Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers Reviews 

What a great organization and great experience working with Oceans2Earth Volunteers! The work on the reef is amazing with getting in the water every day, gathering data and experiencing the wildlife, up close and personal. These are well run projects with very experienced personnel which makes for a very enriching environment for all. I would definitely like to do this again!!!

Volunteering with Oceans 2 Earth in Cairns is a unique experience! As someone who had no previous experiences with marine life there was a lot for me to learn but being out in the water with support from our local team i quickly got the hang of it!
I found it to be an extremely fulfilling program, long days but a lot of free time too to explore the reef and the islands. To everyone who wants to experience the reef while doing something meaningful and important: this is the program for you.

I just returned from two weeks of volunteering with the orangutans at Samboja Lestari. As a huge orangutan enthusiast, this was definitely the best experience of my life, and I can't wait to repeat it! Hard work, touching moments, exciting explorations, great fun, and laughter. I traveled solo, but I found a fantastic group and new friends from all over the world. I would recommend this experience to everyone, of all ages: everyone can contribute according to their own energy!
You will get to know the orangutans at BOS Foundation, remembering their names and recognizing their different personalities. You'll see with your eyes the actual impact your work can have on those orangutans, and in general on conservation!
Last but not least, Becky has been a fantastic coordinator, and we all appreciated how well she organized everything, making us feel safe, and letting us have so much fun.
If you are thinking about this trip, please book it immediately because it will worth it!
Chiara, from Italy

Evrything was easy and always answers quickly, usually within 24 hours.

The registration process was easy and all queries handled promptly and efficiently.

Easy to follow instructions for payment and communication

I haven't been to Borneo yet, but happy with the ease of booking arrangements with this org.

The diving course with Pro Dive was incredible. Our diveteacher was amazing. I also really enjoyed the Marine Conservation Program and learned many new things. Sam and Helen answered all our questions and always explained everything well. The program was very diverse, and the lunches were always delicious.

I really liked the YHA overall, but the restrooms could have been cleaner. The toilets were very disgusting. There are also no pancakes as mentioned in the guide.

The information about the program wasn't always clear, and some things were a bit confusing. Reef shoes are not necessary unless you're wearing them with fins, and a lunchbox and coolpack, isn't needed either. I would strongly recommend booking directly through O2E, as the costs are otherwise too high. I made the mistake of booking through Volunteer World.

I find the Beach Clean-Up very meaningful. However, gloves should be provided for it. It's very unpleasant to pick up cigarette butts and other trash with bare hands.

The farewell dinner is a nice idea, but not everyone can afford such an expensive restaurant. We had many young people in our group.

Thanks for the good experiences.

I had an amazing week doing almost everything there is to do in Cairns. Loved Helen's company, and the days were fulfilling. Would defenitly recommend!

My wife and I volunteered on the orangutans and sun bear conservation project at Samboja Lodge for two weeks in November 2024. The positive aspects of the project were the opportunity to experience the animals in close proximity, the accommodation at Samboja Lodge which was better than we expected, and the food at the lodge which was plentiful and of good quality, albeit a little repetitive after two weeks.
However, we were very disappointed at the lack of content in the volunteering experience. The literature O2E sent us told us that we would be involved in a range of activities that “be hands-on and hard work, but very satisfying” and that “There is always something to do so feel free to ask for more involvement”. It became obvious to us after a couple of days that there was very little for us to do, maybe 3 or 4 hours a day of light activities, not hard work at all. We asked our volunteer coordinator Becky for more involvement but this was never forthcoming and if anything the activities reduced to 2-3 hours per day. So in the two weeks, we never got the point of feeling physically tired.
A further contributory factor to be aware of is that you are not allowed to leave the lodge unless it is to undertake these volunteer activities, so effectively you are trapped inside the lodge for invariably more than 20 hours per day. There is very little to do in the lodge apart from a pool table and you can’t see the animals from there, they are not visible from the lodge: so two weeks of this inactivity sent us somewhat stir-crazy.
Ultimately, and sad though it is to say, we did not feel our contribution was valued, we wonder whether the project needs volunteers at all, or that all it really needs is our money.
It should also be noted that during our time there, we saw more orangutans in cages than on the rainforest islands. We know BOS is trying to change this but it is really upsetting to see so many animals in cages particularly when volunteers could have been used to make more islands habitable for them to live on. We suggested this but were not taken up on it.
We think volunteers should be made aware that while this volunteer experience does offer the opportunity to see the orangutans and sun bears, which is great, there may be very little for them to do so to be prepared for many hours sitting in the lodge. An alternative would be to book a stay at the lodge for a night or two, when you will still see the animals, and you can send an additional donation to BOS if you choose: if you are an active person, you may find this a more satisfying use of your time.

WOW!! This project was amazing. I have learned so much and have become much more aware of things in my everyday life that can make a real impact. The hostel staff were very friendly, and the facilities were very clean. Helen and Sam were more than amazing teaching us what we needed to know and answering all of our additional questions. They were able to show us all sorts of things in and out of the ocean. The beach clean-ups were also great because it gave me a real picture of how much trash is actually on the beach, but if you're not paying attention or looking for it, it goes unnoticed. The food in Australia is soooo amazing and the lunches that were provided were more than enough and very tasty also. For me this was a life changing experience, and I will be recommending O2E to anyone looking to volunteer. I am 100% sure I will join another program with them in the near future!! Thank you so much for the opportunity!!

Prompt response with plenty of feedback and paperwork for trip all received ready to fill out.

Fast reply to enquiries.
Effective ongoing communication.

The two ladies assisting me went the extra mile to make sure my situation was resolved to my satisfaction. Thank you.

Oceans 2 Earth Volunteers was very prompt in acknowledging and responding to receipt of my volunteer forms. They were very clear about what additional information was needed from me and they gave me helpful information regarding transportation.

The only reason I am giving them a 4 and not a 5 is because I haven't yet had my volunteer experience and I don't know yet if what was on the website is anywhere close to what I will experience. So I will revisit my review after my actual week of volunteering.

Peter & Carol has been gracious hosts.Great hospitality. Learned a lot about basic wombats, wallaby,& kangaroos. Lots of hands on experience. Would come back again.

Caroline and Peter were very gracious hosts to us in their home. The experience of caring for wombat, kangaroo and wallaby joeys of different ages and stages of care was fantastic and very hands-on! I had a wonderful time with the other volunteers present. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who desires a hands-on experience with Australia's. very unique wildlife.

Great coordinator, relaxed atmosphere, some flexibilitiy, an experience of a lifetime with a great bunch of people. Seen so much coral and turtles and really felt like we made a difference.