Marine conservation through diving in Malaysia. Get involved in a marine conservation programme on the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. All diving programmes here.
Conservation and research on marine ecosystems
Our partner Fuze Ecoteer has developed three conservation projects on the Perhentian Islands: marine turtle protection, marine ecosystem research and biodiversity protection education. The Perhentian Marine Research Station project is based in the village of Kampung, on the island of Pulau Perhentian. Its mission is to collect data on seagrass beds and coral reefs in order to study and protect marine ecosystems. This research programme relies on divers trained in scientific diving. It welcomes eco-volunteers who can obtain their diving certificate on site if they are not already divers.
Underwater diving data collection
You will dive as a team. If you are not diving-certified, no worries — our partner works with the island’s diving schools and you will be able to obtain a certification on site. During these dives, you will collect data on marine habitats. You will use the Seagrass Watch method to monitor seagrass beds. Your data will be analysed and compared with that of other seagrass beds around the world. You will map seagrass beds using quadrats.
Waste management and beach cleaning
You will also assist the team with waste management at the stand set up at Long Beach, to inform tourists and local residents about eco-freediving. You will collect waste from the beaches once a week and help with sorting and analysing the collected waste. You will learn how to create artificial coral reefs. You will discover various methods such as transplanting coral fragments onto specially designed bottle reefs, or creating coral pyramids.
Dates
- Arrivals on Mondays from April 15 to end of September
- From 2 to 4 weeks
Fees
With diving course (for non-divers)
- 2 weeks: £1,000
- 3 weeks: £1,264
- 4 weeks: £1,547
For already certified divers
- 2 weeks: £849
- 3 weeks: £1,132
- 4 weeks: £1,387
- Dive into the turquoise waters of the Perhentian Islands
- Train in scientific diving
- Improve your knowledge of marine life and the environment
- Understand the importance of corals for marine life and their maintenance
- From 18 years old
- From 2 to 4 weeks, between April and September
- Good physical fitness
- Language: English (basic level)
- For non-divers, obtaining the certification on site
The location
You will live in a village (Kampung) within a Malay community. As it is a Muslim village, volunteers must adapt their clothing and behaviour when in the village. Pork and alcohol are strictly forbidden. Night-time is a resting period for the island’s residents who work hard. It is frowned upon to party late at night and to return home in a state of intoxication. Making a lot of noise at night is also inadvisable, as the houses are very close to one another. For women, the dress code is somewhat more conservative. When swimming on the village beach, women must keep their shoulders and knees covered, meaning wearing shorts and a vest or t-shirt — bikinis are not appropriate.
Accommodation
Volunteers will stay at the Fuze Ecoteer Volunteer House, where you will sleep in shared rooms. You will also spend nights at the base camp on the nesting beach — Tiga Ruang. You will spend two nights per week there, when carrying out night patrols and other daytime activities. The accommodation is very basic and consists of two huts. There is no electricity, just solar batteries for charging phones; supplies are brought from the village.
Food
Volunteers are not required to cook, but to help with cleaning. You may however bring your own ingredients.
What to bring
- Wearing long shorts or three-quarter length trousers is mandatory in the village.
- Wearing a shirt or top covering the shoulders is mandatory in the village.
- Water bottle and any other reusable items (shopping bags, food containers, reusable cutlery, etc.)
- Swimwear covering the shoulders and knees.
- Bath towels.
- Mosquito repellent.
- Sandals or flip-flops.
- A small backpack.
- A hat for sun protection.
- Personal medications.
- Hiking shoes if you wish to go hiking.
- Mask and snorkel (the partner has shared ones available)
Arrival
Volunteers can either take a flight to Kota Bharu, then a taxi to the Kuala Besut jetty, or arrive in Kuala Lumpur and take the night bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) to Kuala Besut. Once in Kuala Besut, you will go to the jetty, to the Safe Park Holiday office (which is only 5 minutes from the main road). Important: please do not take the boat with other operators, as they may charge excessive fees. The team will welcome volunteers on arrival.
Tous les avis sur les missions Fuze Ecoteer
About the partner
Our partner is a Malaysian social enterprise co-founded by Daniel, who after studying ecological sciences at Plymouth University settled in Malaysia to develop biodiversity protection and ecotourism projects. Fuze Ecoteer has been working in favour of biodiversity and environmental education since 2010. The organisation has developed three conservation projects on the Perhentian Islands: marine turtle protection, marine ecosystem research and biodiversity protection education.
