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Protect nesting green and hawksbill turtles on Tioman Island! Join night beach patrols, hatchery work and hatchling releases (16,217 released in 2025), snorkel surveys of our 3 house reefs, coral restoration and village recycling. Full training from JTP staff, a small international team (max 20) and a jungle-meets-beach village to explore. Season March to October; 2-week minimum.
25 hours of help per week
Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens
Building & Repairing: Help with a wide range of repairs or building.
Animal Care: Help look after and take care of animals.
Social Work: Help with volunteer work in local projects and communities.
Amount: US$ 735 One time
Fee pays for: Benefits for travelers, Materials for volunteer activities, and Donation to project
Description: US$735 (RM3,000) covers your first 2 weeks; each extra week is US$370 (RM1,500). It pays for your shared dorm bed, meals 6 days a week, full training, snorkel gear and project materials, and directly funds JTP's turtle and reef conservation. JTP is a registered non-profit and this fee is how the project runs.
1 day off per week
Shared Dorm: You will have a bed in a shared room, which means you will share the same room with other travelers.
Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.
Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.
Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.
Certificate: Get a certificate of completion after you finish your experience.
Basic Internet Access: Basic speed internet for you to work remotely
Intermediate English
Over 18 years old
Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers
Travel insurance
Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa
Join a working sea turtle and coral reef conservation station on the quiet east coast of Tioman Island, Malaysia. Juara Turtle Project (JTP) has protected green turtles and critically endangered hawksbill turtles here since 2001.
SEA TURTLES
From March to October you join night beach patrols with the team. When a nest is at risk from tides or predators, trained staff move the eggs to our protected hatchery, and you help record data, monitor nests, excavate hatched nests and support hatchling releases. In 2025 we protected 211 nests and released 16,217 hatchlings (82% hatching success).
CORAL REEFS
Three fringing reefs are a short walk from the station. You learn to identify corals and reef fish, then help with snorkel surveys of coral health and reef life, and make coral restoration blocks from recycled glass.
COMMUNITY
JTP runs Juara's village recycling programme, beach clean-ups and conservation tours for visitors. You help at the recycling station, on clean-ups and with our daily 4pm conservation tour.
WHAT YOU GET
Full training from JTP staff, a bed in a shared dorm, home-cooked meals six days a week, snorkel gear, a JTP certificate and a small international team (max 20 volunteers). You leave with real field skills and the knowledge that your stay directly funds the project.
Handy skills such as carpentry, maintenance, art, photography or social media are very welcome.
A TYPICAL DAY
Morning: breakfast, then the day's project activity (a reef survey, hatchery work, recycling, a beach clean or maintenance). Activities rotate through the week.
Midday: lunch and free time to swim, snorkel or explore the village.
Late afternoon: help run the 4pm conservation tour, then nest checks and, when nests hatch, releases or excavations.
Night: beach patrol shifts on a rota, looking for nesting turtles and recording data.
HOURS
About 3-4 hours of project work a day plus your patrol shifts, 6 days a week. Saturday is your day off.
FREE TIME
Swim and snorkel off the beach, hike to the waterfall, explore the rainforest, take a boat trip around the island, or learn to dive with a local dive centre (extra cost).
ARRIVAL
Arrive on a Sunday by 2pm. Take the ferry from Mersing or Tanjung Gemok to Tioman, then a taxi to Juara. We help you plan your journey once you book.
- Minimum stay 2 weeks, arriving on a Sunday.
- You must be able to swim for snorkel surveys (simple swim check on arrival). Non-swimmers can still join all beach, hatchery and community work.
- Respect the turtles: red lights only on the beach, no flash photos, and only trained staff handle eggs and turtles.
- Respect the village: Juara is a traditional Malay village, so please dress modestly when you are in the village.
- Be on time for patrols and briefings, and help keep shared spaces tidy.
- No alcohol or drugs during project work or patrols.
- Saturday meals are not provided; there are cafes and restaurants in the village.
