VOLUNTEER IN BELIZE

Travel to one of the top scuba diving and marine conservation destinations in the world, Belize. While the first dive site that comes to mind might be the Great Blue Hole, there’s so much more to Belize’s underwater landscape. The country is home to the eponymous Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the second-largest coral reef in the world, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Sections of this reef feature some of the most diverse, abundant and healthy coral reefs in the region. Visitors can spot endangered sea turtles, parrot fish, sea horses, eagle rays, and, if they’re incredibly lucky, even manatees and whale sharks here. 

Our base in Belize is located on the island of Ambergris Caye. Here, we train volunteers and interns on professional diving and underwater survey techniques before guiding them through reef research surveys. In their free time, volunteers and interns can visit other nearby tropical islands where they can go on recreational dives or enjoy other water-based adventures including kayaking and paddle boarding to name a few. They can also visit mainland Belize where dramatic waterfalls, natural pools and Mayan architecture can be found among dense rainforests replete with endemic wildlife.

Volunteer work in Belize

Belize is known as a global leader in marine conservation policy and practice and we contribute to the country’s goals by supporting local efforts in the Ambergris Caye area. Our base is located near key Belize Barrier Reef conservation sites. Our staff, interns and volunteers travel to these sites regularly to carry out surveys on the health and abundance of coral, invertebrate and fish species in the area. This data is sent to the relevant authorities so that decisions can be made about the conservation of the Belize Barrier Reef. There’s also plenty that can be done for marine conservation on land, including engaging with tourists and local community members about responsible tourism and fishing practices and collecting plastic and other man-made debris off beaches. Our marine conservation work in Belize not only contributes to local efforts but also towards global conservation goals, namely Goal 14, Life Below Water, listed by the United Nations. 

Belize volunteer programs

Currently we only offer one volunteer program in Belize. On this program volunteers first complete their PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water before learning underwater coral reef surveying techniques. After this, volunteers have the opportunity to make an impact by carrying out surveys of specific sites located along the Belize Barrier Reef. 

Belize PADI Open Water internship

Those looking to make a career out of professional diving or marine conservation should join our internship in Belize. You will have more time and resources to gain greater experience in diving and marine conservation. 

Belize PADI Divemaster internship

If you’d like to earn your divemaster, that’s also possible. While we don’t yet offer a program that allows you to complete your full divemaster in Belize, you can get started at our base in Belize and then complete your divemaster at a dive center in Mexico. This will allow you to experience the MesoAmerican Barrier reef and two countries.