Blue Ventures: Madagascar & Belize - Expeditions with Blue Ventures

Join our team surveying the second largest barrier reef in the world (a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site), and contribute to our efforts to conserve this spectacular ecosystem, including combating the threat of invasive lionfish.

From gap year students and university graduates to career breakers and retirees, our expeditions attract a diverse range of people from around the world, who share an interest in diving with the purpose of supporting our marine research and community conservation work.

All of our volunteers complete an intensive two-week science training programme run by our field scientists at the beginning of each expedition, involving numerous snorkelling and diving excursions as well as informal lectures, small group discussions and practical exercises on coral and fish species identification.

Both qualified and non-qualified divers are welcome to join our expeditions. All divers must be trained to at least PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent, and we provide training to this level as part of the expedition fee. Dive training is carried out during the first two weeks of expeditions, so that all volunteers are qualified to participate in underwater surveys once they have successfully completed their science training.

Experienced divers who have not dived in the six months prior to their expedition are required to take a refresher course with us, to ensure that they are confident and well trained. We also offer the PADI Emergency First Response, Rescue Diver and Dive Master courses for those who wish to advance their diving qualifications.

Expeditions with Blue Ventures Includes:

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  Expeditions to Madagascar: Based in the remote fishing village of Andavadoaka on Madagascar’s southwest coast, our dive expeditions offer volunteers from around the world a unique opportunity to get involved with Blue Ventures’ marine research and community conservation work. You’ll be immersed in Madagascar’s beautiful coral reefs and vibrant coastal culture while assisting with our rigorous underwater research and gaining skills and qualifications. Expedition volunteers are at the heart of everything we do and we’d love to have you join us. In your time at our base in Andavadoaka, as well as relaxing in a hammock by the beach you can learn to sail with local fishers, explore the baobab forest, or take a picnic out to one of the nearby islands – bliss!

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  Expeditions to Belize: You’ll be immersed in the full breadth of Blue Ventures’ programmes in Belize, including underwater marine research at our dive camp in Bacalar Chico and environmental education with local children in the seaside village of Sarteneja. All of our reports about the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, monitoring the health of the reefs and fish populations as well as guiding fisheries policy in the area, use the data that our volunteers collect on their expeditions.Our expeditions run throughout the year, giving you an opportunity to join us when you have the free-time and ensuring year-round sustainability of our marine research. We host an average of 8-10 volunteers per expedition, and we never have more than three volunteers per staff member to ensure you get the training and support you need.