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North Bali Coral Reef Restoration and Scuba Diving Volunteer Program
Volunteers in this program become a part of a local diver team whose responsibilities is to monitor and keep the coral reefs growing healthily.Volunteers will spend most of the work time both under water and in the local community.
In Pemuteran, on Bali's north coast, you join a local diver team working at a grass-roots coral restoration center. Day to day you clean coral structures, attach new coral fragments, and check for predators such as Crown of Thorn starfish and Drupella snails, alongside underwater and beach clean-ups plus some report writing and database work. If you are not yet a certified scuba diver, you can complete an Open Water course in your first week; the program suits certified or soon-to-be-certified divers aged 18 and up who are physically fit for regular diving and comfortable in a quiet, non-touristy village.
The program runs 2–8 weeks, with new starts every week (sundays); the next start is 20 Sep 2026. You live in a Balinese-owned homestay a short walk from the beach and the coral center, with breakfast provided Monday to Friday and lunch and dinner eaten at local warungs. Prices start at $1,308 (deposit included). You work directly with a known local coral restoration team, and free weekends let you explore North Bali's waterfalls and beyond.
- Support the local community in their efforts to protect the coral reefs
- Become passionate about marine conservation
- Create unforgettable memories in Bali, meeting incredible like minded people from all walks of life
- Live with the local community in North Bali
- Discover hidden waterfalls during jungle treks through North Bali
- Explore other beautiful parts on Bali on the weekends
- Work directly with one of Indonesia’s best coral restoration expert
Your role on this program
- Clean coral reef structures and remove algae or debris that block coral growth
- Attach or replace coral fragments on the restoration structures
- Check structures for predators such as Crown of Thorn starfish and Drupella snails and remove them
- Take part in regular underwater and beach clean-ups
- Create sponsor name tags from wire for the coral structures
- Record and enter data for the project's database
- Write short articles, reports, or other materials for the project
- Assist local schools with English teaching or basic computer and internet skills
- Give information to visitors at the center and explain the NGO's program
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You dive only with a dive master present at all times; you do not dive independently or make decisions on reef management, which stays with the coral restoration team. Where tasks involve local schoolchildren, such as English or computer teaching, you assist local teachers or staff and do not take sole charge of a class; duties may vary with the placement's needs and weather or sea conditions can mean days without diving.
A typical day and week
As a volunteer for the Marine Conservation Program in Bali, your general schedule would be:
Day 1-2 (Saturday/Sunday/Monday) – Arrival and Orientation
Volunteers are expected to arrive at least 1 day before your program starts. Our program coordinator will assist with your airport pick up transfer to your first accommodation before your trip to North Bali. Please note the distance from the international airport of Ngurah Rai Bali to the coral program is 134 KM away or around 4 hours car ride. As soon as you arrive at the coral center, our team will introduce and accompany you for your first orientation day, you will get a tour around the premises, getting introduced to all the team members, neighbors, we will also accompany you to check in to your volunteer accommodation and ensure you have received all of the information we prepare on the welcome checklist. Important safety information ,emergency contact, important addresses, visa information and so forth. You will also receive a local SIM card on this day or the upcoming day depending on your arrival time.
Day 3–end of your volunteer day
You will start your volunteering program on this day, you will start assisting the team member with all of the assignments discussed on your first introduction day. You will only be diving with the dive master at all times. Dive equipment and dive masters are included in the program fees. You will be expected to dive everydays on a regular basis, physical strength and stamina is required.
Weekends
By the weekend volunteers are having days off, you may relax or travel and explore north Bali or even further down to the south Bali area. Please inform the team members when you wish to leave the village, you may get assistance in getting to the city by hiring or renting a car, please ask the costs directly.
End of your volunteering day
In your last week, Friday is your official last day in the program. You will check out from the accommodation and continue your travels in Bali or take flight back home. Please inform our team if you wish us to arrange an airport pick up or any type of transportation for you if you need our assistance.
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 18
- Scuba certification of at least Open Water (or willingness to complete an Open Water course in week one)
- Physically fit for regular swimming and diving
- Comprehensive spoken and written English
- International driving license if you plan to rent and ride a scooter
- Interest or background in environment, biology, or fisheries is an advantage
- Criminal background check issued within 12 months of the start date, required because the role includes work with local schoolchildren
- Valid travel/medical insurance (your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges)
The placement, its limits and your part in it
The project is a grass-roots, community-based coral restoration effort run with a local diver team on Pemuteran's coastline, alongside one of Indonesia's known coral restoration groups. Work is organized around the restoration center in the mornings and the local community in the afternoons, or the reverse, depending on tides, weather, and diving conditions.
You dive only with a dive master supervising, and the local team sets the daily task list and safety calls, including any decision to skip diving. Your contribution is practical labor: cleaning and repairing coral structures, removing predators, logging data, and helping with local English or computer teaching alongside staff. The reef's long-term recovery depends on the ongoing work of the local team; a volunteer's stay is one contribution within that continuing effort, not a stand-alone result.
Our standards
- Responsible volunteer travel policyHow we choose, run and review every project
- Animal welfare policyOur rules for wildlife, marine and animal-care projects
- Certified B CorporationSocial and environmental performance verified by B Lab
- How we volunteer responsibly in BaliCountry-level partner context and standards
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | $1,308 | |
| 2 weeks | $1,499 | |
| 3 weeks | $1,824 | |
| 4 weeks | $2,094 | |
| 5 weeks | $2,394 | |
| 6 weeks | $2,674 | |
| 7 weeks | $2,959 | |
| 8 weeks | $3,244 |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
-
- Pre departure information and support
- Visa assistance (incl. visa documents)
- Airport pick-up
- Welcome package
- Indonesian SIM card number (Purchase and registration at GSM Provider Center)
- Accommodation with breakfast
- Introduction to the project at the first orientation day
- Local contact person & support during your volunteer program
- Project visits & satisfaction assessment
- Information about events and intern meetings
- Assistance with visa extension
- Travel & Medical Insurance (available at extra charges)
Not included
-
-
- Return Airport Drop
- C6B visa charges for Indonesia
- Tourism/Leisure activities
- Flights
- Lunch and Dinner
- Personal Expenses
-
Accommodation & meals
Airport Transfer
All volunteers will have to reach Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar (DPS), on Saturday or Sunday. The local team will arrange your transfer from the airport and a designated driver shall be there to pick you up. Since the distance from the airport to project location is around 4 hours, we recommend you to arrive during day time. Alternatively, it is a good idea to arrive a few days before to explore the touristic areas of Kuta and Seminyak and then head out to the project location on the start date.
Accommodation
In the North Bali coral reef restoration program, volunteers are accommodated in Balinese owned local homestay. You will stay in accommodations owned by the team members of the coral reef organization. The traditional Balinese house homestays are located walking distance to the beach and to the coral reef center site. Each room has a sit out area and fans are installed. There is Wifi within the accommodation but it can be intermittent.There are common areas where volunteers can have meals or can sit and chat. Towels are provided. At a short distance from the accommodation, amenities such as ATM, minimart are available.
Orientation
You will be provided with all the details about the project, about the work that you’ll have to do, as well as information about the place. If you have any questions regarding safety issues, traveling and projects, the local team will be there to assist you.
Meals
For volunteers in this program, breakfast will be provided each day from Monday to Friday. A general breakfast will comprise Pancakes, seasonal fruits, fried banana, toast, tea/coffee. Volunteers generally eat out on a daily basis for lunch and dinner. The village has many options of local warungs (food stalls) at affordable prices. Simple yet nutritious and fresh meals of a typical Indonesian meal consisting of rice or noodles with side dishes of steamed vegetables or saute vegetables and meat or tofu and soya cake will cost starting from 90 USD per meal.
During Free Time
During your time in Bali, you will be based in Pemuteran bay, this region is much quieter in comparison to other touristic parts of the island. During your extended weekend from Friday to Sunday, you can travel and explore other parts of Bali such as Ubud or head down south to Uluwatu or Seminyak. Taxis and other modes of transport are easily available for traveling within the island.
Transportation
To hire any motor vehicles, volunteers must possess an international drivers license. Regular automatic scooter rental per day is starting from 100,000 IDr or around 6 USD, monthly rental is starting from 79 USD or around 1,200,000 IDR (110 CC). The bigger engine costs more. For those who do not own any drivers licenses to drive internationally, getting transported via online translation app is one of the best ways to get around, please download Gojek app. Please be informed that in some areas of Bali, Gojek does not operate due to infrastructure and different region’s public transportation regulations, always ask questions to us, to your neighbors or anyone to make sure you are able to travel around with this app. Gojek does not operate in North Bali.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Bali
Airport pickup
You are met at Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) on a Saturday or Sunday, in time for the roughly 4-hour drive north to Pemuteran; the local team recommends arriving during daylight.
First day and orientation
On arrival at the coral center, the team introduces you to staff and neighbors, walks you through the premises, and checks you into your homestay, covering the welcome checklist, safety information, emergency contacts, and visa details. You receive a local SIM card that day or the next.
First project days
You start assisting the team on the tasks discussed at orientation, from day 3 of your stay, diving only with the dive master present.
Daily support and last day
A local contact person and 24-hour emergency contact are available throughout; your last official program day is a Friday, when you check out of the accommodation and can arrange onward transport with the team.
From volunteers in Bali
Frequently asked questions
What do volunteers actually do on this program?
You work with a local diver team on coral structures, cleaning them, attaching new coral fragments, and removing predators such as Crown of Thorn starfish, plus underwater and beach clean-ups, data entry, report writing, and some assistance with English or computer teaching at local schools.
Do I need to be a certified scuba diver?
You need at least an Open Water certification, or you can complete an Open Water course during your first week on the program; you dive only with a dive master at all times.
What is a typical working day and week like?
The commitment is Monday to Thursday, 8am-1pm, split between the restoration center and community work depending on weather and sea conditions; weekends are free.
How long can I stay and when can I start?
Stays run 2–8 weeks, with new starts every week (sundays); the next start date is 20 Sep 2026.
What does the program cost and what is included?
Prices start at $1,308, deposit included; this covers pre-departure support, visa assistance, airport pickup, welcome package, local SIM card, homestay accommodation with breakfast, orientation, and a local contact person throughout.
What is not included in the fee?
Return airport drop-off, C6B visa charges, flights, lunch and dinner, tourism or leisure activities, and personal expenses are not included.
Where do I stay and what are meals like?
You stay in a Balinese-owned homestay near the beach and coral center, with a shared sitout area, fans, and intermittent Wifi; breakfast is provided Monday to Friday, and you eat lunch and dinner at nearby warungs.
How does airport pickup work?
Pickup is arranged from Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) on a Saturday or Sunday for a roughly 4-hour drive to Pemuteran; arriving a few days early to explore Kuta or Seminyak first is an option.
What support is available if something goes wrong?
A local Balinese team is based at the site, with a local contact person and 24-hour emergency assistance throughout your stay.
What about visa and insurance requirements?
The marine program team helps with the C6B volunteer visa and a local SIM card; travel and medical insurance is compulsory, either your own policy or one arranged through Volunteering Solutions at extra cost.
Is a background check required?
Yes, because the role can include assisting at local schools, a criminal background check issued within 12 months of your start date is required.
Who is this program a good fit for?
It suits certified or soon-to-be-certified divers aged 18 and up who are physically fit, comfortable with basic manual and data tasks, and happy living in a quiet village with little nightlife.
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