Volunteer in Bali: Turtle Conservation Programs, Teach English, Build Homes & More

Updated for 2023-2024: Volunteer travel is back. At Volunteer Forever, we’ve been updating our articles to ensure readers have the latest and best information. In this updated Volunteer in Bali guidebook, you’ll find the best Bali volunteer programs for 2023-2024 and beyond. We have also included some international internships in Bali given how popular they have become over the past few years. 

It’s not a surprise many people want to volunteer in Bali. The province in Indonesia has long been recognized as one of the planet’s most picturesque destinations. With its sandy beaches, towering mountains, dense jungles and terraced rice paddies, there’s a reason it’s known as the Island of the Gods. 

A beautiful island, Bali boasts a rich spiritual and artistic culture that’s hard to miss. Everywhere you go, you’ll stumble on ancient temples, Hindu offerings and a thousand other details that continually reinforce the pure specialness of this island. It’s truly a tropical paradise, and you deserve to explore it. If you’re using your time to give back as a volunteer in Bali, you should reward yourself with a little something, too.

Opportunities to Volunteer in Bali

As a volunteer in Bali, you’ll find a rich range of opportunities to suit your unique service priorities. Unsurprisingly, Bali’s main industry is tourism, with 4 million-plus visitors traveling there annually in the post-Covid era. Most of the possible volunteer opportunities circle back to it in one way or another. Tourism is the livelihood of many of the Balinese people, and through your service work, you’ll help keep it that way. For example, you could: 

• Do your part to keep the island pristine and its wildlife safe by volunteering with sea turtles, protecting animals at a wildlife rescue center, or leading environmental education initiatives. 
• Set young Balinese children up for success in life by sharpening their English – an imperative tool for anyone engaged in the tourism industry. 
• Give back to the community through programs that emphasize childcare, healthcare, or infrastructure.

The Best Bali Volunteer Programs

Whatever you choose as a volunteer in Bali, you’ll be doing your part to make the province into just that much more of a paradise. If you’re trying to decide which of the many volunteering programs is the best fit for you, we have several organizations that can offer you some amazing experiences. 

Read on!

International Volunteer HQ

International Volunteer HQ, a world leader in affordable volunteer travel with over 130,000 past volunteers, provides a range of well-planned and trusted opportunities for those looking to experience the world through volunteering. Their sister organization, Intern Abroad HQ, offers world class internships that will set you up for career success, include several in Bali.

As a volunteer with International Volunteer Headquarters, you’ll have many options for your placement within Bali. Whether you want to relax near the black sand beaches of low-key Lovina or post up in Ubud, Bali’s cultural capital, there’s a great range of activities for every kind of volunteer.

Sea Turtle Conservation in Nusa Penida, Bali

Stay on beautiful Nusa Penida, an island off of Bali, where you’ll be actively involved in turtle care as well as environmental education and clean-up. In Indonesia, Green Sea and Hawksbill turtles face threats from overfishing, human consumption of eggs, and pollution. As a volunteer, you’ll help protect eggs, nurture young turtles, clean trash, and rescue injured turtles.

Healthcare Education in Ubud, Bali

Teach basic health skills in schools and help run health campaigns in the local community. By doing so, you’ll help equip locals to better care for their own wellbeing. This program can be transformative, as you’ll immerse yourself in the local community in Ubud.

Construction & Renovation Volunteering in Lovina, Bali

Help build and renovate schools, community centers, green spaces and more in Lovina. The work you do goes a long way in ensuring the local town has important infrastructure in good shape. You’ll get to stay in a tropical house with a pool and garden, and enjoy the beaches and scenery during free time.

Event Management Internship in Bali

Gain real world experience setting up and managing events for clients such as large hotel chains, conference venues, and event management companies. This internship is open to current university students and academic credit is available.

 

GoEco

Named a Top Eco-Traveling Enthusiast in 2017 by Greenmatch, GoEco is a leading ecotourism company that connects volunteers to several great environmental and community development projects in Bali. Founded in 2006 by experienced volunteers, GoEco focuses on providing volunteers unique, impactful, and affordable service opportunities across the world, including in Bali. The organization has lots of enthusiastic reviews from past volunteers, and they’ve even been recommended by publications like the Huffington Post, USA Today, and Boston Globe.

GoEco has three volunteer opportunities in Bali: 

Bali Sea Turtle Rescue

If preserving wildlife is your passion, check out GoEco’s popular Bali Sea Turtle Rescue project. Held in Nusa Penida, a relaxed and gorgeous island just southeast of Bali, your main duties as a volunteer will be to prepare food and feed the turtles, clean the creatures and their tanks, and make conservation awareness marketing materials. During hatching season, you can even assist with releasing the baby turtles into the wild, which is a memorable experience. What’s even more amazing is GoEco has tailored this project to be a family- friendly volunteer vacation! Children 7 and under gets a discounted rate, and accommodations can be tailored to suit families. For more details to get your kids excited, check out here!

Education and Community Work Volunteering in Bali 

If you’re interested in immersing yourself in the local community, try the Education and Community Work initiative in Bali. It’s one of GoEco’s top ten most popular programs. You can volunteer in Bali in construction, teaching, or medical outreach. During the project, you’ll get to engage in positive cultural exchange and do some tangible good, like erect a building, teach the youth English, and raise awareness about how to live healthier lives.

Construction and Renovation in Bali

Make an impact on a local community in Bali by helping to build and renovate schools, libraries, playgrounds, etc! This hands-on project includes painting, laying bricks, capentry, gardening, etc. Your hard work will pay off when you know children will have a proper place for education, or a safe space to play! In your free time, there are lots to explore in this beautiful island. Get started here!

Culture week in Bali

We highly recommend joining GoEco’s carefully curated culture week in Bali for you to kickstart your volunteering experience. This week will show you true Balinese culture, learn basics of the language, sightseeing and other tourist activities, and meet other volunteers. You can add this week before your volunteer project to make your trip truly immersive! See more details here!

Interested in applying to a GoEco volunteer program in Bali? Start your search on GoEco now!

Volunteering Solutions

Founded in 2007, Volunteering Solutions has placed more than 17,000 volunteers to date in programs around the globe. The organization has 150+ projects, including numerous opportunities to volunteer in Bali. When it comes to the breadth of affordable, high-quality, impactful service projects in Bali, few organizations match Volunteering Solutions. 

Consider one of the three programs below if you want to volunteer in Bali with Volunteering Solutions. 

Marine & Coral Reef Conservation in Bali

Head to Tianyar, a small fishing village, where you’ll help stop plastic pollution through education about sustainable fishing, beach and ocean cleanups, and more. You’ll also help teach locals English and alternative methods to earning a living, such as a tour guide or diving instructor. The whole project is designed to preserve the coral reef. 

Volunteer to Teach Children in Bali

Work at a learning center in Ubud or Tianyar, and assist local teachers in helping underprivileged kids learn necessary skills to succeed in life. Your volunteer help goes a long way in ensuring each child gets the attention they need and deserve. 

Turtle Conservation in Bali

Journey to Serangan Island to help preserve the lives of endangered turtles. Duties include assisting at a turtle rehabilitation center, raising public awareness about sea turtles, and helping with release back into the ocean. 

International TEFL Academy

After you volunteer in Bali or simply visit the island, you may be convinced to stay in the province more long-term. If Bali does sweep you off your feet, or you’re already set on staying long-term, consider the International TEFL Academy (ITA) as your pathway to live and work in the province. 

ITA was founded in 2010 and provides the gold standard in TEFL certification. Each year, the organization certifies 5,000 people to teach English overseas. Destinations such as Bali are quite popular for graduates thanks to high demand, desirable lifestyle, and solid salary and benefits. For those wishing to teach English in Bali, ITA offers high-quality accredited TEFL courses both online and in-person at 20+ locations across the world. 

In addition to a state-of-the-art curriculum taught by experienced instructors, you’ll get job placement assistance after you complete the course. ITA will help get you a paid job teaching in Bali where you can expect to make USD 1,000+ per month (more than enough to enjoy your life there comfortably!).

Learn more about teaching English in Bali here.

Plan My Gap Year

Offering trusted, low cost volunteer opportunities in a variety of overseas locations, Plan My Gap Year is an ideal program not only for students looking to make their gap year meaningful, but for anyone interested in exploring the world through service.

Plan My Gap Year offers a variety of exciting opportunities for travelers looking to visit Bali as volunteers. These projects are all based out of Tabanan, a region known as the “rice bowl” of Bali. 

Be a Childcare & Teaching Volunteer in Bali

As a childcare volunteer, you’ll assist teachers in a kindergarten classroom, play with young children and lead activities during an after-school community program. As an English teacher, you’ll work with somewhat older children in Balinese elementary schools, taking advantage of the more structured environment to make an especially focused impact on the students’ language skills. In either program, you’ll be giving these children a head start in life by helping them develop invaluable language skills that will help them more easily find work in the future.

But don’t worry; you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to do your own exploration of the island on weekends. You must be at least 17 years old to volunteer. The program begins on the first and third Sunday of each month and can last anywhere from two to 24 weeks, depending on your preference.

Plan My Gap Year also offers volunteer trips to Bali as part of longer expeditions to multiple destinations throughout Asia or the world.

Be a Medical Volunteer in Bali

Plan My Gap Year offers a medical volunteer program in Bali, which places you at Rumah Sakit Umum Tabanan, a government-operated hospital that treats hundreds of patients each day. Your medical experience and willingness dictates your level of involvement – you will be monitored by staff, and if you are capable and it is permitted, you may get involved in hands-on procedures, such as administering IV injections and dressing wounds. Areas of interest you may explore include General Surgery, Intensive-Care, Emergency, Maternity and Midwifery, Neonatal, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Antenatal, Prenatal, Ultrasound, General Medicine, Outpatient and Public Health. Plan My Gap Year volunteers participate in a seminar that teaches about traditional Balinese religion and culture, and how medical professionals cater to these beliefs in their medical treatment. 

Be a Wildlife Rescue Volunteer in Bali

Another excellent volunteer opportunity that you can be a part of with Plan My Gap Year in Bali brings you to a Wildlife Rescue Centre to help care for animals victimized by poachers. Every day is an adventure at the rescue center: you may find yourself clearing brush in the crocodile enclosure, replacing branches and chains in the bird aviary, assisting with upkeep and care for endangered animals, and enriching their lives—and your own—in the process. A few of the tasks that you will take on include feeding, cleaning, and general maintenance, all of which go toward creating a better habitat for the animals. Maintenance tasks range from fixing the hinges on doors, to repairing fences, to repairing habitats and clearing the grounds of rubbish and weeds.

Global Leadership Adventures

Global Leadership Adventures offers life-changing service trips for teenagers, designing their experiences to encourage open-mindedness, broaden international awareness, and create global leaders.

GLA offers two Bali volunteer programs with different focuses, both offered on select dates throughout the summer. Read more below!

Bali: Land of Discovery Program

Spend 21 days engaging in a variety of volunteer and adventure activities in Bali. You’ll spend your days creating your own lesson plans and teaching Balinese children at an English camp, while your afternoons and evenings will be free for excursions and adventures. You might learn to scuba dive, play with the elephants at the Elephant Safari Park, visit ancient temples or try your hand at surfing.

Bali: Global Health Initiative Program

Consider this program for a different sort of hands-on volunteering experience in Bali. This 14-day program is designed to provide you with a deep understanding of the fascinating field of public health in the developing world. You’ll explore a variety of medical settings, from Western clinics to the practices of traditional jungle healers, shadow local health professionals and visit birth clinics and youth health workshops. Some of the possible tasks you may be helping with include serving as a scribe for doctors, recording data, restocking supplies or performing pulse checks. You’ll even have the opportunity to design and implement a health education workshop for regional youth at the end of the program.

Frontier

Emphasizing conservation, education, and exploration, Frontier’s programs encourage participants to become trailblazers and get active in locations around the world.

Frontier offers four different incredible volunteer experiences in beautiful Bali, so whatever kind of adventure you’re looking for, they’re likely to have it. 

• Teach at a local Balinese school
• Lend your unique skills to sea turtle conservation 
• Jump into a range of construction and renovation projects designed to improve the local infrastructure

Looking for a more well-rounded sort of experience? Check out the Bali Experience program, which combines a variety of volunteer and adventure elements for one action-packed international experience. Spend your first week immersing yourself in Balinese culture through language lessons, cultural excursions and art and cooking classes. Dive into your Bali volunteer assignment the second week, focusing on your choice of healthcare, environmental education or teaching. Finally, you’ll spend the third week on adventures throughout Bali, from whitewater rafting down the Ayung River to biking through the majestic Batur Mountains.

Ready to Volunteer in Bali?

If you’re inspired to volunteer in Bali, know there are tons of opportunities available. From wildlife and environmental conservation to education and construction work, there are so many ways to volunteer in Bali and help local communities here. Plus, you’ll get to experience the amazing destination during your free time. 

So, why wait any longer? The gorgeous island of Bali is calling your name. Sign up for a Volunteer Forever account today and begin your search for the perfect volunteer program, internship, or teach abroad opportunity!