Volunteer in Fiji

Volunteer abroad in Fiji

Whoever believes that Fiji is a collection of pancake-flat islands couldn’t be more wrong, as both of the largest islands in Fiji have mountains rising over 1000 metres. Only about 100 of the islands are inhabited, and many of the islands are nature reserves, which have been completely taken over by nature and wildlife. Go for a dive in Fiji – take a PADI diving course and volunteer in Fiji in an ocean conservation area.

Diving Courses in Fiji

During the first two weeks of your stay, before you begin to volunteer in Fiji, you will discover the island and the underwater world of Savusavu, on the island of Vanua Levu. In the course of 30 ocean dives, you will improve your diving knowledge and complete a PADI certificate course, receiving certification for:

• Open Water,
• Advanced Open Water, or
• Rescue Diver.

After the diving course, you will use your new diving skills as you volunteer in Fiji with a long-term ocean conservation area study on the island of Vanua Levu.

Add-On Programme: Surfing

Fiji is a great place to surf. In addition to your volunteer work in Fiji, you can also book a surfing course. It does not matter if you are a beginner, advanced, or even a professional: our partners on location will bring you to the best surfing spots, depending on your skill level. You have the choice between one or two weeks of surfing.

Each week, you will receive four days of surfing instruction, with 3 hours of surfing instruction on each of these days. After your surfing lessons, you will have the chance to practice surfing for 1.5 hours. If you do not need instruction, then you can just surf during the lessons. Our partners will bring you to the best surfing locations four days a week.

You will start very early, sometimes already at 6 a.m., and you will return in the afternoons. Your accommodation will be with other participants in a shared room in a backpacker resort, directly on the beach of Wailoaloa in Nadi. You will receive full board. The resort has a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool. Various activities and excursions, already included in the programme price, will also be organised on location.

Accommodation and Meals

The accommodation and meals vary by location. During the first days in Nadi, you will spend the night in a simple hotel, and during the week in Savusavu, you will stay with a host family in a traditional Fijian village. This way, you will have the chance to dive into the beautiful underwater world as well as into a fascinating new culture! The accommodation is very basic, electricity is only intermittently available, showers are only possible with cold water, and telephone and internet only work from time to time. You will receive full board.

During the rest of your stay, you will live in a shared room in a guest house in Savusavu (with breakfast and supper), in volunteer accommodation for three weeks (you will be provided with food to prepare your own breakfast, lunch, and supper, and you can also take turns cooking with the other volunteers), in a hostel, and in a backpacker resort on the Coral Coast. Meals vary depending on the accommodation.

Volunteer in Fiji: Overview

• Activities: See project descriptions. Activities can vary depending on assignments, season, and weather.
• Free Time: Depends on the volunteer assignment / daily routine.
• Specifics: If you would like to dive during your free time, you should bring along your own diving gear (diving mask, snorkel, and flippers).
• Duration: 6 weeks. Add-on surfing programme: 1 or 2 weeks.
• Application: As early as possible, at least 3 months before departure.
• Starting Dates: Once a month on Fridays, on the following dates: 11 Feb, 25 Mar., 27 May, 08 July, 19 Aug. and 14 Oct. 2011.
  Surfing programme: Usually every Monday.
• Visa: Visa required, for a fee. Passport and return ticket required.
• Practical Experience: Not necessary, but an advantage.
• Other: Since you will be surrounded by a completely foreign culture as you volunteer abroad in Fiji, patience, adaptability, and independence are very important. Physical fitness is a must, and travel experience is an advantage. If you have any food allergies or if you need a special diet, please let us know before you book this programme, as it is not always possible to meet these wishes or needs on the Fiji Islands. For the Rescue Diver course, you must have an “Emergency First Response Certificate” (EFR), which cannot be older than 2 years. You can acquire this certificate in Fiji, for an additional price.