Learn to scuba dive in the Caribbean conserving coral reef and marine life

Travel to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and join forces with GVI’s marine conservation expedition to earn your PADI diving certificate while working on and monitoring the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world.

Our international team works directly on monitoring the overall health of the reef and you will contribute on coral reef and fish monitoring, turtle nesting surveys, among many other tasks, developing an impressive knowledge of this fascinating underwater environment.

Please note, this program offers durations up to 24 weeks. Speak to your Country Expert for more details of extending your stay in-country

Highlights

Joining fun-dives; immersing yourself in a truly remote tropical paradise, one of the world’s only remaining truly pristine environments; living in a beautiful part of a different country, with the opportunity to experience a new culture, food and way of life; learning about the Mesoamerican coral reef and how to identify the wildlife it supports; participating in monitoring dives that explore different sites along the coast; seeing mega-fauna such as dolphins, sharks and manatees; snorkelling in cenotes or waterways; searching the beach at night for turtles laying eggs; joining in with community programs; teaching English and raising the environmental awareness of the local community.

This project works in conjunction with several highly regarded organisations such as Amigos de Sian Ka’an, a Mexican NGO famous for their conservation work. Through such partnerships volunteers can be sure their efforts are making a serious and measurable impact under the water.

Scuba Diving Requirements

You will spend the majority of your time on this expedition Scuba diving and as such you need to be qualified to at least PADI Open Water, or equivalent. Non divers can join for 8 and 12 week durations, GVI will supply you with all the training you need to be certified up to PADI Advanced Diver training. The 4 week duration is only open for divers already qualified to PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent. For non divers wishing to attend for 4 weeks, we can recommend local dive centres that will help you qualify before your intended start date.

Scholarships

We are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join our team. This expedition offers qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the expedition for a longer duration on a GVI Scholarship free of charge and as part of the staff team in the field. If you would like to work towards a field career and make the very most of your time abroad, you might want to work towards a place on a GVI Scholarship. Successful scholars may find themselves offered full time employment with GVI, and many of our current staff have come through this route. Contact us for more information!

Please note, the awarding of scholarships is at the sole discretion of GVI and may be offered immediately after the completion of your program or at a later date.

GVI is real volunteering

Our projects are constantly evolving according to the needs on the ground at any given time. All the information displayed here will give you an overall feel for the project, but you should be prepared for any changes in the field when you travel. An evolving project means that we can constantly meet the needs and requirements of our partners, who dictate the work that we do. The way it should be.