GoEco > Central America > Costa Rica > Montezuma Sea Turtle Volunteer Program
Volunteer on the beautiful Pacific beaches of Montezuma to protect sea turtle nesting sites and newborn hatchlings. Live and work with other wildlife volunteers and experience the joy of releasing baby turtles into the ocean.
Your Schedule at a Glance – minimum two weeks commitment (itinerary subject to change):
Arrival Day, Sunday before noon: Arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). A representative will transfer you to your new host family, followed by an orientation meeting about safety, traveling, and volunteering in Costa Rica.
Monday – Friday: After receiving specific travel directions, you will transfer by bus and ferry to the sea turtle project and settle in your new home (bus tickets paid locally with the help of project coordinator). On-site orientation is on a Monday or Tuesday, followed by meaningful volunteer work at the sea turtle project through-out the week.
Saturday-Sunday: Weekends are usually off. Transfer back to San Jose is on your last Saturday at the program. You will spend one night in San Jose with our host family, and on Sunday, catch your flight home.
We highly recommend!
Join our Spanish language immersion week before you volunteer. Stay with a local family and gain essential Spanish skills to interact with staff and other volunteers. See “Travel Highlights” below for more details. Planning to come for one month or more? Combine this project with our Animal Rescue and Conservation program, for a diverse wildlife experience. We will assist with the transfers.
What’s Included
What’s not Included
The volunteer program takes place in the town of Montezuma, on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Once a remote fishing village, Montezuma started attracting many backpackers and tourists since the 1990s. There are several beautiful beaches in the area, scenic waterfalls and the nearby Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve. Montezuma has a laid back vibe and a growing number of wellness and yoga programs and retreats. There are a variety of hotels and hostels for all budgets, as well as restaurants, bars and tour operators.
Montezuma is about 5 hours away from San Jose, and travelers/volunteers must board a boat/ferry to cross the Nicoya Gulf to get there. There are two travel options:
1) By public buses: One way cost is around $20 and includes public bus from San Jose to Puntarenas/ Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera/ public bus from Paquera to Montezuma
2) By private transfer: One way cost is around $60 and includes private van from San Jose to Ferry/ Ferry to Paquera/ private van from Paquera to Montezuma.
Our on-site coordinator in San Jose will assist with directions and travel arrangements.
On the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, on the Pacific coast, Montezuma’s beach is an important nesting ground for endangered hawksbill sea turtles. However, in recent years, it has become a fast-growing tourist destination which affects the nesting cycle of sea turtles, because of costal development and light pollution.
The Sea Turtle Conservation Program at Montezuma Beach is an association and governmental organization that was established with the following goals:
As a volunteer, you will assist the project staff with some or all of the following tasks (depending on the season):
Seasons: The Montezuma project is open all year long. However, the turtle nesting season is from May to November/December. The peak of the season is August to November, when turtles are still nesting and baby turtles are hatching.
A typical day: During turtle nesting season, participants start with breakfast at 7:00 am. Afterwards, there is time for cleaning the facilities, bathrooms and dorms from around 8-10am. The rest of the morning volunteers divide into groups for tasks which include working in the hatchery and beach cleanups. Sometimes volunteers help guide tourists who visit the project or take part in environmental education programs. Lunch time is at noon and in the afternoon volunteers switch activities. After 4:00pm, when the sun’s rays are less strong, volunteers help release baby turtles, if it is hatching time. There is usually some free time in the afternoons when you can relax in the station, go to the beach or town. After dinner, there are several night shifts for patrolling the beach to protect nesting turtles laying their eggs.
During the off season for nesting turtles (Jan-April) there are no night patrols and more work in the hatchery. Volunteers have to make sure all eggs have hatched and conduct an exhumation and data collection process for turtles that didn’t hatch or perished in the nest. After this process, volunteers switch all the sand in the hatchery with new sand for the upcoming turtle season, while making sure there is no plastic or other contamination in the sand. This is physical work and takes about 1 month or more to complete. There is also work cleaning the beach and in the community.
Internship option: For an extra fee, qualified volunteers can join this program as an intern. To ensure a valuable experience, interns must join this internship for a minimum of four weeks (we recommend two to six months). An intermediate level of Spanish is required. Please contact us to discuss this option.
Alternative Placements: This volunteer program fills up quickly! In case your requested date is full, we can also place you with excellent Sea Turtle conservation programs on the Romelia Wildlife Refuge or the Caribbean Coast.
Spanish Immersion Week
Join our Spanish language immersion week before you volunteer. Live with a local family and gain essential Spanish skills to interact with staff and other volunteers.
Extra fee: US$480 for one week, this includes:
Local activities in Montezuma
Volunteers can enjoy various activities during their free time with close access to Montezuma town and stunning beaches. Activities include: Montezuma waterfall, Cabo Blanco Reserve, El Chorro waterfall, Boat trip to Tortuga island, Horseback riding, Zip lining, Yoga and wellness retreats, Surf lessons.
Tour options
We recommend traveling around Costa Rica before or after your volunteer placement. You can either explore the country on your own or simply join a tour. Here are a few popular options that you can book with us in advance:
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