• Life Below Water

Marine Conservation Internships

location
1 - 6 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Outstanding 4.9  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Dive with the biggest fish in the sea
  • Diving with a mission. Make a difference!
  • Monitor Giant clams and other key species
  • Help construct artificial reef structures, the ocean needs you
  • Become a citizen scientist and gather important scientific data.

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Internships are designed to help newly certified Eco-divers put their training into practice in a real life environment and see how the theory translates into practice.

Our program leaders are some of the most experienced educators on Koh Tao. We are a dedicated group who are actively involved in the Koh Tao Community and anything "Eco" going on.  Our team is compiled of an array of experts in Scuba Diving, Marine conservation, Documentary & ...

About the program

Our program leaders are some of the most experienced educators on Koh Tao. We are a dedicated group who are actively involved in the Koh Tao Community and anything "Eco" going on.  Our team is compiled of an array of experts in Scuba Diving, Marine conservation, Documentary & Filmmaker, Audio-visual Specialist and we all have extensive marine ecosystem training.

If you do not have your scuba certification, then we can easily arrange that for you.

Marine conservation is of increasing importance and educated dive leaders and resource managers will be in greater demand. Eco internships are progressively important for divers looking to gain employment in the diving community and looks impressive on your resume.  However, anybody can participate in our internship programs.  As an Eco-Intern you’ll be involved in the day to day operations,  putting your training into practice in any number of ways.   Internships are designed to help newly certified Eco-divers put their training to use in a real life environment and see how the theory translates into practice.  Being able to gain the 'hands on' experience is priceless.

There is NO BETTER WAY to enrich and solidify your education than by participating in real world work.  Dive with purpose!

You'll be working alongside Divemaster candidates, Instructors as well as Customers on occasions.  When we feel confident in your abilities you will have the chance to present/lead some of the ECO activities/dives with our Divemaster candidates as we've created an environmental portion to their Divemaster program which they need to fulfill.

With the ever-increasing number of scuba divers and tourists coming to Koh Tao, education is key for the preservation and conservation of marine environments.  

RECOMMENDED materials for Interns/students:

Laptop, Mask & Fins, Dive Computer, Underwater Compass, Surface Marker Buoy (SMB), Reel & Line

"Accommodation is NOT included but we would be happy to assist you with this.  There are lots of options available and if you're willing to look around, then you can get some good deals.   

Typical day

Monday - Friday 
A typical day starts from around 09:30 - 17:00 

The internship works on what's happening at the time and we have to be very flexible due to the weather, boats, and dive site availability.   You could be doing land-based jobs, coming up with brilliant recycling idea's or marketing ...

Typical day

Monday - Friday 
A typical day starts from around 09:30 - 17:00 

The internship works on what's happening at the time and we have to be very flexible due to the weather, boats, and dive site availability.   You could be doing land-based jobs, coming up with brilliant recycling idea's or marketing ..to beach cleans, microplastic surveys, dive site cleanups, mooring buoy replacement, building/deploying coral nurseries, emergency net removals,  Giant clam research/surveys, Coral Watch, Adopt A Coral, Drupella, Water Testing & Crown of Thorns collections ...the list goes on & on!

Free-time activities

Operations run Monday-Friday.  The weekends are yours to explore this island paradise. 

There are multiple options like mountain biking, trapezing, diving, kayaking, cliff jumping, hiking, and stand up paddle boarding which you can do, the choice is yours and endless.

ISLAND LIFE - Maehaad where ...

Free-time activities

Operations run Monday-Friday.  The weekends are yours to explore this island paradise. 

There are multiple options like mountain biking, trapezing, diving, kayaking, cliff jumping, hiking, and stand up paddle boarding which you can do, the choice is yours and endless.

ISLAND LIFE - Maehaad where we are situated, is nice and peaceful, there are a few, shops, cafe's, bars and restaurants but usually everything shuts down around 10:00 PM    If you want the party life, then it's a 15 minute walk to Sairee, where you can eat, drink, dance till the early hours and then lastly, at the other end of the island, you have Chalok, which is very laid back.  

The island offers so many places to explore and no matter what you are after, there is something for everyone


Koh Phangan our neighboring island is where they hold the 'Full Moon Party' and just a couple of hours boat ride if you want something totally different.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Required Documents

Diving certification. Advanced Open Water, Peak Performance Buoyancy Speciality, (Min: requirement) and Specialities and Non divers certification can be arranged on arrival

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

Candidates must be hard-working, be proactive, have common sense and passion for the ocean.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:30 - 17:30

What's Included

What's Included

Services by The Coral Tribe

Fee includes: 

  • Scuba Diving Equipment Hire / Diving costs (Mon-Frid)
  • Reusable Water Bottle
  • Coral Tribe T'Shirt
  • Coral Tribe Reusable Shopping Bag
  • FREE use of Paddle Board if available at the time of your internship

Students wishing to stay LONGER can be accommodated.


Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Koh Samui Airport

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Accommodation

Please arrange your own accommodation.

Food & Beverages

Food, snacks or beverages are at extra costs.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Koh Samui Airport (USM) in Koh Samui. We assist you to find cheap flights to Thailand. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Thailand provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Thailand you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Thailand. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

Internships are available all year round.  

Standard packages start from 2 -6 weeks but we can cater to any length of internship.

All online payments are processed securely via Paypal.

There are no direct flights to Koh Tao you have to either fly to Koh Samui OR get a bus/train/ferry from Bangkok

  • Flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui (55 mins)
  • Ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao Seatran (3.5 hrs)
  • Lomprayah Catamaran (2.5 hrs) 

Useful links :-D

  • https://www.ferrysamui.com/koh-tao.html?gclid=CKCZksnPw9ICFQ4kaAodkQwKdQ
  • http://www.lomprayah.com/timetable
  • https://www.seatrandiscovery.com/

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 465€
4 weeks 1,432€
6 weeks (max. stay) 1,936€
Average fees 394€/week

Program fees

394€ per week 1 - 6 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

1 - 6 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with The Coral Tribe during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

The Coral Tribe

Outstanding 4.9 rating (26 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2021

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Jennifer

About the project

Conducting Marine Conservation Research and Marine Conservation Training with a focus on coral reefs with over 14 years of experience.

Meet your organization

Our marine conservation team is actively working on a vast number of marine-focused projects including Coral Reef Research, Plastic Pollution,  Recycling, Water Quality, and other marine ecosystem-focused issues.

We are proud to have made a productive contribution to the local environment and hope to continue this in the future with our data collection, marine conservation experience, and high standards of training and education.

Some of the projects we are actively involved with around Koh Tao are:

Reef Check surveys / EMP (Ecological Monitoring Program).
Koh Tao's range of artificial dive sites. Monitoring, maintenance, and research.
Conducting research into coral transplant survival percentages, growth rates, and more.
Beach and dive site clean-ups around Koh Tao.
Water Quality Testing.
Microplastic Surveys.
Ghost fishing net removals.
Mooring Buoys & line maintenance and management.
Adopt a Coral Surveys.
CoralWatch.
Predatory Species Monitoring.

The health of the ocean is dependent on positive action and it plays a vital role in the wellbeing of communities across the globe. As scuba divers, we are in a unique position to see this, and influence others. We aim to instill good environmental practices into all our divers whether on land or underwater.

26 reviews · rating4.9

Aman Aggarwal rating4.6

2024 at Marine Conservation Internships

When you sign up for the program, you're welcomed into the Coral Tribe family. Working with Simon, Mark, Nadia, and the whole crew was truly a pleasure. It provided many moments of genuine curiosity and learning, a sustainable schedule, and included work you can reflect on and be proud of. They ...
James Dixon rating5

2023 at Marine Conservation Internships

The program was fantastic i definetly rate this internship highly. The location was beautiful and therefore the work was directly impactful on the local enviroment. In addition the work related to global studies was both interesting to learn and helps see the context that this will have on the ...
Alexandra Zehnder rating5

2023 at Marine Conservation Internships

I had the best three weeks with Jenny and Simon and their wonderful team. From day one you are involved hands on in the project. The projects normally starts at around 9-9:30 am with land-based activities like a beach or snorkel clean up, microplastic survey, welding structures for the artificial ...
Lucas Coman rating5

2023 at Marine Conservation Internships

I had an amazing experience with Crystal Dive, where I spent a week obtaining my open water, advanced open water, nitrox certification, and specialty buoyancy. These certifications allowed me to participate in The Coral Tribes internship, where I spent two weeks learning about coral health, fish ...
Deidre Debski rating5

2022 at Marine Conservation Internships

I had an amazing time on Koh Tao with Jennifer and The Coral Tribe! She is extremely knowledgable about the surrounding flora and fauna and very informative, is making leaps with her dedication and artificial reef, has a lot of patience and is extremely supportive. I highly recommend getting your ...
Matthias Reinsch rating5

2022 at Marine Conservation Internships

I've been diving for more than 8 years, but until now I didn't know much about the real connections in the reef. With The Coral Tribe I was able to significantly expand my knowledge of the connections in the reef. Working with Jenny and the entire group was a lot of fun. Learning, diving and ...

Location

Asia > South East Asia > Thailand > Koh Tao

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Volunteer Abroad  >  Environment  >  Marine Conservation in Thailand
Contact Jennifer
  Very high response rate

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