Bali Volunteer Programs from $26/day | Most Affordable & Trusted

I was a part of the Bali Sea Turtle program with IVHQ. I could not recommend it more highly. I learned a lot about marine life, experienced snorkeling and hiking and holy water temples and hidden beaches. I made friends I know will last for years and memories that will last forever. The staff was incredibly helpful and the accommodations were lovely, much nicer than I would have expected because of the low price! I will 100% be traveling with IVHQ again.

I'd never payed to volunteer abroad somewhere before so was quite unsure about the whole thing and I had no idea what I was getting myself into... but the application process of IVHQ was so easy and the abundance of information provided/ support offered made me more at ease.
I initially wanted to volunteer to help with the turtle conservation however due to the locations I ended up volunteering to teach English to kids in Ubud, Bali. Teaching English to kids who don't speak a word of your language doesn't sound easy... and it wasn't... especially as the kids were just crazy. But despite the language barrier, I really loved spending time with the kids who were surprisingly really eager to learn and they are always so happy to see you. I would highly recommend that if you are staying in Indonesia before hand then learning a bit of Bahasa Indonesian would be very useful.
In addition, the accommodation was far nicer than I was expecting (there's a pool!) and I had the most amazing experience getting to know so many young travellers from all over, with all sorts of great personalities. Initially, I was not keen on the idea of a whole week of orientation, but it was so fun and full of laughs, and its not often you get such a good chance to get to know other people in a fun, relaxed environment.
Ubud is such a beautiful area and the people there are all so kind and friendly. I have so much admiration for the Balinese culture. Bali also has so much to explore, and other than the hours you have off volunteering everyday, the weekends are the time that EVERYONE leaves the campus for a trip elsewhere.
In a nutshell, I had one of the best experiences in my life.
(This is a legitimate review :)) )

Getting out of your comfort zone always seem like a scary idea, however volunteering with IVHQ turned out to be the best experience I have gone through during the 30 years I have lived. I went through the volunteering experience as part of my career shift plan, a break to consider this turning point in my life, I was lost, overwhelmed with the fast track lifestyle we get engaged in. An in this socio cultural experience I have found what I have been missing for a while: peace, happiness, and my self.
IVHQ Volunteering has provided me with all necessities to complete this experience and end up giving and getting in return at once.
To start with, the accommodation was very clean and comfortable, and the local cooks fed us with healthy and variable food on daily basis.

The local coordinators provided us with support at all time and were friendly and cooperative. The orientation they have provided gave us an insight to the local environment and connected us with the surrounding culture. They also were of great support while carrying out the volunteering duty.

The online community assisted in all questions and concerns I had before, during, and after the trip.

International Volunteer HQ, was recommended to me by many of the previous volunteers, and after my trip I definitely recommend them for any person looking to pursue such a mind and social broadening trip.

This year I decided to pick up my bags and travel as a volunteer. I choose to volunteer in Bali, Lovina teaching English with IVHQ and it was the best decision I made. From the second the airplane landed it was paradise. The landscape surrounding me was green, the smells were natural and pollution free, and the plants, the fruits, the sound of the birds, the people singing, and the children playing filled me with a sense of complete joy. The program was very well organized. An administrator sent a driver to pick me up from the airport, and on my very first hours I was already exploring different places. It was a mesmerizing experience!

When I arrived at the volunteer house I was nervous to meet the rest of the volunteers. After all, I was traveling alone from the other side of the globe. From the moment I got there, we were all automatically connected. It was amazing! the very first day before our introduction to the program we all went out to watch the sunrise and dolphins. It was down the street from where we were staying and it cost us only one dollar per person. Incredible! Some free afternoons we went to waterfalls or hiking, and each day was better than the one before. I went to Bali thinking I could make a difference in the lives of others, but little did I know the life that would be changed would be mine. The team from IVHQ made a big impact in my experience. They always made us feel at home, they helped us with everything, they cooked amazing meals in the mornings, the afternoon, and the evenings. Something I loved is how they played their guitars at the end of each day. They truly made the atmosphere a happy and welcoming place. Just thinking about it and writing about it feels like a dream again.

Let me tell you about my teaching experience. I never realized how much impact we make on these children until I was there. Every day these kids had their papers, their pencils, and were ready to learn. They waited at the doors and they had the biggest smiles on their faces, and they loved getting their papers graded. They felt loved and they were learning English and interacting with people who really cared for them and had the desire to teach them. I thought them healthcare Education, the classes can include topics such as brushing teeth correctly, washing hands, general body cleanliness and nutrition. I also tought them English using games, songs, art, sports and music and I teamed up with other volunteers for additional support. We all had so much fun! When I saw their excitement, I realized that I was little by little starting to make a difference in the world one person at a time. The last day, the kids prepared a good-bye surprise where they wrote letters and brought flowers and little presents.

It is amazing how you come into this program as strangers and you leave with bonds of friendship that will endure. You see all the human beauty of humility, patience, inner happiness, and souls at peace with the world as it is. These are all “Lessons of Life” that I could have not learned in a classroom. I am not a teacher, in fact I’m going to be a lawyer, but what I experienced in Bali, no money or college degree can buy. I transcended race, religion, language barriers and cultural divides to arrive at happiness and peace. The dresses and trinkets I brought home may remind me of my time there, but the true souvenirs will be the memories of the warmth and smiles of the Balinese people. Those souvenirs cannot be lost or broken and can’t be stashed away in the bottom of a box or the corner of a closet. They will always be within me. My way of seeing things has changed and I can change things for the better one person at a time. I’m extremely thankful for all the help and professionalism of the IVHQ team in making this experience exceptional and look forward to the next volunteering opportunity. In fact, I have already been accepted to volunteer in India during my winter break! Thank you IVHQ !!!

I was hesitant going abroad by myself at first, living in Europe and heading all the way to Bali was a long journey and I was worried I hyped it up too much and I wouldn't be able to make friends. Well I was worried for nothing! Everyone is there to help out and make new friends, the staff are some of the friendliest I've ever encountered and the Balinese people were so welcoming wherever we went. The first week is usually induction if you do more than a week, and that is where you meet most of the people while going around Bali with the group supervisor. My supervisor, Dayu, was so so sweet and helpful with everything. During the week you do whatever option for volunteering you decided to go for and have weekends off to explore Bali. We went to nusa penida and Gili islands which were two of my top to do things even before I got to Bali so I am so happy I managed to do them! I've met people from all over the world and I would 100% recommed you go even if youre having second thoughts like I did, it will change your outlook forever and I will for sure be doing it again! Teaching children while also seeing a different country was so much more rewarding to me than anything I did before and I can't believe how nice and welcoming everyone was. The program I did was teaching, and after only a week I got so attached to them and teared up when I had to leave. I really hope they remember all the things I taught them, I guess the only way to find out is to go back again.. :)

Hello! My name is Anna and I come from Spain. I did only two weeks volunteering in Bali but in this short time, this experience has become the best one in my life. Each day was special and everyday I learned a lot from the local people, coordinators, children and the other volunteers who are now friends.
I was a bit afraid to go there alone but I think it’s the best way to enjoy it and learn only for your own growth. In addition, you won’t feel alone at all! You will be around different and beautiful people all the time! I totally recommend and for sure I will repeat!!

It was an amazing experience. The staff were very nice with us, it was super safe in bali and we really felt the impact we had while teaching the children. They were very receptive and needed the information we gave them. It was also very cool to travel around the island during the weekends, there are such beautiful and amazing places in bali. Finally i would really recommend this program to anyone who loves travelling and discovering new places and horizons because it can also help the local community if you choose this trip

On April 22nd of 2018, with a cup of coffee in hand, a 19 year old girl opened her laptop, logged in IVHQ and chose Bali as her destination. It’s not a big deal, right? She just clicked a few buttons and typed a few words. However, just like every epic movie has an ordinary beginning, that is how a marvelous brand-new journey began.

Yep. That girl is me. And I feel so glad that I choose this path, the right one. Volunteering with IVHQ in Bali is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life because I’ve learned a lot from this trip and I also surpassed myself again and again. Responsibility, friendship, love, courage, trust…How could I forget all these things Bali has taught me?

I love animals. Watching more and more species become endangered due to human’s greedy or environmental pollution always hurt me a lot. And knowing that except writing some words online to appeal to people to protect animals, I can’t do any practical things to help them hurts more. I hate this sense of powerlessness. Luckily, I found IVHQ, which provides me with a chance to do the thing I dreamed of: to protect the animals with my real actions instead of words. And that’s why I choose to sign up for the four-week turtle conservation program. Honestly speaking, the fee for the four-week program is not a small sum of money for my family because dollar is much more expensive than RMB and both of my parents are normal workers. So, at first, they don’t want me to sign up for it. But this is my dream, how could I give up. Finally, I persuaded them. And my experience has proved that it is worthwhile. Everything is worthwhile. Thanks to IVHQ, you realize my dream.

With the help of coordinators and other foreign friends, I succeeded in doing a lot of things. I fed the turtles, brushed them, caught the crabs for them, cleaned their tanks, changed the water and took care of them with my body and soul. I felt so happy every time I saw them swim to me and ate the food I prepared for them. I can still remember clearly that I jumped out of joy when I found Cindy (Yep I named every turtle) gained weight after my three-week care. I should admit that it has been a while since my last time do one thing with all my body and soul for such a long time. Some of my friends complained about the monotony of our tasks because they were always the same. But I never thought like that. I love the turtles. I love Nusa Penida. I love the things I am doing and I’m proud of what I am doing. Before I came to Bali, I always hate myself for doing so little and I always want to do more. I want to save all the animals and to make a great contribution to the protection of animals. However, I know that’s beyond my ability. At least, for the 19-year-old me, that’s impossible. Thus, I’m a bit negative because of it. But after I came to Bali, everything changed. Except taking care of the turtles, sometimes we also cleaned the streets and the beaches. All of the tasks were not change-the-world-greatly type. But I knew we were changing it. It was during one of those simple days I realized that, it doesn’t matter whether you can make a great contribution or not, what matters most is that you are doing something for the animals, for the environment, for the world. What matters most is that you are taking actions. I can’t save all of the turtles. But I swear I will save as many as I can. One person’s power is limited. Maybe one person can only pick up 3 plastic bottles from the beach and throw them into the rubbish bin. Nevertheless, what if everyone is doing the same thing? What if everyone does a bit for our world? Never underestimate yourself. Even the tiniest person, can change the course of the world.

In addition, I also made a lot of friends from all over the world. Ben, Lauren, David, Martin, Emma, Giacoma, Jenny, Sam, Grace, Sichen, Janelle, Fawn…There are so many people I can never forget. We helped each other. We learned from each other. And I never felt lonely when I was with them. They made me feel like I was at home and we were a big family.

I will never forget that scary Sunday night.
On August 5th, Lombok was hit by the earthquake. Even if I was in Bali at that time, I could still feel the ground shaking and I could hardly stand on my feet. At that time, I was spending my second weekend in Canggu with my good friend Sichen. We walked a lot during the day time and we were exhausted. But after the earthquake happened, we didn’t dare to go into the hotel to sleep. Everyone was outside the hotel. The little kids were crying and there were people hugging each other. Everything was in such a mess. Canggu is near the ocean, as a result, we were also afraid of the tsunami besides of the earthquake. Finally we decided to go back to Greenlion, Ubud because at least, we had friends there and we had coordinators there. So we took a taxi and went back to Ubud directly.

We arrived at Ubud at 12:30, exhausted and scary, and I didn’t have a bed to sleep because I supposed to stay on Nusa Penida Island at that time. And that’s when Dwita, the coordinator, showed up, at the time we needed someone most. I was really surprised that she was still awake. It was a bit contradictory. On one hand, I felt so happy I found someone. On the other hand, I didn’t know whether I could stay here because I didn’t belong here at that time. I should be on Nusa Penida Island. But I didn’t have other choices. So I told her what happened. And before I could ask her whether I could stay here, she said “Ok I got you. You must be tired now. I will find a bed for you. Stay here, have a good rest and we can figure it out tomorrow. DON’T WORRY. YOU ARE SAFE HERE.” Her words just hit me right through my heart and I almost burst into tears. At that time, for a person as scary as me, nothing was more powerful than “You are safe here.” Thanks Dwita a lot. Thanks every coordinator in Bali. They are so kind, nice, responsible, helpful and considerate. After so many twist and turns, finally, I got a bed and decided to sleep. However, before I entered my room, I felt another earthquake. I stopped. All my faiths of falling asleep collapsed in front of the earthquake. YOU NEED TO GO TO BED. I told myself. Because I was so exhausted and I could feel my body was shaking because of tiredness. But I did’t dare to sleep. What if I fall asleep and never have a chance to wake up? Then my roommates came out. They felt the earthquake, too. And that’s the first time they met me, covered in a pink blanket, with bloodshot eyes, pale face and a shaking body. I knew I looked so bad. “Are you alright? Sweetie?” I felt too weak to answer them. So I shook my head. “Do you want to come in? I think you belong to this room?” I shook my head again. “Why?” I knew that I must say something. But the moment I begin to talk, I couldn’t help crying. It’s hard for me to recall what I said at that night because I was already on the edge of breakdown. But I can remember clearly how my roommates helped me. They hugged me, tried to comfort me, brought my luggage into their room, made the bed for me and told me to go to bed. “Have some rest, Zillah. All of us will be here with you, ok? Don’t worry, all of us will be awake, if something happens, we will wake you up, is that ok?” And I did what they told me. I fell asleep, immediately. And I have a nice sleep. It’s a bit weird to call a place you just arrived at one hour ago home. But I should say, I did feel back home. And my roommates, though we only knew each other for 10 minutes, are my families. This is the first time for me to experience an earthquake and I was in another country, without the company of my parents and friends, so no doubt I was so terrified. However, I felt lucky that during the darkest time, I can still have coordinators and friends to stand by my side and give me support.

I've never protected the turtles with my own hands.
I’ve never felt I was so close to my dream.
I've never seen such blue ocean and such bright stars.
I've never known what life will be like on the other side of the earth.
I've never made friends from so many different countries and I've never talked so much and laughed so hard.
Thanks to IVHQ. It makes everything become different.

And maybe, that's the meaning of traveling and volunteering. Meeting new people, enjoying different views, changing the world into a better place and surpassing yourself again and again.

Never stop pursuing your dream.
Never stop exploring the world.
Never stop doing good things even if it is small.

I want to say something to those who have been a volunteer and who are going to be a volunteer: “Guys don’t stop doing that. Because the world needs more people like you.”

Even the tiniest person, can change the course of the future.