The ultimate guide to visiting & protecting the world’s most amazing marine conservation sites

You may have travelled overland, but as the earth is 71% water — you still have a lot of exploring to do! On Workaway there are countless opportunities around the world which offer the chance to explore the depths and to witness the beauty of the blue. Marine protected areas are often regarded as exclusive locations, accessible to very few.

We have hand picked a variety of Workaway hosts we love, located in 6 prime regions spanning 5 continents(!) – perfect for the true water babies among us who are happiest to be close to the ocean, and are keen to play a part in protecting our wonderful seascapes! ✨

1. Caribbean and Central America: Help nesting turtles on tropical shores

Turtles spend almost all their lives at sea, but the females head to the shore when it is time to lay their eggs. Many species even return to the same beach they were born! Discover the unique experience of rescuing endangered marine turtles, living on the beach and engaging with the local community, by helping out at a non-profit marine turtle conservation programme in Mexico. Volunteers contribute and learn about turtle nesting activities through night patrols, helping hatchlings relocate, organising and participating in sustainable activities such as beach cleanups and environmental education workshops.

If you’re a water baby who loves adventure, we can bet Costa Rica is on your travel bucket list! Containing 6% of the entire world’s biodiversity, Costa Rica boasts of exceptional richness in wildlife both on land and in sea – dolphin encounters, whale watching, and sea turtle hatching every month along both Pacific and Caribbean coasts, just to name a few. For those interested in water sports, this family eco-lodge in Costa Rica offers the perfect base to explore coastal trails with fellow travellers, and visit marine reserves for snorkelling and scuba diving. 

Away from Costa Rica around the corner, you can combine your environmentally-conscious adventures in Central America with this eco-tourism company in Panama ! Based in a quiet, off grid island which can only be accessed by boat, enjoy relaxing in hammocks, watching the tides, cooking vegetarian meals and working closely with local marine conservation organisations to organise large scale beach clean ups around surrounding islands.

At a stunning location in the Caribbean, this small ocean education initiative in Montserrat is calling all lifeguards, swim instructors, marine biologists, event planners, and outdoor education specialists of all sorts– our oceans need us! Get involved and work together to inspire the next generation ocean advocates; assist the host with local water excursions and ocean education. Skills in underwater photography would be perfect as well! In exchange you’d not only have the opportunity to explore and discover new beaches, you would also get to know the local fishermen and divers, learn about the marine life, and even learn how to catch and cook lion fish. Following damage caused by volcanic eruptions over the years, biologists have observed that marine life is returning to the area. It’s very likely for you to bump into hawksbill turtles, dolphins, nurse sharks, rays, puffer fish, eels, squid, flying fish or sea horses amongst many other amazing sea creatures when you are below the surface!

2. South America: Galapagos Islands – with its weird and wonderful creatures!

How can we not have the dream location of the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador on our to-go list? Declared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, this archipelago of volcanic islands is home to an amazing range of both land and sea creatures. In fact it’s so impressive that Charles Darwin was inspired to write “On the Origin of Species” outlining his theory of evolution based on his research there.

Stay on the oceanfront on San Cristobal Island , which forms part of the Galápagos archipelago, helping out with childcare and household chores, but with plenty of time to explore the area in your free time. The hosts work in tourism and they’ll be able to guide you to the best activities and sights as well as having an office full of adventure gear (kayaks, bikes, paddleboards, etc.) that will be at your disposal. There are many nearby snorkelling spots, Loberia beach with its sea lions and iguanas and the Galapaguerra Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. If you fancy it you can opt for island hopping day trips to the snorkelling paradise of Kicker Rock, the uninhabited Española island to see the Waved Albatross and Punta Pitt to say hello to the “Red Footed Booby” birds. Overnight stays to Santa Cruz, Isabela and Floreana islands are all at your fingertips when you are there.

This nonprofit in Peru is the perfect base to teach and enjoy surfing, sand boarding, and empowering the local community’s next generations to love the waters as much as we do! Whether you’re interested in becoming a surf or sandboard instructor, or helping to coordinate environmental and community building projects, you’ll be able to enjoy this South American country’s stunning sites and seas in one go!

3. Europe: Sail along crystal clear coastlines

Belonging to half of the Arctic circle and home to a rich and varied marine biodiversity, Norway is one of the world’s leading destinations for marine research and conservation! From the country’s breathtaking fjords, coastline and islands, the deep Norwegian sea which contains areas reaching 4000m, and its widely-recognised efforts in preserving marine ecosystems (did you know there’s 17 marine protected areas, just along the coast?) - Norway is the perfect place to learn about sustainability and sea life.

Discover Norway’s incredible coastline by boat while making like-minded friends from all over the world! This NGO in Norway aims to fight marine pollution, and volunteers get to experience untouched nature, sea, and wildlife while preserving the ecosystem and raising awareness through beach cleanups, education programmes and more.

Experience crew life and sail with this international ocean conservation NGO in Ireland , and join in on their daily life to contribute to their marine conservation efforts on the vessel. They have previously been involved in transatlantic campaigns saving whales in Iceland and the Faroe Islands - are you ready for their next endeavour?

Living at sea offers a full immersive experience that allows you to witness and gain a deeper appreciation of why we need to protect our oceans and marine life. Check out some of our handpicked boating and sailing opportunities around the world, or a full list of more diverse boat projects on Workaway for you to join the crew and explore the open seascapes!

4. Africa: Swim amongst colourful schools of fish

Known as the “underwater garden of Eden”, those who get to explore Egypt’s Red Sea have the privilege to enter into an underwater paradise of 1,000 varieties of fish, with more than 1,000 species of invertebrates and around 400 types of coral! Help out at this outdoor farm and activity hub in Nuweiba – it comes with the perks of staying right next to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and diving camps that you can explore during your time off. 

Head further South for an adventure on the banks of Lake Malawi and help to develop an eco lodge in what is officially the poorest country in the world. The lodge is run by host Riki, a retired human rights lawyer, who is committed to protecting the natural environment as well as providing education and meals to disadvantaged children. It has its own private beach which is located at the Eastern end of the Lake. The host is also involved in various projects and programmes such as environmental education and advocacy, litter control, reforestation, protection of fish breeding areas and the surrounding forest reserve.

Lake Malawi offers the unique opportunity for divers to submerge into the crystal clear water and swim freely with 1,000 plus different species of brilliantly colourful tropical fish, especially the stunning cichlid fish. Many varieties have evolved within the safe confines of the lake and are unique to this eco-system. Not surprisingly, the area has also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site and occupies natural parkland and reserves, meaning that fishing is controlled and the water is protected from pollution. There are more than 10 main dive sites to explore. And for the more curious ones, night dives allow you to see the nocturnal fish of the lake, including a striking species known as dolphinfish (mani-mahi).

5. South East Asia and the “Amazon of the seas”

A global priority for conservation of the Coral Triangle, otherwise known as the “Amazon of the Seas”, covers 5.7 million km² and refers to the waters in the western Pacific Ocean surrounding Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillipines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Soloman Islands. It is the home to over 2000 different types of reef fish swimming around 600 different species of coral. It is a feeding and breeding ground for tuna, whales, sharks, dolphins, whale sharks and is the habitat of six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles– can you imagine how impressive the marine life here is?

Here is our small selection of palm-fringed paradaisical Workaway locations to whet your appetite:

Indonesia:

Collaborate with a local NGO in Manado, Sulawesi and help them with their marine and coastal conservation work! Founded by marine scientists who are keen to foster long-term sustainable development on a local level, this project enables you to contribute to marine conservation and connect with the local community at the same time. Get involved in some of their current focuses such as coral transplantation, mangrove rehabilitation, establishing marine protected areas, and a variety of other ways to help protect the ecosystem.

Philippines:

This host on this tropical island in Palawan is looking for team players who love the sea and are eager to protect it. Known for its exciting marine biodiversity (look out for baby sharks and corals when you’re there!), Palawan is one of THE go-to destinations for marine wildlife and conservation enthusiasts, with the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, as well as opportunities for island hopping, water sports, and local initiatives that focus on responsible tourism. 

Malaysia:

We know Malaysia probably isn’t the most well-known tropical beach haven destination, but it is in fact home to one of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful paradises - Tioman Island! Famous for its pristine white sand beaches and stunning coral reefs, this is the perfect location for beach bums who want to immerse into some vitamin sea. This  campsite deep in the island’s naturescape happens to be looking for volunteers. Poor things will have to live on the beachfront and put up with a waterfall in their backyard and jungle on their doorstep. Oh well!

Thailand:

6. Australia: The one and only Great Barrier Reef

We cannot possibly leave out the largest coral reef in the world, so last, but not least, is the Great Barrier Reef. Born around 18 million years ago, the Great Barrier can even be seen from space. A mecca for any ocean lover, due to its infinite underwater gardens and colorful sea life. Get a chance to encounter the largest cetaceans: whales, dolphins, porpoises and whale sharks on the Ningaloo coastline (with visits from migrating Humpback whales twice a year) and the stunning Houtman Abrolhos Islands (A-Class Reserve  and Conservation area) whilst helping a dynamic group of experienced divers who operate a successful WHALE SHARK tour company . What an opportunity! 💙

So, now we’ve done all the hard graft research, there is no excuse! Don’t just spend another day abroad taking pretty photos as a tourist passing by. This is your chance to meet like-minded ocean heroes and join in to help protect our fragile ocean ecosystems. Go encounter thousands of magical sea creatures; advocate for those without a voice and share their beauty. Go on, take the plunge!