permanent marine biologists I would have the pleasure of working aside. The people behind the Atoll Volunteers were outstanding. They made everything about this adventure fun, and I have now not only acquired some new role models in my life, but life long friends as well. I would and will suggest this program to anyone looking for experience with marine life as well as meeting a few amazing humans along the way.

My experience in the Maldives can only be described with positive words, and wonderful memories. Not only did I learn a huge amount about marine life, I also got to work hands-on with sea turtles everyday. The location is breathtaking, and weekly excursions to uninhabited islands gave us a chance to snorkel on some of the most beautiful reefs in the world. I met some amazing people there and along the way discovered my passion for marine biology and conservation. Releasing turtles, educating the locals on the importance of their well-being, and doing beach cleanup a were only a few of the ways the projects contributed to the amazing country of he Maldives.

I would recommend this volunteer experience to everyone, it really is one of the best decisions I have ever made. The three weeks I spent there had been the best weeks of my life The bright skies and the turquoise water were just breathtaking. I was given an opportunity to learn and develop my skills when it came to marine and turtle life along with a group of hard working volunteers. Waking up in the morning to go to the marine center and feed the turtles was an experience which i can never replace. The team of biologists over there were very dedicated and helped us through every step of the way. They taught us a lot about turtle life and a fair share about marine ecosystems. Feeding the turtles and caring for them was an amazing experience. The group always had their hands full with activities planned for them by the team there, we were taken on excursions to nearby islands to relax and snorkel.The vibrant colors underwater is something which just took my breath away and something which I can never forget. Overall the experience was just mind blowing and was never disappointed at any point during my three week stay, I became friends with a great bunch of people who made my stay even better.