Volunteer Abroad Costa Rica: Turtle Conser­va­tion

In order to participate as a volunteer, you need to be physically fit, at least 18 years old and also need to be able to speak and understand English. Prior Spanish knowledge is appreciated but not mandatory. To make sure you are fit to do the physical work in the hot and humid topic climate, we need a doctor’s certificate confirming your state of health and physical fitness. You need to be able to adjust to the different climate and the different working shifts easily, besides that no special abilities are required.

We will reserve your place on the project and support you during preparation and organization. We will help you arrange your flights, your travel insurance and transfer to the project. There will be some additional costs: you must pay for your first and last night in San José before and after the project begins and the private transportation from the airport to hotel. You must also pay for your bus ticket from San José to Bataan and return. The taxi and boat transfer from Bataan to the project site will be included, as well as accommodation and food during the entire project.

You will need travel insurance to start your volunteering work with Natucate. We can provide you with all the necessary information. In general you need to talk to your doctor and make sure you are vaccinated against Morbilli, Mumps and Rubella. We advise you to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B, Polio and Tetanus. For current information and warnings regarding your destination you should check out the homepage of the foreign department and inform yourself beforehand about possible risks like Malaria or Dengue.

You don’t need to bring special equipment. But you should be prepared for any kind of weather conditions. Therefore it is very important to bring rain clothes as well as clothes and shoes of light material that dry fast. Furthermore you need closed, comfortable shoes and dark colored clothes for beach patrols, light shoes (e.g. sneakers and sandals) and clothes for hot weather during the day and also headgear. We also suggest you bring sunblock, sunglasses and a refillable water bottle. Additionally you will need a padlock, towels, a day backpack for hikes, insect repellent, a mosquito net, personal hygiene products, as well as a personal first aid kit including any medication you might need. It is essential to bring an alarm clock as well as a flashlight/headlamp (and some extra batteries) with a red light option.

The nesting season on the Caribbean east coast of Costa Rica is between March and October with hatching usually occurring in the time between March and November. At that time it is likely that you will see turtles crawl out of the water to lay their eggs and to release hatchlings to the beach.

We will help you plan your arrival, but you must make the reservations yourself. You need to book the flight on your own. It is necessary to fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, the capital city of Costa Rica. At the airport you can take a taxi to the city or, for an extra fee, our partner can arrange a private transfer for you ($45). As there will be an orientation meeting around 7AM at your hotel in San José on the project start date, you will need to arrive at least one day earlier. Our project partner recommends Hostel Finca Escalante in San Jose. To get to the project site in Pacuare, first you will take a public bus to Bataan. After about 2.5 hours you will get off at the centre and a staff member will meet you at the stop to take you by taxi (~40 minutes) to the boat launch, and from there to the project site.

After your arrival in San José you will either get a taxi or will be picked up (not included) and spend one or more nights e.g. at a hostel in the city. The following morning, bright and early, you will be met by a project staff member at your accommodation for an orientation meeting. Soon after, you will make your way to the bus terminal to catch the one bus a day to Bataan at 9 AM. After your arrival at the project site, a staff member will welcome you and introduce you to the station as well as to the work tasks, and you will be assigned a team and shift.

A great number of highly endangered sea turtles visit the Atlantic coast for their egg deposition. The conservation work of this project aims at protecting the turtles at the beach of Pacuare.

In the sea turtle conservation project you will help out with research tasks, work in direct contact with the animals and also around the station. You will accompany nocturnal beach patrols on the search for nesting turtles, support the generation of data concerning the turtle, the nest it is building and also the amount of eggs it is laying. Moreover, you will also dig up buried eggs and bring them to the hatchery. Volunteers in the hatchery will bury eggs, keep track of the nests to keep them safe and collect hatching turtles. The young turtles will be brought to the beach to make their way into the sea. In addition to that you will help cleaning the beach, assist with maintenance work and further tasks that might become necessary. You will be introduced to the different tasks and taught all requisite skills, so you can work independently. It is usually not possible to choose your tasks as they depend on the season and the urgency of the different assignments. Nevertheless you can always talk to the staff if there are problems or concerns.

The group size depends on the season but in general there are between 5 and 25 volunteers working at the station at the same time. In the busiest season from April to July the groups can be even bigger.

The accommodation in Pacuare is very basic and simple. Located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica the station is located in a quiet and remote area. You will share a cabin with other volunteers or interns and use a communal bathroom. In general there are seven cabins; one cabin for up to four interns and six cabins for six to eight volunteers each. Clean pillows, blankets and sheets will be provided and there will also be small lockers that you can use. The electricity in the station is provided by solar panels, so availability depends on the time of the day and the weather. Moreover, water for the bathroom will not be heated. You can wash your clothes by hand during your stay.

In general it is possible to be placed in a cabin with your partner, but it always depends on the current booking occupancy. Let us know if you want to be placed with a partner when applying.

You will receive three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). In some cases you may need to assist with cooking. Food is provided according to a typical Costa Rica diet, and consist mainly of rice, beans, chickpeas, lentils, salads, pasta, tortillas, soups, vegetables and fruit.

In general there will be very little meat as the electricity supply depends on the weather and might not be sufficient to guarantee reliable cooling. Therefore vegetarian meals are no problem and also special dietary needs or allergies can be attended. Please contact us in advance so the staff in Pacuare can prepare for it accordingly.

The shifts you are working will be rotated so that you will have three night shifts and three hatchery shifts per week. During the day you will also do some additional work for two to three hours that might include some work around the station, recycling, maintenance or beach cleaning. In total you will work six to ten hours a day, depending on weather conditions and season.

As Pacuare is located in a very remote area there are no shops and it will also take a while to get around for sightseeing. During the project you can therefore use your free time to relax and enjoy the tropical rainforest and the beach at Pacuare. There are many beautiful places in nature you can explore around the station. Moreover, you can enjoy some social as well as private time, refresh a little, read a good book or e.g. engage in some volleyball with other volunteers and interns. To get to know other places and see more of Costa Rica you might consider adding some extra time for travelling before or after the project. Furthermore, a wildlife tour through the canals can be arranged and you can also see how coconut oil is made.

On site you will be living and working in a team of volunteers, interns and project leaders. The supervisors will be responsible for you and help you with any problems.

In general, you do not need a lot of money during the project as there will be no possibility to spend it in shops. Also ATMs are not available in this remote area, so you should bring sufficient funds (e.g. for your way back) as well as everything else you might need during your stay. Moreover you should bring some money in case you are planning some further travelling before or after the project. In Costa Rica you usually pay in the local currency Colones but also US-Dollars are widely accepted. Both can normally be withdrawn at ATMs that you can find in almost every city. Alternatively you can exchange and withdraw money easily at the airport. Inform yourself about the current exchange rate before leaving your country.

There is no internet access at the project site and the cell phone signal is often quite weak in Pacuare as it is located in a remote area. Therefore, you and your family and friends should be prepared to go without regularly communicating. You might consider buying a Costa Rican prepaid card as the reception is generally better. We recommend the service of ICE Kölbi/KOLBI as it usually works on the beach in Pacuare. In towns and cities communicating should not be a problem and there are usually internet cafés and also cafés or bars that offer WiFi for customers.

Costa Rica has a subtropical to tropical, typically hot and humid climate with raining season from May till November. The temperatures lie between 26°C and 35°C. The air humidity varies between 50 and 95%.