Most Affordable & Trusted Belize Conservation Volunteer Programs

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!

As a world traveler and Sustainability professional, passionate about protecting our environment, I have been looking for a way to start incorporating volunteer work with my travel. Volunteering with Reef CI at Tom Owens Caye, Belize was the perfect way to start! I researched many programs, but this one was perfect for me as Reef CI allowed me to volunteer for only a week (many volunteer programs require at least a 2-3-week minimum time commitment) and use and expand upon my diving skills. I enlisted through IVHQ, as I found they had the best price. Grace, my IVHQ contact, was extremely helpful before the trip to help me prepare. Her correspondence was always timely and IVHQ's enlisting process was very thorough - IVHQ wants to help you prepare for your best volunteer experience possible. In addition to Grace, I also worked with Anthony, my U.S. Reef CI contact, who also helped answer my many questions and sign me up for the Coral Reef Conservation and Fish Identification PADI Specialty courses I was wanting to take in order to get my SSI Advanced Diver certification while in Belize.

In Placencia, Belize I knew exactly what to expect and where to meet the Reef CI group for the boat ride to Tom Owens Caye. Upon arriving to the island on the first day, all volunteers pitched in to help carry supplies up to the main house. Sleeping assignments were then made. Assuming I would be much older than most in my group, I had requested in advance that I have a bungalow on the island to allow for some quiet time, and they completely accommodated me. Next there was a review for the new people while returning volunteers were diving, and all dive equipment was assigned for the week. Later, the new volunteers did an introductory dive followed by a delicious meal - just one of the many you'll have on the island. You'll eat very fresh food every day, including the lion fish you kill. The cooking staff also worked within my dietary restrictions by providing me gluten free meals!

You're given the daily island schedule prior to arriving in Belize, but the schedule is also posted in the main house, and the highly organized Reef CI staff follow it to a tee! I was so impressed with how they ran the program on the island, especially juggling with new and returning volunteers, volunteers just learning to dive and getting certified, to those who were working on their Advanced Diver certifications and/or taking PADI Specialty courses. This, of course, is on top of providing daily coral reef and Belizean marine life presentations and getting the volunteers in the water to partake in lion fish spearfishing, conch and lobster surveys, and coral reef and fish identifications. There was a lot to juggle and Willie, Luis, and Peter, and rest of the Reef CI staff, handled it very smoothly. And did I say friendly? The entire Reef CI staff were a pleasure to be with and fun to hang out with playing cards or backgammon.

The diving certainly did not disappoint. There was opportunity to see amazing marine biodiversity. If you're not an experience diver, do not let this dissuade you from trying this trip. Where else can you get certified in such a coral reef setting, not to mention for a very reasonable price?

The island itself is well maintained. The palm trees were cleared out just enough to allow sun and plenty of shade. In down times, you could take a nap in a hammock or play volleyball. Or just keep your course work and dive log up to date. Unfortunately, there was no internet for the entire week. However, it was nice to be off the grid - it made it more relaxing. If you're looking for fancy accommodations, then this is not for you. However, if you're looking for comfortable lodgings, in a very relaxed, minimal setting (yes, you have to get used to minimal water shower usage since you are on an island), and a place to meet great people and make new friends while making a positive, environmental impact, then this IS the place for you. I would definitely recommend taking an eco-volunteer trip to Belize and do it through Reef CI. All in all, I was very impressed. I would go back for sure!

Belize is a beautiful and friendly place whose unique barrier reef has been invaded by the destructive lion fish. ReefCI works to preserve the reef by educating volunteers on Lionfishers eradication and preservation of coral, conch and lobster.

The program educated me about local fish, types of reef coral and the part they play . My diving knowledge was tested and improved by the competent dive masters and guides. I learned about the physiology of the lion fish, it’s poisonous spines, their location and how to find the stomach and determine what the fish consumed. I learned how to fillet the lion fish so the kitchen staff could include it in our meals.

The food was freshly prepared and plentiful, nutritious and well presented.

The atmosphere on the isolated island of Tom Owens is calming and magical. Safe environment, friendly staff, comfortable, simple accommodations and a worthwhile project make this project memorable in EVERY way!

This was a great program for our family to participate in! We were looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the world, learn and have fun. This was it! Reef CI and IVHQ made the details easy to navigate and understand with great communications before, during and after our trip. Online training before the trip was meaningful. The conservation portion of the trip was great, diving was excellent and the instructors were safe, knowledgeable and cared about the environment and the program. From the first day, we were given classes on exactly what we would be doing and why it was important. Instead of just diving to look at the environment, we felt like we were helping the environment and making a difference. We wished we had stayed for another week!

What an experience! This was my first time doing a diving trip and was unsure about it but when I met with the group, I felt very welcome and part of someone interesting.
We stayed in this small island and it was very comfortable. The staff was very welcoming and helpful. They taught us many things such as how to use the spearfishing and how to measure the corals under water. They would first explain and demonstrate on land what we would be doing under water.
On the first day at the island we were educated about the impact of the plastic and other issues in our oceans and it made it very real. Everyone should have this experience so they could bring home more wisdom to share with friends and loved ones and help change the course of our oceans.