Family volunteering holiday: turtle conservation in Costa Rica

Take your family on a holiday with a difference: a family volunteering holiday. The number of turtles in Costa Rica is plummeting, and this volunteer project is working to reverse this tragic trend.

This project is suitable for children aged 5 and older. We often find that children are the best volunteers for their enthusiasm and energy! You will live together in a family cabin just metres from the sea.

Each night, with a group of other volunteers, you will patrol the beach looking for nesting turtles. When you spot a mother, you gather around her to collect her eggs, take data on her and tag her. The eggs are then taken to a secure beach-side hatchery where they will stay until they are born about 50 days later. The patrols can last for 3 - 4 hours at any time of night.

During the day, there are often a few activities to complete in the morning - such as releasing the baby turtles back to the sea - but otherwise you are free to enjoy your surroundings. This can include playing at the beach, integrating with the local community (there is a nightly football match on the beach!), teaching English to the local children or maybe even exploring further afield, weather permitting.

The beach is stunning, set about 5 - 6 hours from San Jose. You will be far away from the Costa Rica of the brochures, but almost all of our volunteers have described this area as the "most beautiful" that they have ever seen in the country.

Each day you will receive three delicious meals, although this won't be chicken nuggets and chips! Local fare is often rice, beans, fish, meat, salad and fruit, although occasionally more western offerings are available.

Many families choose to travel further around Costa Rica after joining the volunteer project.