Become a skillful ecological diver & help protect the beautiful Caribbean Marine Environment

Your diving training starts at zero and will lead you through the first level Open Water Diver with the PADI diving school as well as a specialty “Coral Reef Conservation” certification before you assist with marine species conservation tasks.

If you already have the Open Water Diver (OWD) qualification or equivalent we will credit you a discount of 200 Euro or offer you training upgrades for Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) instead!

“Walk away with professional diving certifications and amazing experiences in one of the world’s most beautiful marine environments!”

Rescue Diver or Dive Master as well as several specialties can be booked additionally. You will gain valuable and life-changing experiences with this exciting diving internship where you will learn to dive while protecting marine flora and fauna, and sometimes you will help with day-to-day tasks at the diving center.

Endangered Species Conservation and Dive Center Operation

Even if you don’t have any diving experience, you will obtain important diving skills, while also gaining an insight into what it means to operate a dive center and also help save the marine environment!

Samaná Bay is a significant breeding ground and nursery area for humpback whales from all over the North Atlantic and the most important multi-species fishing ground in the DR.

4.7/5 - (28 votes)

4.7/5 - (28 votes)

Program Activities you are welcome to join!

Activities can include but are not limited to

  • Gain all important diving skills and certifications as part of marine conservation project
  • Regular theory and practice classes as well as studies and research on marine conservation related subjects will prepare you for the actual conservation work after one week of training
  • Explanation of the conservation project and ecology of the species Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral)
  • Learn and practice cleaning and routine maintenance techniques of aquatic coral nurseries
  • Assist actively with the monitoring of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses
  • Assist with conservation awareness raising activities in local schools, the tourist industry and beaches
  • Assist with the maintenance, protection and restoration of aquatic coral nurseries
  • Assist with the elaboration of Beach Profiles
  • Submarine Beach Cleanings, regular beach cleaning and river cleaning
  • Awareness raising events (Workshops, Movies, Etc.)

Gain two complete levels of diving qualifications

With the Open Water Diver International Diploma and the “coral reef conservation” speciality training you will be able to dive up to 18m deep and assist with marine conservation at our underwater sites along the coast of Las Terrenas. Once you have acquired the necessary training and skills, from the second week of your internship, you will also participate in marine conservation activities linking yourself with projects related to the conservation of aquatic coral nurseries, scientific monitoring of mangroves, seagrass beds, and corals reefs, as well as awareness-raising in the community on the importance of the environment and the topic of waste.

Divers who are Open Water qualified or equivalent safe €200

Currently ongoing

  • Beach profiles and the elaboration of their baseline
  • Reef monitoring and the elaboration of their baseline
  • Beach and River Cleaning up, as well as submarine cleanings
  • Project Identification of new bins in las Playas de las Terrenas
  • Coral Nursery Cleaning
  • Tasks in the diving center when assigned
  • Training in monitoring and baseline of seagrass
  • Training in monitoring and baseline of the mangrove project

All seaborne diving activities depend greatly on weather patterns and sea conditions. The work can be quite demanding but is always very rewarding and varied. Physical fitness is important, no Spanish language skills are required. This is a great opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the protection of the marine environment while at the same time becoming a passionate qualified diver.

You will have multiple opportunities to be involved and we encourage you to choose activities which fit your skills, abilities and preferences. We are constantly adapting our activities to community needs and volunteer numbers and capacities. If you wish to specialize in a particular activity we will do our best to accommodate your personal preferences, but you can be asked to be involved in a combination of activities while being placed at this program

HOLIDAYS: Christmas Holidays from December 16 until January 06, 2025.

Attention: Volunteers are welcome to stay at our Volunteer Guesthouse during Dominican Christmas and new year holidays! Even though working and business life comes to a halt through this two week period when the whole country is celebrating Christmas, our volunteers are welcome to celebrate Christmas and new year together with us and the Dominican people!

COSTS & BENEFITS: Aldeas de Paz works hard to keep the required financial contribution to an absolute minimum and to offer financial transparency by practicing an open book policy. The minimum contribution starts at €180 per week (after the second week) and includes two complete levels of diving qualification from basic to specialty training, Spanish language classes and accommodation at our fully equipped guesthouse apartments, a special program donation as well as a personal welcome service and pick-up at the airport, transfer to the bus, bus fare and free transfer to your placement location.

SPECIAL OFFER: Spanish language classes – volunteers and interns receive free language lessons every week. The classes focus on developing communication skills so that students are able to put their knowledge to practical use as soon as they step outside the classroom. Our teaching method enables students to develop four basic skills: listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. The idea is to learn Spanish in a natural and spontaneous way, just as students have learned their mother tongue. Our students are encouraged to speak Spanish right from the very first day, using it in typical real-life situations: the basic syllabus is supplemented by special exercises, such as role-play, situational dialogues and work projects. Outside the classroom, the learning process continues as you are immersed in the Spanish language and the Dominican culture.

Samaná Bay is a nursery for whales

Samaná Bay is a significant breeding ground and nursery area for humpback whales from all over the North Atlantic and the most important multi-species fishing ground in the DR. While tourism is an important economic activity its impact on sensitive coastal-marine ecosystems is of particular concern. A major portion of environmental degradation in coastal areas is attributed to large-scale hotel developments in areas of high biodiversity and unregulated tour activities put at risk reproduction sites for whales and turtles. Mangrove deforestation and coral reef damage in turn decrease the resilience of these coastal marine ecosystems and increase their vulnerability to tropical storms. Additionally destructive lionfish (Pterois volitans) are invading coral reefs in the Americas and has been identified as one of the world’s greatest conservation issues. Our program is part of an effort to tackle an invasive species and help reverse coral reef damage!

Program Requirements

No previous experience required to participate in the program. A typical volunteer or intern should be interested in diving and protecting flora, fauna and marine-life in general. He or she needs to be of good health, enthusiastic, proactive, willing to learn and ready for a challenge. This program requires flexible working days and is not a typical Monday to Friday job! Besides diving activities you are expected to fulfill scheduled working hours of non-diving related conservation work and educational activities like environmental awareness raising activities. We expect that interns adapt to program needs with flexibility, responsibility, commitment, patience and perseverance, among other significant qualities

Professional Diving equipment is provided but you are welcome to bring your own personal wetsuit (3mm short or long sleeves) as well as mask, snorkel and fins (can also be locally lend or purchased) The rest of scuba diving equipment is provided by the program!

Volunteer placement or Internship?  As a volunteer you are free to commit any number of hours per week. Thats up to you! As an intern however you probably have to fulfill requirements set by your school or university. Just mark the tab on the inquiry form and inform us of your school or university internship requirements in advance so that we can work out your personalized work plan together. Also tell us about your personal expectations and goals and we will see how we can help you achieve them.

Availability: Starting dates are flexible but if you prefer to join a group of trainees you are advised to start on 1. or 3. Monday of each month throughout the whole year!

Placement Location: Las Terrenas, RD

Time Commitment: A minimum time commitment of 2 weeks is required and can be extended up to a one year

Important:
Each traveler to the Dominican Republic is required to fulfill correctly the information on the electronic ticket for the General Directorate of Migration. After entering the data, you will receive a QR code that has to be presented already at the airline check-in. Please click here before you take your flight: eticket.migracion.gob.do

Your donation helps us to help others ..... We also take care of you !

• “Open Water Diver” OR”Advanced Open Water Diver” and “Coral Reef Conservation” training & certification
• Professional Diving equipment is provided but you are welcome to bring your own personal wetsuit (3mm short or long sleeves) as well as mask, snorkel and fins (can also be locally lend or purchased)
• Airport welcome service & transfer to your placement location
• Fully equipped Accommodation in Las Terrenas
• Free WiFi & access to washing machine
• Free regular Spanish lessons throughout your placement
• Placement introduction, certificate & student credit
• Full support and 24/7 backup from local staff
• Information about adventure packages & in-country travel

Divers who are Open Water qualified or equivalent safe €200

Left row shows the lowest donation requirement incl. shared accommodation

shared room apartment accommodation
– standard –

Weeks Total
2 € 1740
3 € 1920
4 € 2100
5 € 2280
6 € 2460
7 € 2640
8 € 2820
9 € 3000
10 € 3180
11 € 3360
12 € 3540
13 € 3720

extra week €180

single room apartment accommodation
– upgrade –

Weeks Total
2 € 1920
3 € 2190
4 € 2460
5 € 2725
6 € 3000
7 € 3270
8 € 3540
9 € 3810
10 € 4080
11 € 4350
12 € 4620
13 € 4890

extra week €245

host family home stay : single room & two meals
– upgrade –

Weeks Total
2 € 2100
3 € 2460
4 € 2820
5 € 3180
6 € 3540
7 € 3900
8 € 4260
9 € 4620
10 € 4980
11 € 5340
12 € 5700
13 € 6060

extra week €335

species conservation

4.7/5 - (28 votes)