Marine conservation in Belize

Description of Marine conservation in Belize

This five day tailor made marine conservation holiday in Belize is open to all volunteers interested in diving and caring for the environment.

As a diving experience, alone, this trip excels. And when combined with hands-on tasks and the chance to help with marine conservation projects, it makes for an extremely worthwhile introduction to the incredible biodiversity of the Caribbean.

Set against a backdrop of a private 'castaway' island, adjacent to the Belize Barrier Reef, you'll discover every opportunity to swim, snorkel and dive within a truly breathtaking marine environment.

From swimming alongside whale sharks to hunting invasive lion fish with a spear, this is your chance to encounter something completely different within a fun and friendly environment. Protecting the Belize Barrier Reef is an essential part of this five day volunteering adventure and you'll be invited to join an actual marine conservation team as they undertake ad-hoc and ongoing tasks.

Absolutely no experience is needed to sign up. This is the ideal way to learn new skills and make a real difference both above and below the warm waves of the Caribbean. Belize is one of the best places on the planet to learn how to dive in the ocean, not in a swimming pool. Our PADI courses include PADI Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue and Dive Master.

We empower you to take an active role in directly protecting and conserving our oceans that we love via our marine conservation projects and environmental education and awareness program. You will learn about the invasive lionfish species that is destroying our native coral reefs and participate in our conservation dives to spearfish and remove this incredibly destructive invasive species. You will also learn all about coral reefs, tropical fish, sharks, manatees, dolphins and many other species from tiny invertebrates to the largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark. You will participate in our marine conservation identification dives to discover the wonders of the marine world. We also cover many more topics from ocean acidification, climate change, to global warming and you will discover things you can do to combat these issues. Join us and make a difference!

Each week/day will differ but you will be helping and participating in the following areas:

• Invasive Lionfish: Spearfish to remove this destructive invasive species that is destroying native coral reef ecosystems.
• Marine Conservation Education: Learn about coral reefs and marine animals and discover how we can protect our oceans and reefs.
• Whale Shark Monitoring (if spotted): Dive with the largest fish in the ocean and record sightings to improve conservation efforts.
• Biodiversity Identification Dives: Identification dives (fish, sea turtles, sharks, invertebrates, coral) to increase one’s knowledge and understanding of reef ecosystems.
• Beach Clean-ups: Weekly beach and island trash/plastic removal on islands of the Belize Barrier Reef.

Depending on the season and length of stay you might not take part in all of these activities above but it is a good bet that you will experience most of them. Please get in touch for more information and to find out more about what this all-inclusive volunteer placement involves.

PADI Dive Courses Offered on the Island

Our volunteer trips are for both non-experienced and experienced divers. Not certified? No worries, many of our volunteers come to the island to learn to dive. Looking to further your dive credentials? Many of our volunteers come to our island to further their diving certification status. Regardless of your diving level, our island is a wonderful place to learn with calm, clear waters and little current. We swap the cold swimming pool and boring classroom at your local dive shop with the warm Caribbean Sea and a classroom under a palm tree!
We have many dive courses available to help you develop your scuba skills and marine conservation knowledge while on the island volunteering with us. Below is the price our program charges for each PADI certification course and approximately how long it will take you to complete the certification course on the island. Approximate time to complete the course is based on your aptitude, understanding, and your ability to complete the PADI requirements for the course.

PADI Certification Courses Offered on the Island
• Open Water Certification – $225 USD (3 days)*
• Advanced Open Water Certification – $275 USD (3 days)*
• Rescue Diver Certification – $325 USD (1 week)*
• Divemaster Certification – $750 USD (4 week minimum stay)*

PADI Specialty Certification Courses Offered on the Island (One must be open water certified before taking any PADI specialty courses)

PADI Specialties with a Marine Conservation Focus
• Coral Reef Conservation – $175 USD (1 day)
• Fish Identification – $175 USD (2 days)
• Invasive Lionfish – $175 USD (2 days)
• Shark Conservation – $175 USD (2 days)
• Underwater Naturalist – $175 USD (2 days)

PADI Specialties with a Diving Skills Focus
• Deep Diver – $175 USD (3 days)*
• Emergency First Response – $175 USD (1 day)*
• Underwater Navigator – $175 USD (3 days)*
• Underwater Photographer – $250 USD (2 days)*

*Please Note: The PADI Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Divemaster, Deep Diver, Emergency First Response, Underwater Navigator, and Underwater Photographer courses require the PADI eLearning prior to arrival. All other courses do NOT require the PADI eLearning prior to arrival. You must be a fully certified open water diver before taking any PADI specialty courses.

Departure information