Program Reviews

Unbelievable experience that I'm thoroughly relieved I followed through on pursuing. It can seem like a lot of money and possibly daunting before you get there but I have made some fantastic friends and learnt things about myself on the trip.
I am interested in scientific research, and got insights into how fieldwork could operate for a zoological/ecological project.
It was fantastic to get more scuba diving experience in a place that has a lot to offer in terms of marine life to see.

Great time away in Greece: I learnt to dive and did it with some of my (now) closest friends. It was an opportunity to bond with peers, over everything from the antics of our Opwall representative " 'elen " to the (very) dodgy dill infused cuisine of "Manolis' Tastes" (exactly how you'd expect him to taste!!!). The volunteers and the expert scientists present were all so lovely! Overall I would do all over again!

The whole trip was a blast! This is in the top 5 of any diving site I've seen on the planet this far. The dive staff was both extremely knowledgeable AND professional. The food was phenomenal, the staff and other participants extremely friendly and accessible. My students continue to be in contact with students from other countries they met. I would say that my most memorable times on this trip were the dives; we would drop into a very colorful, diverse reef environment. We were given dive training with great emphasis on safety and practice. When we surfaced, we were greeted by the amazing Cuna espresso and a hearty lunch. AT the surface, there was always fun interactions where we got to know each other better as mixed country groups. The second dive was always as good or better than the first, as our skills increased exponentially. Diving takes a lot out of you, but there was always Cuban espresso and camaraderie to bring you back to speed.

This whole "research expedition" idea was a new experience for me. I did not know what to expect, at first. I wondered whether the food or the accommodations would be good, but, more importantly, I wondered whether I would enjoy the activities. All I can say is, definitely. The things I did, saw and experienced were unique, and a first, for me. All in all, even the things I enjoyed less (waking up early, having dinner really early, being tired most of the time, ect) did absolutely nothing to extinguish my enthusiasm. Every single day, for two weeks, I woke up ready to face whatever that day's program had to offer. Chameleon or jackal night surveys? Scuba diving? Bird watching? Lectures? Lentil soup with 30°C outside? Sure, why not! I did not care about all these things, because I knew that, by the end of the day, I would be going to bed satisfied, and full of new knowledge.
This expedition left such a positive impression that I did not hesitate for one second when signing up to next summer's expedition: Ecuador & Galapagos 2017. I have high hopes for this one, and I'm sure I'll not be let down.

The trip to Cuba was truly a once in a lifetime experience. The staff were really fun and sociable, the hotel comfortable, the food stellar, and the lectures enjoyable. In the year and a bit that's passed since I went, it's still a go-to for funny anecdotes, and I think the expertise of the staff and practical work have contributed to my GCSE results in a way that school alone would have struggled to do. I would vehemently recommend Operation Wallacea to anybody keen on biology, or in search of something eye-opening and unforgettable.

Absolutely amazing experience in Peru this summer, it was great to get involved on all the different surveys. It was my first time away on my own and it was brilliant from start to finish. All the staff were so friendly and helpful and do some great work. I learnt lots, met lots of new friends and saw some of the most amazing animals on the planet. Would definitely recommend. I feel so lucky I got the opportunity to go.

I began my journey with a group of 12 people from New Zealand as part of a Biology Conservation Trip with Westlake Boys High School.

After a long trip of three flights, we finally arrived in the Labundo Village and met our local hosts for our home stay experience in the village. We were introduced to everyday village life and looked around the village at the schools and housing.

We left this behind and headed into the depth of the Lambusango Rainforest situated in the Labundo Village in Buton, South East Sulawesi. Our accommodation was the Bala Camp, hidden deep in the forest. We saw a mixture of frogs, insects, bats, snakes and skinks as we trekked around the rainforest with the scientists on a daily basis. We had a planned weeks worth of adventures which was presented on a whiteboard at the camp. The highlight of this week was touching a snake, especially the red mock viper! Worst part ... the leeches. We were joined by a group from St Albans school from the U.K and we were introduced to a life of river showers, long hikes, camp life and hammocks.

We set off from this adventure, heading to Bau Bau Marine Reserve to explore the ocean and learn more about the marine life and conservation efforts to preserve vulnerable species. I spent this week completing my PADI dive certificate followed by open diving. Highlights, apart from passing my certificate was seeing clown fish, stingrays, sea life around the coral, Moray eels, lion and frog fish. Our accommodation was shared rooms and this time, with flushing toilets, beds and the bonus of a shower.

Our food on the trip consisted mainly of rice and noodles, so this was off the menu for a while once I arrived back home.

Overall, this was an amazing adventure pushing me out of my comfort level and experiencing life far different to one I live in New Zealand. I have lasting memories of this trip, the people, the places and the adventures.

This has been the most amazing experience of my life so far. It was more than a safari ride could give you. We were able to stop and look at any wildlife that was new or interesting to us. Being able to go out into the bush and conduct research helped verify more that this is what I want to do in my life. I would recommend this to anyone that has a love for wildlife and looking for a way to help it.

Going on this expedition was something I had never done before. I have been living in South East Asia for the past three years so I am used to the culture and the nature here yet this trip showed more even more of this part of the world.

The trip that I went on was with my International School in Singapore and I was very nervous about going. I wasn't sure what the accommodation would be like, if the food would be nice and if I would have any fun. The people I was going with weren't friends of mine at school and I was worried I would spend the whole trip alone. However, within the first few days I loved it. We started the trip with a week in the jungle monitoring the wildlife. The science itself was very hands on and it was great to feel that I was contributing to actual research that could save this forrest. Hiking and camping in the jungle was like the best scout camp I could ever go on times 2. Everything was very well organised and everything was provided for in the jungle also.

The second week of the trip was at the marine site. This is the part that I remember the best and which I learnt the most from. I had got my diving qualification a week before this trip and was still pretty terrified of being several meters under the surface but I was hooked within hours. I actually enjoyed the diving so much that I completed my 'Advanced Open water diver' qualification with the dive instructors there. I also learnt so much about the ocean and the state that the global fish populations are in. What we learnt about our oceans in the lectures was very depressing and it shows that we need more expeditions like this to create marine protected area.

The worries that I mentioned earlier about going on the trip were all set aside. The food and accommodation was great for the most part and I really bonded with the small group that I was with during the time we had spent on the trip. When I wasn't talking to school friends I was talking with the leaders and university students who were all super friendly and really showed a keen interest in the work that Opwall is doing. Overall this trip was a real eye opener into current environmental affairs but also a great personal experience.

We spent a week in the Rainforest, in the North Buton forest camp, and the best part was on the second day of the expedition. we had come back from the butterfly survey and heard screams. The local guides and the Scientists ran into the Forest and then came back to tell us that a 7m python was eating a snake, just 5 minutes away from our camp. Because of them with us, making sure that we were safe and that it wouldn't become dangerous, we were allowed to go and see a the snake when it had swallowed the Pig. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had, and i know i will remember it forever!