Nicaragua Pacific Coast: Sea Turtle Conservation, Environmental Restoration & Volcano Sandboarding

Name: Nicaragua Pacific Coast: Sea Turtle Conservation, Environmental Restoration & Volcano Sandboarding
Brand: GIVE Volunteers
SKU: 97811
Rating: 5 (34 reviews)

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5.00 Rating

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Location

Nicaragua
- Managua

Length

2 weeks

Project Types

Childcare Climate Change Community Development Building Projects Service Learning Conservation Marine Conservation Sea Turtle Conservation Environmental Conservation Education Teaching Health Human Rights Professional Development Tourism +5

Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Age Min.

Timeframe

Short Term Summer Winter

Housing

Guesthouse Hostel Hotel

Groups

Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)

Travel Type

Budget Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price

2995

Price Details

What's included:
-All accommodations
-Group and ground transportation, including airport pick up and drop off
-All meals and drinking water
-Epic adventures and cultural immersion activities
-Funding toward volunteer projects
-Guides

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals Transportation

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Apr 30, 2025

Last Reviewed: Jan 13, 2025

Wish List

23 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Nestled in a small fishing village of Jiquilillo, you will help teach English to local children, restore mangrove forests, and support a locally owned sea turtle hatchery. During your free time, you can surf, paddleboard, fish, learn Spanish, and immerse yourself in Latin American culture. This trip will take you from the black sands of Pacific Coast beaches to the glowing craters of Pacific Rim volcanoes. Cap off your adventure by sand-boarding down an active volcano, kayaking in a crater lake and seeing a glowing molten lava lake at night!

Want to travel longer? Extend your trip with our 11-day Costa Rica add-on!

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Impact 🌎

Sustainability

GIVE's mission is to inspire growth, empower global citizens, and ignite sustainable change worldwide. To truly inspire growth and achieve sustainable travel internationally, GIVE has adopted the Asset-based community development (ABCD) model, a set of proven best practices in sustainable development that mobilizes a community’s assets and resources as the basis for development. Furthermore, through providing hands-on and eye-opening learning experiences that foster authentic connections between participants and host community members, we can empower global citizens who will continue to spread GIVE’s values and ignite sustainable change worldwide.

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Ethical Impact

Exploring the world with GIVE is all about responsible travel, but what does that really mean?
Mindful Tourism + Community Partnership = Economic Growth & Community Empowerment.

Part of what makes GIVE trips so special is being fully immersed in the cultures and communities we visit. However, we take extra steps to ensure we minimize our influence and always respect local cultures. We prepare all participants before travel and ensure they understand the culture and how to dress appropriately.

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Program Highlights

Work on eco-friendly projects & teach English
Sandboard down an active volcano
Support a baby Sea Turtle Head Start Program
Restore mangrove forests
Surf, kayak, and paddleboard in the Pacific Ocean

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 34 reviews

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Impact 5
Support 5
Fun 5
Value 4.85
Safety 5

Good for Adventure travelers, Solo Travelers, Students

Showing 17 - 24 of 34 reviews

I had such a great time volunteering in Nicaragua. This was my second GIVE trip and I feel like I was able to expand on my knowledge from my first trip, while also learning new things! The people I met were amazing and made the trip 10x better. Huge thank you to the guides for making Nica feel like home. I miss it so much already! I also loved that we got to do some adventure days like sandboarding down Cero Negro, going to volcano Masya and going to Leon for a day. We got to experience more than just the village.

Pros

Accommodations were great
Plenty of food options
Felt very safe

I can't imagine my life without GIVE. I came in with low expectations, and I came back with incredible experiences, knowledge on the culture and positive responsible volunteerism, stories from the locals, memories, and lifelong friendships. I am forever grateful I was able to raise enough money (with GIVE's tools & support) and go on this adventure. It is difficult to put into words how impactful this trip was to me until you go and experience it on your own. I went alone and instantly made best friends with fellow volunteers and my guides! Shoutout to Hailey, Jess, Tomas, Ramon, Alvaro, and Blanca for creating a home away from home. Best 2 weeks of my entire life. Don't let money stop you. If there is a little voice in your head saying to go, DO IT. You will find your way to pay for it. You will forever be grateful you took the leap.

Pros

Safety
Extremely immersive and positively impactful among the community you are visiting
Very informative on the volunteerism industry and the country you are traveling in. You learn how to be a Global Citizen!

This experience touched my heart, mind, and soul in various ways. To have the opportunity to work with the community and be immersed in Nicaragua's culture was life-changing. I was fortunate enough to be granted a scholarship to embark on this experience and it changed my perspective of how much of a difference you can make in a short amount of time. The two incredible and amazing guides that worked with me and the other volunteers made it a much more incredible experience. With having three meals provided daily to visiting active volcanos and teaching English to some of the local students, words cannot describe how impactful this experience was. I never would have thought to become so close to the people of the community and those I volunteered with.

What was your funniest moment?

My funniest moment was dancing the night away with my group!

This trip was a life-changing and unforgettable experience. As soon as I landed in Nicaragua and meet with the guides, I instantly felt like I was at home. Everyday was filled with adventure. From teaching the local kids, to doing cultural activities, to playing card games until midnight, every bit was the time of my life. The local communities are also so welcoming and the nicest people. I would 1000% recommend going on this trip, or any trip with GIVE. I have grown so much as a person, made the best of new friends, and my life has been put into perspective.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

Sanboarding down Cerro Negro! This was nerve-racking to me as I was scared that I would tumble down the volcano and get hurt (because I am very clumsy :) ). After watching the other volunteers go down, I told myself that everything would be fine and if they could do it, I could too. I also had wonderful encouragement from other volunteers that were still waiting to go down. We were all nervous, so it was comforting that I wasn't alone. Once I was at the bottom of the volcano, I had a blast sand boarding and would definitely do it again!

I traveled to Nicaragua with GIVE and it was a great decision. I was able to learn about the culture and it was a great experience to be able to help make an impact in someone’s life. Our trip with GIVE had the meals and accommodations already ready, so it was included in the price of the trip which was great so I did not have to worry too much about having enough money for food because I wanted to help support the locals. We did a ton of fun activities like volcano boarding, mangrove seed planting, swimming, surfing, turtle releasing, karaoke, etc. amazing experience.

What was your funniest moment?

Probably everything honestly! Everyone was always laughing and having a good time.

My experience with GIVE started last year when I was originally supposed to go to Africa. I now truly understand the meaning of everything happens for a reason, because I was meant to be in Jiquilillo, Nicaragua. When I left for this trip, my goal was to go out into the world and help others. It was very quickly that I realized how much this community has actually helped me.
I witnessed first hand how climate change is drastically affecting this small fishing village. Just 12 years ago, the ocean was 100 meters farther out then it is now. This isn’t future generations problems, the people in this community are being displaced because their homes are being destroyed.
I had powerful conversations with Sarah and her family about how she started a women’s support group in order to educate girls about their bodies and the choices they can make.
I learned about the fisherman, who used to be able to catch hundreds of pounds of fish in a night. But now due to over harvesting around the world, they leave on their boats every night at 6 pm, and stay out as late as 10 am in hopes of catching at least some fish to feed their families.
I worked at reversing mangrove destruction and focused on rehabilitation of endangered species from the ever inspiring Ramon, who has dedicated his life to bringing back the sustainability of the environment in his community.
I saw the passion in the teachers of this community, Taylor and Blanca, who do everything they can to give the children of Jiquilillo the best education they can. Who inspire me to be half the teacher that they are for their students.
I was a part of the power of this community. The power to be there for others, to love the Earth, and most importantly, I saw the beauty of life. I came here in hopes of helping others, when in reality, Jiquilillo helped me.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Go, unplug from your life back home, and fully immerse yourself in the culture and lives of these people. Open your heart to the love they have to give

I found GIVE through a friend in 2014, and decided to save up to go on a trip of my own. My good friend expressed interest and we settled on the Nicaragua program. Right after the first night, I knew I'd picked a solid organization. GIVE brought together students from Australia and the US and immediately we talked about the importance of sustainable, ethical travel. The program was the ideal mix of work and play. You volunteered WITH the community for most of the working hours of the day but then enjoyed dinner, surf lessons, and bonding time with the rest of the volunteers. There were breakout sessions and learning moments to really help solidify and process what we were doing in Nicaragua, which helped creat a lasting impression I can still speak about to this day.

What was your funniest moment?

All the volunteers arrived at Little Corn Island and got to where we were staying. My two roommates and I were getting ready for bed, and one of them got caught in her mosquito net. Instead of helping, we started cracking up as she was laughing and struggling to get untangled. It was a hilarious moment.

To someone who is considering traveling with GIVE, just do it and do not overthink it. Save the money and book the trip because I promise, what you gain back from the experience is priceless. A GIVE trip like Nicaragua will change your perspective and in result will change your life. I am not the same coming back home. I feel more aware and more grateful for living. This trip is educational, inspiring, and fun. You work hard in the classroom and worksite, but have fun doing it. This part of the trip is incredibly humbling and rewarding. And the cultural immersion activities are amazing as well. You step into real locals homes for the day and learn their crafts. The locals make you feel like family and despite any language barrier, loving connections are formed. Lastly, the connections you make with fellow volunteers are genuine. All judgment is washed away when you're all sweating and struggling alongside each other and you get to really meet people for who they are. Learn their stories of why they came to this country and see how much you have in common.
This GIVE trip changed my life and it WILL do the same for you as well. Nicaragua is a beautiful country and needs volunteers like you to come and support it.
Thank you GIVE for all the #goodvibes.
Highlights included...
- Meeting like-minded volunteers/students and forming deep, real, and long-lasting friendships
- Meeting locals and finding how much in common you have
- Being embraced by locals
- Disco Techa, dancing freely
- Delicious and healthy meals every day(fresh fruit)
- Learning to surf and make cheese/tortillas/fish/bracelets
- Hiking up and active volcano and sliding down it(and looking at the views from up top)
- Adventuring around a city called Leon
- Beach volleyball
- Mangrove and estuary tour/hike
- Morning yoga outside
- Learning from our intelligent and inspiring guides, Daniela and Carmen
- Learning some Spanish
- Learning about and experiencing the strong Latin culture, first-hand
- Good Vibes and long chats every night with the group
And so much more!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

The most nerve-racking moment about this trip was simply starting it. The first night that you arrive, you will instantly notice how out of your element you are. It is warm and many things that you normally do or have are extremely different. You may see animals or insects that you don't see at home. This moment is nerve-racking, but the key is just to stick with it. If you keep telling yourself "This is outside my comfort zone, but that's okay. I am growing", you will soon realize how quickly you've adjusted and become comfortable.

Beach Clean Up with local students and American volunteers

Volunteers learning how to make cheese from local mother, Sara

Volunteers teaching Nicaraguan students english

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Interview

Why did you choose this program?

First was my families concerns. My parents preferred me not go alone so I brought up the idea of going with a volunteer organization. My friend had just returned safely with GIVE so that was a good selling point to my parents. We then had a couple phone calls with GIVE which helped my mom feel safe and secure with the trip. Next was what I wanted. Of course I wanted to travel and see a different culture to what I was used too. But I also wanted to make a difference and leave some sort of positive handprint on a community. GIVE's goals and history showed me that this organization was perfect to help me follow my dream and stay safe along the way.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Mostly I did it on my own. Although I used their recommended flight agents (student universe) to get there I relied heavily on myself for everything else. I used previous reviews as well as calls for with GIVE to do my initial planning. These calls helped a lot and I really encourage taking advantage of their helpful staff. When getting closer to the trip I was able to rely on other volunteers to help me with packing and preparing.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I wish I brought a couple pairs of nicer clothing. Although you do work hard a lot of time can be used to relax with friends and some nicer clothing could help with looking nice in pictures. I kind of already knew this but I think it needs to be highlighted that you do not need to worry about making friends. Everyone on this trip clicks immediately and if you just be yourself the relationships you build with others will be incomparable to anything else. If you are thinking about going all I can say is do it. It will allow you to grow so much as a person and learn so much about another culture and community.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Some days were different if they included cultural activities, surfing, hiking, or shopping but a lot of them were similar. We would wake up early to either squeeze in a quick swim or to just read on the hammocks. Breakfast was often served at 8am, don't be late! Once done with breakfast we would split into two groups half would go to education the other half to worksite. When at education you got to work alongside a teacher and teach kids english. You even had the chance to play soccer with them after. If you went to the worksite you would either plant some vegetables, do some weeding, shovel dirt or water plants. All more fun than they sound. Then we would drive back to our hotel in the back of the truck, which was such a fun experience on its own. Once back we would grab our lunch around noon. After lunch we usually had some time to kill before the next shift. This time could be used for reading, chatting, playing cards or even swimming. Then we would head off to do worksite, education or maybe even a beach cleanup. We would work from 1;45-4;30 usually. When back at the hotel we wouldn't have dinner till 6 so that gave us more time to get to know our fellow volunteers and build stronger relationships. After dinner was served we would run to get some delicious ice cream a couple minutes away. I loved being able to try new flavors each day. Once we got back we would write our good vibes. These were just little messages to someone or something during the day that made you feel good and happy. Then we would go to the yoga deck for charla (discussion). Each day we would get to learn about new and important topics such as politics, sustainability, feminism and environment. After we would read out our good vibes and then be free for the night. Usually we had about three hours (curfew at 11) to play card games and board games with all our new friends. Then we would turn off our lights and go to sleep excited for the next day.

This is a basic overview, only few days were as constructed as this. You get to do so many amazing activities that its impossible to say it all in a day in the life. But imagine some days surfing, others salsa dancing, others cooking and even some rest morning. Every day was unique and amazing.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I honestly feared not getting along with the other volunteers. I was afraid our energies wouldn't match and I wouldn't make close friends. I overcome it the only way one could and that was by taking a chance and going. I told myself that even if we didn't get along I would still get to have traveled to a different country and experience a different culture. After the trip I realize that I met people who are exactly like me. Everyone that goes on a trip like this has similar molar views and often similar in other little things like music taste. I see now that my fear and anxiety was for nothing and Im leaving Nicaragua with amazing memories and best friends all over the world.

What did you learn from exploring with GIVE?

I learned so many lessons from my trip to Nicaragua with GIVE. First was how to be appreciative for what I have. People there appreciate every plate of food in front of them and I know in the past I have taken advantage of what I have, not anymore. I also learned so many lessons in sustainability with recycling, growing your own food and saving water. I learned about responsible travel and how one person can make a difference. I also learned that that I can do whatever I put my mind too. This trip was a dream of mine and I got to do it and it was the best experience of my life. So now I tell myself if I can do that dream what can I not do. The final lesson I learned and definitely the hardest one was how to say goodbye. I have never had such a hard goodbye before in my life. These people had become my family and I had to experience the feeling of not waking up to their faces every day. I hope I keep these friends for the rest of my life and that saying goodbye starts to get a little easier each time.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Tony studied International Political Economy, focusing his research on issues of economic equity, inequality and development studies. Currently based in Cape Town, Tony's experience with GIVE has sent him across the globe, giving him the opportunity to apply his coursework in the real world in rural communities throughout Nicaragua, Tanzania and Laos.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Arriving in Jiquilillo, Nicaragua in 2016, I felt different. It no longer felt as though I was visiting a place or taking a trip somewhere, but rather, returning home. Upon my arrival, old friends were there to greet me with hugs and lots of chisme to share and, as I walked through the village, I could hear my name through the crash of ocean waves and from behind mangrove thickets.

Starting up conversation was easy: I knew everyone's name, they all knew mine. The kids jumped on my shoulders like old times and made fun of me like they would an older brother. This arrival was one of the most heart-warming because it is when I realized that this place was home. This is one of my favorite travel memories because it was one of the first times that I felt comfortable enough to call a space home that was so far-removed from everything I'd known.

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How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I have changed and grown immeasurably. A wide-eyed 18-year-old embarked on the trip of a lifetime to Nicaragua in 2013, not knowing that he'd soon find his passion. I remember arriving in Jiquilillo for the first time and thinking to myself "this is what I want to do" and, since that moment, I worked very hard to make that happen.

Some of the biggest lessons I learned early on while working with GIVE were lessons in patience, adaptability and improvisation. As the years passed and I became a powerful and confident leader, I delved deeper into the communities that welcomed us each year, getting to know the people with whom I used machetes to chop down trees with daily. Some of my favorite memories have been listening to the stories of men and women in remote villages like Jiquilillo and Sop Chem, and I mean really listening. Through acts of sharing and love, they have taught me so much about respect and humanity that I will carry with me forever.

One of the most profound lessons I've learned (and am still learning) is that I come from a place of privilege, and it is my obligation to use that privilege to give a voice to those who are otherwise unheard. A beautiful part about GIVE is that it inspires me to continue growing indefinitely, as I learn more and more with every day I pass in one of these remote villages.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I've written countless recommendation letters for students who end up applying to the Peace Corps, to medical school, master's programs, many of whom only realized their passions from their trip with GIVE. Those stories inspire me all the time because I identify with it so much.

One that comes up time and again over the years, however, is when students reconnect with me to speak about the idea of 'Team Human' and how much it impacts their daily life. This is a very simple idea: lead with love by helping the person next to you however you can. The universality of this idea allows for students to incorporate the premise of it to every aspect of their lives, leading to a focus on spreading acceptance, love and universal kindness.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I've been diving in Nicaragua countless times, but never got to experience doing a diving course like the one GIVE offers on Little Corn Island. Of course, I have been exposed to the inner-workings of the program by working closely with the guides and leading volunteers, but I have never gotten to do something as incredible as construct and lay an artificial reef.

I feel at home in the ocean (and I sorely miss Nicaragua), so I think this would provide an ocean-focused trip to the island that I never really had before. It is also a lot of fun to identify fish and I would love to learn how to monitor and assess the health of a reef so that I can think more deeply about the reefs I visit when I dive elsewhere.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

An often-forgotten key to development practice is understanding the dynamics of power in a relationship. As descendants of colonizers from the "developed" Western world, our presence in rural communities has, historically, yielded only negative outcomes for already disenfranchised folks. An NGO can very easily replicate this colonial attitude, putting its Western values above the traditional ones found in this faraway land, and importing its ideas about how life should be lived as a "better" alternative to the unique way of life of those in a remote village. GIVE occupies a very unique and precarious space in this conversation, as it can very easily be just another colonial force. Instead, GIVE leads first with respect. Every person I have worked with puts his or her own pride on the back-burner in favor of respecting and listening to local leaders, mothers, children, engineers, fathers. In this way, they are checking their own power, inherent to someone coming from the developed West, and allow for those who have traditionally been silenced to have a voice.

Having worked in Nicaragua for so long, I got to experience this on a multitude of levels. When we started a project developing homes for climate change and domestic abuse refugees in Jiquilillo, we had a big plot of land that needed to be cleared. With a whisper of local knowledge, we invited the women and their families who would be receiving those homes in future to show us how it's done. With their machetes, they taught us how to clear the land and proceeded to join us every single day thereafter. In that moment, my team empowered these people--mostly women--to teach us Westerners skills they knew much better than we did. We shifted the power from us to them. The end result? A year later, more than 30 homes were built, decorated and lived in. A community called "Villa Esperanza" (the Village of Hope) emerged, where families were raised together.

What I hope this shows is the unique attitude of GIVE as an organization focused on equity and respect. Each member of every team I've worked on operates from these two places at all times and always wants to see the person next to them succeed.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I don't know much about business, but in terms of development, a huge key is recognizing and understanding privilege. GIVE is able to have such immense impacts on rural villages globally because it makes participants aware of their privilege, and teaches them how to use it with compassion towards a goal of equity and justice. The lessons learned on GIVE trips transcend the experience and can be carried with the participant in every aspect of daily life. Empowering global citizens as a mission of the program gives its model longevity and reach, without limiting a participants' impact to the time he or she spends on the ground.

About GIVE Volunteers

Since 2011, GIVE has led hundreds of all-inclusive, award-winning & life-changing group trips around the world, inspiring more than 8,000 teenagers and young adults to travel with purpose. Our 1-7 weeklong summer programs engage young travelers in meaningful opportunities to learn through doing, such as locally-led volunteer projects, authentic...