Marine Conservation
Thailand

Coral Reefs cover less than 2% of the ocean floor but support 25% of all marine life. They are the most biologically diverse ecosystems on earth, but also one of the most threatened. The Marine Conservation project in Thailand aims to address this through a foundation of research, education and local restoration and protection measures.

The programme is structured over 4 weeks which you can join for 1 week or more as well as any additional time for dive courses you may need (see Dive Courses section below). The longer you are able to stay, the more diverse the range of conservation topics and initiatives you will be able to get involved in.

Each week combines lectures with dives and activities that have a specific conservation focus, and you will normally do 5 dives per week. Here is an outline of what’s typically involved, which can vary through the year depending on the research and activities being undertaken by the project:

Week 1 - Ecological monitoring 

• Introduction to coral reef ecology and underwater surveying
• Learning about fish, invertebrates, substrate, health states of corals
• You’ll even learn how to identify 23 different genus of coral and go on coral safaris!

Week 2 - Coral and restoration

• Coral restoration
• Artificial reefs and the considerations for building and installing them
• Mineral accretion devices and how low voltage electricity can be used to accelerate coral growth
• A chance to practice survey techniques from week 1 and sometimes do some hands on design and build work

Week 3 - Marine life

• Different marine species and how they are important to the marine ecosystems
• Giant clams, sea turtles, sharks, seahorses
• Coral predators including Drupella Snails

Week 4 - Advanced week

• More in depth survey techniques
• Learning how to set up and maintain mooring lines
• Advanced corals

Dive Courses

In order to take part in the conservation programme you will need to have completed your SSI Advanced Diver or equivalent certification. If you are a beginner or Open Water certified diver you will take the additional dive courses before you start the 1-4 week conservation programme. If you have a certification but haven’t dived in the last 6-12 months you may also need a scuba refresher. SSI (Scuba Schools International) is an internationally recognised dive standard equivalent to PADI.

Typical day

You will participate in the project from Monday – Friday. There are sometimes beach cleans and land clean ups at weekends, but otherwise weekends are free to relax and explore and there is lots to do in your free time.

A typical day is from 9am - 4pm, usually structured with a morning lecture (approx 2 hours) followed by an afternoon dive. The dive itself is often longer than a recreational dive and in some cases can be as long as 2 hours depending on depth and air consumption. You will normally do 5 dives per week.

Other volunteers

There are usually 5-8 volunteers and longer term interns, numbers vary throughout the year. There are also other divers taking part in recreational dive courses and diving.

Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Local support

Volunteers are supported by Kirsty who manages the conservation programme and is a highly experienced diver and conservationist. She is originally from the UK.

“Volunteers are truly what make our program a success. They help us complete the day to day tasks, achieve success in our projects and initiatives, and a lot of the progress can be attributed to the enthusiastic and determined volunteers.” Chad, Marine Biologist

You will have your own ensuite room with a fan (or air-conditioning for an extra fee) and cold water shower just a few minutes’ walk from the dive school – some rooms are owned by the dive school and others are in neighbouring hotels. The rooms are in a great location, just minutes from the beach! There is WIFI available at the dive school.

Premium room upgrade

Theer is an option to upgrade to a premium room (for an additional fee) located by the beachfront next to the dive school. These rooms have air-conditioning and hot water showers and have a lovely view over the bay.

Meals

Meals are not included in the placement but there are lots of cafes and restaurants nearby, giving you a great choice of Thai and international food, including vegetarian and vegan options. 

Drinking water is provided at the dive school for you to use.

You will need to fly into Bangkok (BKK). We recommend that volunteers take a connecting flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui (USM) and then a ferry to Koh Tao. You can alternatively take a bus or train to Chumphon and ferry on to Koh Tao.

Location and free time

Koh Tao is a dramatic mix of dense jungle and hilly terrain in its interior, and granite outcrops and beaches along its coast. The island is one of a number on the south east coast of Thailand which are popular destinations for travellers, including Koh Phangan and Koh Samui. It has become best known for the abundance of excellent dive sites nearby. It is a simple, friendly and fun island with an atmosphere that means people usually stay a lot longer than intended!

There are plenty of bars and restaurants on the island, giving you a good choice for eating and going out. There are also many activities you can get involved in such as movie nights, Thai massage, Muay Thai (kick-boxing), hiking and Thai cooking. These activities are best booked locally.

The dive school has yoga classes available onsite for a small additional cost. Many volunteers choose to join the evening class after they have finished their conservation work. If you are staying for 4 weeks, there is also the option of taking a freediving course at weekends, gaining your Freediving Level 1 certification (at additional cost).

Volunteers live on the south side of the island on a beautiful bay; the south is relaxed with friendly cafes, restaurants and shops in walking distance.

Dive conditions

Water temperature: 27-31°C

Visibility: 10-30m

Depth range: Up to 40m

Common marine life you will encounter: large schools of fish including; barracuda, bat fish, trevally; groupers; angel fish; butterfly fish; parrot fish; anemone and clown fish; wrasse; trigger fish; moray eels; green turtles; hawksbill turtles; blue spotted stingrays. You may also be lucky enough to encounter pelagics (the bigger open ocean marine life) like a whale shark!

Climate

The island of Koh Tao has a tropical climate and throughout the year it is hot with temperatures generally between 25-33˚C. There can be tropical rain showers at any time of year but the main rainy season is from October to December. 

Travelling in Thailand before or after your placement

Thailand is often referred to as the ‘land of smiles’ and is a huge attraction for travellers from around the world due to its glorious beaches, tropical climate, great food and fascinating culture. Popular activities in Thailand that you might like to combine with your project are:

• Exploring the beautiful waterfalls, wildlife and limestone cliffs of Khao Sok National Park
• Trekking in the tranquil mountains in the North and meeting ethnic hill tribes
• Visiting the many colourful and ancient temples 

For more information on Thailand and some of the things we loved when we visited there please see our Thailand country page. This also features all our other Thailand volunteering projects as you might like to consider combining this project with one of the others we offer to make a trip of a lifetime!

Josh 

"After doing this for just a month it felt like I had been studying marine biology for years with the amount of information that was somehow packed into my eventful day. In contrast however, every day was unfathomably relaxing thanks to island life. Even with an 8am rise, morning lecture, daily dive, nightly parties, and everything in between, there was no point at which I felt like I couldn't cope. Everything was "structured" perfectly and the dive school is undoubtedly the absolute best on the island - and I'm not joking when I say this - but perhaps in the entire world.

However long you're planning to stay, triple it. Time doesn't exist on that island and a month went by in what felt like less than a week - trust me you will regret not booking for longer!"

Eve 

"This is a fantastic project and a great opportunity to contribute to incredibly worthy marine conservation. I learnt a huge amount about marine conservation, through daily lectures and conservation dives. I was hugely impressed by the research, and it's amazing to be able to spend time alongside such a knowledgeable and passionate team. The project caters to all levels of conservation and diving experience, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone!
It's fun, interesting, valuable and rewarding, and you'll have some amazing memories. A lot of people on the island and project have gone short term, but ended up staying permanently and it's easy to see why once you're there!"

Kelby 

“I had a wonderful experience being a part of the conservation work. I was able to participate in a lot of different projects during my two weeks in Koh Tao, like reef surveying and coral restoration, and learned a lot through the daily lectures. The conservation team was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about teaching and conservation work and it was really inspiring! I loved my time there and highly recommend it for others!

You come away feeling like you might have helped the local reefs and organisms even if the work is on a smaller scale. With all the negative information about coral reefs being degraded, it's nice to know that people like the conservation team are fighting for the coral!! It's a really positive and inspiring environment to be a part of."

Jessica 

"Everything about this project met or exceeded my expectations. From day 1 the team were welcoming and supportive, no matter how long you are joining them for they go out of their way to include you in their "extended family". The passion and dedication they have for the project is obvious to see and inspiring to be part of.

They always have time to talk through and issues or problems, no one is left struggling with a task they are unsure about and while we are challenged with tasks or general conditions on some days no one is forced into something they are truly uncomfortable with and this creates a very positive atmosphere within the group. The hardest part of this project is leaving, I extended for a week and am already planning and saving for a return as soon as I can!"

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