from 965€

Fantastic 4.5rating (100)

Save Turtles In Buena Vista

location
2 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 17 - 50+

rating  Fantastic 4.5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Make unforgettable experiences.
  • Enjoy the pura vida lifestyle on a breathtaking beach.
  • Simplify your life - back to basics.
  • Learn about marine turtles and sloths.

Especially good for

Age 17+
Singles
Couples

About the program

Help protecting marine turtles from poachers and animal predators in a magnificent bay.

About the Program

On this breathtaking bay you protect the marine turtles that are in danger of extinction. Volunteers play a crucial role in conservation efforts! 

Here in Buena Vista you will mainly work with Olive Ridley turtles - in Spanish these turtles are called 'loras' as they have a mouth ...

About the program

About the Program

On this breathtaking bay you protect the marine turtles that are in danger of extinction. Volunteers play a crucial role in conservation efforts! 

Here in Buena Vista you will mainly work with Olive Ridley turtles - in Spanish these turtles are called 'loras' as they have a mouth similar to a macaw. 

During this time you will live directly in the camps under very basic conditions, sometimes without water and electricity. Your food - breakfast, lunch, dinner - will be prepared in the camp and consists of the typical costarican cuisine: rice, beans, vegetables, meat and fruit. The camp is only accessible by crossing a river, so you will not be able to leave the camp or the beach during working days. You have one day off and then you may leave the camp and the little town 'Sámara' is a 30 min walk away. In your free time during the day you can relax or read or swim or learn to surf.

The Location

The main project is the camp in Playa Buena Vista, 3,5 km north of Sámara, pacific coast, Guanacaste.

Our Volunteers

You should bring love for nature and fun of outdoor-living and also be prepared for sometimes physically demanding work and work at unusual hours as most of the turtle nesting occurs at night. 

You also should be prepared for very simple living conditions as the camp doesn't have electricity. There are solar chargers for cameras or cellphones. You are living very close to the beaches where turtles do their nesting, so there will be no infrastructure around and there will be sand 'everywhere' ... ;-) When you will free little turtle babies for the first time then you will be rewarded for hard work and low comfort conditions!



Typical day

You will work between 4-6 hours every day - and you have one day free per week.

In the mornings you will do some work in the camp like cleaning and building new breeding grounds for the eggs (viveros). Be prepared that it might be hard work to get sand from the beach to build new breeding stations. ..

Typical day

You will work between 4-6 hours every day - and you have one day free per week.

In the mornings you will do some work in the camp like cleaning and building new breeding grounds for the eggs (viveros). Be prepared that it might be hard work to get sand from the beach to build new breeding stations. Also, you will be cleaning and marking the beaches. There will be some free time around the hottest time of the day for relaxing. 

The work starts again in the afternoon: collecting data for the turtles and protecting the eggs in safe breeding grounds (viveros), freeing new born turtle babies, nest exhumations. Starting in the late evening and throughout the night there will be patrol walks on the beach to find turtles and their nests. You will go for these patrol walks in turns with other volunteers until morning.


Free-time activities

During the project time you will mainly relax. If you plan to go for excursions you should plan some time after your project.

There are wonderful National Parks (Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Santa Rosa), the volcano Arenal, the caribbean side and so much more to visit!

Free-time activities

During the project time you will mainly relax. If you plan to go for excursions you should plan some time after your project.

There are wonderful National Parks (Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Santa Rosa), the volcano Arenal, the caribbean side and so much more to visit!


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 17 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 17 years old on the program start date.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Required Documents

Copy of health insurance and valid in Costa Rica

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

If you are 17 years old you need to bring the allowance of your parents - we provide a document for this.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by first hand Costa Rica

We provide airport pickup, we organize the journey to the project and we also do hostel reservations in San José if needed (mostly it is needed!) - and, if you will combine projects, we will also organize the transportation between the projects. You will have to pay the cost for the pickup and the transport - around 70 US$.

Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

You will be picked up at the airport by our driver with a sign with your name and you will directly get in contact with your german, english, spanish speaking coordinator via phone. The driver will drive you to the reserved hostel (if necessary), give you the bus ticket (he will buy a ticket in advance to reserve you a seat in the bus), pick you up at the hostel the day of your journey to the project and bring you to the bus.
The cost will be around 70 US$ plus the hostel night (between 13-15 US$ (dorm) and 40 US$ (single/double room).
A Taxi will bring you to the river where the camp staff will pick you up - so, be sure to bring a backpack ... and not a suitcase! ;-)

Accommodation

You will be living directly in the camp in a wooden house, that is build very open to ventilation reasons, in a dorm-room in simple stock beds. You should bring ear plugs and a mosquito net. 

Food & Beverages

Your food - breakfast, lunch, dinner - will be prepared in the camp and consists of the typical costarican cuisine: rice, beans, vegetables, meat and fruit.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose. We assist you to find cheap flights to Costa Rica. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Costa Rica provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Costa Rica you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Costa Rica. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

This program is available all year - but best from June until January when the turtles nest and babies hatch. The rest of the year there is maintenance work on the camp and the beach. It starts every Monday. Please arrive at least one day before the programs starts.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 965€
3 weeks 1,199€
4 weeks 1,433€
8 weeks 2,369€
12 weeks (max. stay) 3,304€
Average fees 378€/week

Program fees

378€ per week 2 - 12 weeks Age 17 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with first hand Costa Rica during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

first hand Costa Rica

Fantastic 4.5 rating (100 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2006

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Sofia

Spoken languages: German, French, English, Spanish

About the project

We offer you to immerse in the daily life of costarican families and work routines of teaching and conservation projects. These new found knowledges teach you a lot.

Meet your organization

In 1994 we at first hand moved to Costa Rica and everything started when my son went to a little elementary school near Sámara: 11 children, 6 degrees, one classroom and one teacher. We started bringing volunteers to this little school and 'poco a poco' other schools addressed us with interest of having volunteers and families offered themselves for having volunteers in their house.

Since then a lot has changed and developed at first hand – we started many new teaching programs and conservation projects all over the country – but one thing is still the same: we have a very personal and very close contact to all of our schools, guestfamilies and projects. We live in Costa Rica and we will be there when you need us!

First hand offers volunteer opportunities in schools, kindergarten, music schools, turtle camps, animal reserves, macaw stations, farms and in the rainforest.

We, the agency for volunteer work first hand, are in direct contact with schools and environmental conservation projects planning, organizing and joining our volunteers during this unforgettable and worthy experience!

We have 20 years experience of living in Costa Rica and feel commited to the people, comunitary help and sustainable ecological development. Through the 'Asociación Intercambio Cultural ALEGRIA - AICA', a non-profit organization, we have been promoting intercultural exchange in all areas of artistic expression and organizing festivals and benefit events. 

First hand offers projects almost everywhere in Costa Rica. San Jose, Islita, Buena Vista, Manzanillo, Drake Bay, Mata Palo...just to name a few!

Our Vision

first hand wants to contribute to a sustainable development and mutual respect by intercultural exchange and learning from each other.

Why volunteering with first hand?

Your contribution makes the difference in educating children, preserving marine turtles or other animals and protecting the rainforests of Costa Rica. You live and work with locals and you get to learn the real life of Costaricans. Every day you deal directly with opinions, lifestyles and routines of a different culture. These new found knowledges teach you more about yourself! You learn or improve your spanish skills. Language is the key to understanding the values of a different culture. Work experiences in foreign countries are indispensable in times of globalization. A volunteer based commitment will open many doors for you.

About Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a little tropical paradise between two oceans. Hardly any other country has such an abundance of plants and animals on such a small terrain. 25% of it's area is protected by national parks. Active volcanos, hot springs, rain and cloud forests, mountain rivers, spectacular waterfalls, subterranean caves, coral reefs, mangroves, amazing caribbean and pacific beaches and a fascinating animal world invite you to discover and enjoy.

Costa Rica has the oldest democracy in Latin America, a working social system, responsable environmental laws and is the only country in the world that has no army. The relaxed 'pura vida' lifestyle of the 'ticos' and their hospitality towards visitors make it one of the safest top destinations in Latin America.

100 reviews · rating4.5

Ulrike rating4.4

2016 at Save Turtles In Buena Vista

This year I was about to fulfil my dream and took part in a turtle volunteer program. The communication and organisation with first hand went perfectly and even my age of 57 was no problem for the project. My expectations to the project become not only confirmed but even exceeded. We lived the ...
Lisa rating4.4

2016 at Save Turtles In Buena Vista

Well informed and good prepared due to the information material of first hand I started my trip. In Samara I was warmly welcomed by the project coordinator Angie and my guest family. Angie always had an open door for us volunteers and helped us with every matter. The work with the turtles was ...
Lucia rating4.4

2015 at Save Turtles In Buena Vista

Our Experience with first hand Costa Rica was simply perfect! The organisation of the project was great and let us easily combine several programs. Due to the close cooperation with the project coordinator we got the feeling of being in really good hands. Our voluntary work started in Buena Vista at ...
David rating4.4

2014 at Save Turtles In Buena Vista

I felt good prepared for my journey to Costa Rica due to the information and checklists from first hand. Arrived on the project side I need to get used to the simple life in Buenos Vista. The Camp was provided with the essentials. But when you feel addicted to the nature and are not too dependent on ...
Valerie rating4.4

2014 at Save Turtles In Buena Vista

Before I started my trip to Buenos Vista I decided to attend a Spanish course to improve my language skills. Due to the great organisation of first hand I was provided with many information. I spent my first weeks in Costa Rica at the language school in Sámara. The school enabled me to get to know ...
Yvonne rating4.4

2013 at Save Turtles In Buena Vista

I got the idea to volunteer due to a notice displayed on a board at my university. I immediately got in touch with first hand. They came back to me quickly and provide me with all information. Two weeks of my stay I spent in Playa Buena Vista at the seat turtle camp. There I got to know the greatest ...

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Contact Sofia
  Very high response rate
German, French, English, Spanish

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