Reef Doctor

I stayed 5 weeks with reefdoctor and it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. The work they do and how much they help the malagasy community is impressing! You can feel the difference that they are making and that YOUR work is very appreciated there. I've learnt a lot of interesting facts about the whole sea ecosystem, fish and corals, and really enjoyed all the presentations I had.

Even if you are a beginner in scuba (as me) you can help out in many things after just a short period of training. I always felt very safe and looked after during my dives, you never dive alone and especially in the beginning of your course your dive trainer always keeps eye-contact with you. Also most of the people you dive with are certified rescue divers, therefore if you faint or are about to drawn; don't worry.

But Reefdoctor is not just about diving! You can help out in the seaweed and sea cucumber farm, help teaching English to the kids, cleaning coral (which was one of my favorite activities) and lots of other stuff. The free French and Malagasy lessons twice a week and the occasional cooking classes were adorable. There was always a lot of stuff to do and I never got bored.

If you decide to go, bring some hand disinfectant as they have no running water in this region (but 2 nearby cities do, and lots of nice restaurants and cool places to go out as well!). We had 3 hrs of electricity per day, which is totally sufficient. The food is basic but good. There is no fridge but you can buy eggs in the nearby village and cook your own breakfast. The huts you sleep in are sweet and the beds are comfortable. Also there are guards at night, although there is not much criminality in this area.

And the best part: the dive sites are FUCKING INCREDIBLE! You usually have 2 dives a day which is awesome and burns lots of calories as well. People there are fucking amazing, can't wait to visit Ifaty again.

I spent 6 weeks on Reef Doctor's marine conservation project, and I was left with a genuine feeling that both the volunteers and the organisation as a whole were making a tangible difference in Ifaty. I was able to learn a huge amount about marine science, whilst living in a far flung, beautiful corner of Madagascar

My main motivation for volunteering with Reef Doctor was to carry out underwater research as a SCUBA diver, and I was able to do 2 dives a day almost every day, working with very knowledgeable staff. I was able to collect large amounts of data, whilst diving a variety of sites.

The diving, and marine science training, took up the majority of my time, but there were numerous other opportunities to contribute to Reef Doctor's work, such as teaching local children or implementing tourist permits for the local marine protected area. The variety of ways to get involved, both with the science and the local community, was very enjoyable.

As a final point, the accommodation was basic (wooden hut) but very comfortable, and it's almost worth going just for the food, which was consistently amazing!