I would give my experience a 10/10! Everything was very smooth and organized from start to finish. I felt safe from the time I was picked up to the end of my stay. All of the leaders in my program were incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the work we were doing which made my experience all the more valuable. Through this program, I’ve made many new friends, and I feel more knowledgeable confident in my capabilities. Because of the affordability and quality of the program, I have nothing but good to say!

I've always wanted to travel and volunteer abroad but I didn't know how to go about it and starting process seemed extremely complicated. That was until I typed travel + volunteer into my search bar and found IVHQ. So many options. So many destinations. Continuous guidance. I was emailing with my program manager, 2/3 times a day, with quick and helpful replies. Within three weeks of choosing my program, I was on my way to Belize to learn how to scuba dive and catch invasive lionfish. This was once in a lifetime experience allowing me to immerse myself in a new lifestyle and meet people from all over with world. I'm already searching for a new program.

I loved my time in Belize! It was an amazing Marine Conservation program that I found through IVHQ. I always had people to talk to at IVHQ although it did take them several days to email me back at times. On the ground all the staff was amazing and helpful, I could always ask them about questions or concerns. They also told us why we were doing what we were doing so we felt like we were making a difference. We had the chance to see a lot of marine life which was amazing. The only thing I didn't like about this program was the bathroom accommodation. There were 4 of us sharing a bathroom so it got dirty fast.

I had the best time of my life on this trip. Meeting new people, visiting a new country and spending time with nature all while doing work to help sustain the natural environment. Staying on a private Island in the middle if the Caribbean Sea, hunting lion fish and learning about their anatomy, playing volleyball (it gets very competitive) and then also being able to learn about the environment through the presentations that we have daily, some of which I got to present. I highly recommend this program and don't worry about going alone, because I did this alone and I felt comfortable from the first day, I've made some lifelong friends and experiences from this trip and you will to.

Volunteering with Reef CI in Belize is truly a magical experience. Everyone on the program, both volunteers and staff members, make it feel like home. The scuba dive certification programs are perfectly designed to make you feel comfortable while learning how to responsibly carry out this activity and be the help that is needed to protect the barrier reef. It was so interesting to learn about the importance of removing invasive species like the lion fish, a species that has no natural predator and is wreaking the coral reefs in the Caribbean and Golf of Mexico. Learning about the importance of joining the fight against lion fish was eyeopening. For us at the Reef CI base lion fish were the bulk of our diet. Additionally, we cut and dried their fins and venomous spines to make jewelry and provide an additional income to locals in affected areas. The accommodation provided in the island was very comfortable and the food was amazing!!!
If you are looking to get disconnected from the world while helping an incredible cause, the volunteering program is Belize is for you.

After our original marine conservation program in Madagascar was cancelled due to the pandemic, IVHQ continued their excellent program management and helped us transfer our fees to a new program in Belize. Our contact with our IVHQ Program Manager Molly was infrequent but when we needed her, she was a short email away. IVHQ's partner in Belize - ReefCI - provided an awesome experience. We learned about lionfish - an invasive fish species around the Caribbean Barrier Reef - and we spend most of our dives hunting and spearing them. What a great experience, and they're tasty too! We also performed beach cleanup and were informed and educated about other relevant environmental topics in the region, specifically plastic pollution in the ocean. Thanks to IVHQ and ReefCI for running first rate operations.

My time spent volunteering with ReefCI in Belize is one I’ll never forget. Booking with IVHQ ensured that I had all the necessary information and equipment ready for the trip. My point of contact within IVHQ kept in touch with me ahead and during my trip, and responded swiftly when I had any follow up questions.

Over the three weeks on Tom Owen's Caye, my experience just got better and better. Having been certified for diving 12 years prior, I hadn’t dived since so I was nervous to return to it, however I had no reason to be. The diving instructors on the programme were incredible. They were supportive and patient with the various diving experience of all the volunteers and made me feel at ease. Their knowledge of the marine life was extensive, which they shared during various lessons, and their passion for what they do genuinely shines. Learning to spear the invasive lion fish species was incredible, and surprisingly fun! We also spent time on a nearby island doing a beach clean up which felt very rewarding and has increased my awareness of my single use plastic consumption.
The rest of the staff on the island programme were great, including the chefs, housekeeping, boat captain - some of who became great friends. It almost felt like I was part of a big family, rather than volunteering. I learnt a huge amount during my time, I completed my advanced open water diving and lion fish specialism certifications during my time there. You truly feel like you’re making a difference.

This experience has inspired me to continue volunteering in marine conservation and explore other projects through IVHQ.

We did 12 dives over the course of the week. Everyone was super nice, the island was beautiful, the food was great and I felt like I was actually making an impact. The staff was very helpful and accommodating. Logistically, it was very easy to get to and once you were picked up, you did not have to worry about planning anything else. The staff took the time to debrief everyone prior to each dive. By the end of week one, I felt very confident in what tasks we had to accomplish. I think doing more than one week would be better since you can spend most of your time learning the first week and then implement all of your learnings the next week. I would definitely recommend to anyone who is passionate about scuba. I can't wait to sign up again next year!