An Eco-Vacation Option at a Turtle Reserve
Volunteer for Less than $20 a Day at ASVO in Costa Rica
Oct 7, 2008
The gap year is becoming increasingly popular and many are choosing volunteering abroad as an eco-style vacation. Sign up with a Turtle Reserve in Costa Rica and this option will only cost $20 a day!
The Camp
In a Survivor style camp, the ASVO turtle reserve in Costa Rica is the ideal getaway. It is located on a secluded and protected beach Playa Buena Vista, a 3-kilometer crescent strip of beach that is reserved for the Turtle project on the Pacific coast in the Nicoya region. It is part of the dry forest land of the province of Guanacaste. The closest town is Playa Samara, a popular surf site with many hostels, shops and restaurants. The camp consists of a two-story bungalow with a flush toilet and a shower. 10-meters from the bungalow is the turtle hatchery where all the turtle nests are kept and can be closely monitored.
The Work
While volunteering requires lots of time and dedication, there's still plenty of time for rest and relaxation. The camp is located only 50 meters from the beach. The tasks for the day vary. In the morning the work ranges from beach cleaning, clearing the front yard and pathway of weeds, building cages for the turtle nests, to carrying bags of sand to and from the turtle hatchery. The work is physically intense but very rewarding. The afternoon is the time to hang out on the beach. Catch some great Pacific waves or relax on the beach with a good book-and really relax, the beach is shared with only other volunteers.
Lots of Baby Turtles
The night work involves patrolling the beach to watch for mothers laying their eggs and to protect the eggs from poachers and predators, and monitoring the turtle hatchery for baby "hatchlings". The most common turtle species to Buena Vista is the Olive Ridley Turtle, while the Hawksbill and the Green Turtle can also be spotted. There are many tours in Costa Rica where they send tourists for an evening on the beach to watch for possible hatchlings, however ASVO provides this for their volunteers every night.
Less Than 20$ a day
The price ASVO charges is 15$ per night; this includes 3 meals a day and the cost of lodging. Flight and public transportation to the Turtle Reserve.
How to Sign Up
Contact ASVO's offices in San Jose. Buena Vista is located 5 kilometers from Playa Samara. Many taxis are available at the bus station. Buses to Samara run daily from San Jose.
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