Location
  • Indonesia
    • Lombok Island
Length
2 to 25 weeks

Program Details

Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Lodge
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30)
Travel Type
Budget Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
1950
Price Details
The price covers everything you need for an unforgettable experience: all research and conservation activities, comprehensive training and lectures.

Unlimited diving is included during your stay, in addition to BCD and Regulators. Other diving equipment can be rented on site.

Accommodation comes in the form of charming traditional bamboo huts on our pristine island.

Enjoy three delicious meals a day, prepared with care.

Our extensive range of learning opportunities ensures you’ll have ample time with our on-site science team, eager to share their expertise and passion.

Every aspect of your stay is designed to immerse you fully in marine conservation while providing comfort and enrichment.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Equipment Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Airport Transfers SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa Wifi
Sep 30, 2024
Apr 18, 2025
7 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

At SORCE, we believe passionate individuals can create lasting change. Nestled in the Secret Gilis of Lombok, our mission is to protect and restore vibrant marine ecosystems. We’re not just explorers—we’re guardians of the ocean, dedicated to preserving its beauty and diversity.

Our Eco-Venture Expedition is more than an adventure; it’s a transformative journey into marine conservation. Immerse yourself in the underwater world, exploring colourful coral reefs, swimming with vibrant fish, discovering fascinating invertebrates, and mastering turtle identification. Our lectures will provide the knowledge needed to understand marine ecosystems, identify key species, and make a real impact.

Guided by expert marine scientists, you’ll gain hands-on experience with restoration techniques and learn about the incredible biodiversity beneath the waves. No prior experience is needed—just bring your passion, and we’ll teach you everything to help protect and restore our precious reefs.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Conservation Diving: Spend 5 days engaging in impactful conservation dives, with an additional day of fun dives to enjoy the ocean’s wonders. No diving experience? We offer PADI courses, from Open Water to Divemaster.
  • Dive with Marine Greats: Encounter sharks, Napoleon Wrasse, Eagle rays, turtles, and colourful nudibranchs as you explore vibrant coral reefs.
  • Expert-Led Training: Gain hands-on experience with lectures and field training in marine research and conservation techniques, led by highly qualified marine biologists.
  • Unwind & Have Fun: Evenings are packed with activities like campfires, movie nights, games, and Sunday Fundays, ensuring you’re never bored.
  • Stay Active: Enjoy yoga on the beach, a makeshift gym, basketball, volleyball, SUPs and kayaking during your downtime.

Program Impact

The heart of our mission is the development of sustainable, community-driven approaches to marine conservation. We work tirelessly to protect and restore marine ecosystems, encouraging a culture of ecological awareness that resonates locally and globally. Through a combination of research, conservation, education, scientific initiatives and public engagement, we ensure that our efforts create long lasting, meaningful change.

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Program Reviews

4.95 Rating
based on 20 reviews
  • 5 rating 95%
  • 4 rating 5%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.9
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.8
  • Safety 5
Showing 9 - 16 of 20 reviews
Default avatar
Joel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best solo-travel experience

I was at Sorce for 3 weeks and looking back I could have stayed way longer. From the moment I arrived with the boat and met all the people I felt so comfortable. Before I got to Sorce, I was a bit worried if this really is something for me, but Sorce really turned out to be my second home. The staff and all the people I met at Sorce were so friendly and I never felt lonely. I‘ve never been diving before my voluntary project. So I did my open water course with coral the dive instructor and I loved the first course so much that I did the advanced open water right after. The facilities and the food are amazing, your room is always gonna be clean because of the lovely cleaning staff. I can highly recommend this program and I‘m maybe also coming back to Sorce in the future.

Pros
  • Clean facilities
  • Amazing staff
  • Meeting new people
21 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Oskar
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience in life!

Best time of our lives! When we (me and my husband) first booked the program, we didn't know what to expect and choose to only book it for 2 weeks in case it wouldn't suit us, but all concerns we might had before disappeared on our first day. Afterwards our only regret is that we didn't spend more time at the site, since the two weeks just flew by.

We were there in November 2022 and did our Open Water the first days at site. During the days we did different types of dives to conserve the corals and planted mangroves. We had a cozy hut by ourselves, the meals were very good and on the evenings we played games, card and socialize. The location on the beach is beautiful and the whole area calm. On our spare time we explored the nearby Gili Asahan, a wonderful island which you could reach by kayak.

The organization were very professional and had a very well though trough approach regarding that the coral restoration also took biodiversity into account. We had several lectures such as fish identification and others focusing on sustainability and environment. It was an amazing experience, and I would love to come back in the future when I have the opportunity.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Stay longer than you first want to. During our stay several persons came back from previous stays and some prolonged their stays.
Pros
  • Do something good for the planet
  • Wonderful people and management
  • Delicious food on a paradise beach
26 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sherin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience

I spent 1 month at SORCE a few years back and still look back every now and then missing that time. The team makes you feel like part of the family, you hang out together in a beautiful remote place making close friends. You spend your days diving, learning new things, eating dinner together, and playing games. They organize bonfire evenings, and the bungalows are beautiful. I learned a lot about coral restoration, conservation, and fish identification. 100% recommended for an amazing valuable experience!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Have the opportunity to extend your stay, you will want to do that.
Pros
  • Beautiful area
  • Amazing staff
22 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sophie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible place and experience

I did my bachelor's thesis with SORCE and had a great time working with them. The site is very neat and I believe a lot of thought was put into the way it is set up. I had every opportunity to further advance my skills in marine science and diving at SORCE and found incredible people along the way.

You can do all sorts of surveys, figure out your own area of research, and then set up this project in the way that you want. Or you can just chill and dive 2-3 times a day, 6 days a week, and have an awesome time being in one of the last remote places in Lombok. And if you just don't want to do anything that's perfectly fine and you can just hang out on bean bags ;)

They have an incredible mission and I loved being part of it.

22 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Karley
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I would recommend SORCE, and this opportunity highly!

I had the most incredible time at SORCE while completing my marine science A-level. Not only did I get phenomenal teachers for my book and exam learnings, I also had vital hands on experience. We had the opportunity to do field work and research while conducting coral, seagrass and mangrove restoration. While also inviting you to experience one of the most pristine marine ecosystems in the world. Getting the opportunity to be introduced to new species on every dive! On top of this living beside the ocean in villas creates a close community that becomes family. SORCE played a pivotal role in my life and career and I would recommend this to anyone considering!! 11/10

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I had the opportunity to learn so many new species of fish, corals, sharks, rays, cuttlefish, octopus. Being in the coral triangle you have to opportunity to see hundreds of coral species and get to do hands on work conserving them!
Pros
  • Scuba diving
  • Ocean villas & new food
  • Classroom settings
Cons
  • If you don’t like remote spaces, know it’s off the beaten track (&city), which for someone like me is actually a pro
  • Travel expenses to consider for remoteness
31 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Hunter
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Life Changing Place

Simply one of the best places to both dive and get involved in the world of Oceanic and marine sciences. The facilities here are incredibly well maintained, the huts are great, the food is great, and the people are incredible. The sense of comradery and friendships you can build during your time here with other visitors and the staff are unmatched. They are also extremely accommodating to pretty much any need or concern you have and any of the extra cost food options are made very very clear and are not over priced. The dive activities you complete make you feel like you're making a difference to better the surrounding marine ecosystem and the diving itself is incredible, with many unique flora and fauna you can't find anywhere else. Cannot recommend this place enough if you are looking to get more involved in marine and Oceanic sciences, either recreationally or professionally. SORCE is the best, stingrays forever!

What was your funniest moment?
Accidentally flipping off one of the dive guides thinking it was the dive sign for a Stingray. That is now the dive sign there for stingrays
Pros
  • Incredible People
  • Great Diving
  • Making an Impact
Cons
  • Nothing
  • More Nothing
  • Nothing with gusto this time
30 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Denissa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing time at SORCE

This year I went to SORCE for 5 weeks and i just had the best time of my life there.
If you love the ocean, if you love scuba diving , if you love to life on an beautiful island, if you wanna enjoy an incrediable view everyday and every night and also if you wanna help our ocean and all living organism inside there you need to come to SORCE.
For me it is like a second home now and i know i will come back!!

The team of SORCE do an amazing job in marine conservation, they are clever and hardworking and you can see how much they love the ocean; but they also be there for you whenever you need them, doesnt matter if you wanna talk about the project or if you just wanna talk about all your thoughts and impressions.
The accommodations are really comfortable and just made with love, also the food - I LOVED IT especially the homemade peanut butter
There is so much more to say but i think everyone who is interested in living a completely different exciting life and be part of marine conservation should come to SORCE.
Our planet needs more people like the team members of SORCE.
Im so thankful for this experience and it just changed my view of life in a really good way.
And also indonesia is an amazing beautiful country
Thanks to Kara and all the rest of this lovely SORCE family <3
SAVE THE OCEAN !!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay longer than 5 weeks!!!
Pros
  • learning about the ocean and marine conservation
  • you will have three times a day an incrediable good food
  • amazing place to stay, lovely people
Cons
  • at the beginning it is a bit overwhelming ( a lot of informations, but i think that is normal)
  • i dont know any cons about the project
  • i just loved it
33 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Andrea
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience

I love this place!! My husband and I spent 3 weeks here and had the most wonderful experience. We learned so much about conservation work, coral, fish, and mangroves. There was a clear structure to the day with a various different activities. And, I improved my diving skills in a variety of different environments and situations. The team there is smart, sweet, funny, passionate and has created something very special. The location itself is beautiful with lovely accommodations, amazing sunsets and so many stars! I would highly recommend this experience!

21 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers