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dream center IN the tunas

general overview

This volunteer opportunity is for anyone with a love for animals, nature and the beach. The project offers a great combination between conservation & community.

Sea turtles find the perfect place to nest in this area, due to the tranquility and cleanliness of its beaches. One of the most important projects in the area is the monitoring of sea turtle nests found on the beaches of Las Tunas, Puerto Rico and Ayampe. The projects and the volunteering program are managed by the community of Manabí. They have dedicated more than 10 years under the concept “No Nature, No Life” to managing and creating community tourism projects, conservation and preservation of forests and their surroundings.

Title Address Description
Costa Rica
Intag, Ecuador

las tunas

MINIMUM 2 WEEKS

wwa

1°TIME VOLUNTEER

basic/medium SPANISH NEEDED

+18 YEARS OLD

Dream center
In the tunas, ecuador

Las Tunas is a beach located south of Manabí, 11.9 km (7.3 miles) south of Puerto López. It is a small village with around 1600 inhabitants. Las Tunas beach is known for its natural beauty, crystal clear sea waters, its gastronomy and for its community of friendly farmers and fishermen.

The community has dedicated more than 10 years to managing and creating community tourism projects, conservation and preservation of forests and their surroundings. Sea turtles find the perfect place to nest in this area, due to the tranquility and cleanliness of its beaches.

One of the most important projects in the area is the monitoring of sea turtle nests found on the beaches of Las Tunas, Puerto Rico and Ayampe. There are 4 different species of turtles, however, nature is unpredictable, sometimes there are a lot of nests and others are a bit difficult to find them. The reason may be that the same turtles that where seen one year won´t go back the next as they nest every 2 years; therefore, there is a different population of turtles every year.  In general, the peak months the turtles nest is from July to February, the lower season is from March to June, however, they may be seen.

The projects are managed by the community with some external programs support, such as governmental, non-governmental and volunteers.

What is included?

    • Project donation
    • Orientation meeting
    • Local support volunteer coordinator
    • Breakfast and welcome dinner
    • Transport to the different projects

 

What is NOT included?

  • Pre and post stay in Guayaquil
  • Pre and post stay in Guayaquilo Medical insurance (mandatory to confirm the reservation)
  • Transport to the project

 

What to consider…

    • Arrival airport: GYE
    • Projects starts and ends on Mondays
    • Available all year round
    • Longer stays are possible upon requesto Private room upon request
    • Poor Wi-Fi
    • Work can be physically demanding
    • Maximum of 11 volunteers
    • There are Health Centers and ATMs nearby
    • We suggest a weekly budget of U$ 100 for meals and tours

VOLUNTEER  ACTIVITIES

Some examples of the activities:

  • Cleaning Las Tunas beach and cleaning the Ayampe river
  • Reforestation plan of more than 100 hectares in a reserve in Ayampe
  • Permaculture and development of recycling systems
  • Direct interaction with the community, education programs environment for people in the community and for volunteers
  • Watching and monitoring the turtle´s nest (If lucky you could see the eggs hatching)
  • Compost making

A TYPICAL day
AS A VOLUNTEER

Upon your arrival in Las Tunas (Sunday) the Project Coordinator will be waiting for you to give you an orientation about your accommodation and explore the village. You will also have a 30 minutes’ presentation about the program schedule and turtle´s ecology and environmental programs. On the evening, a welcome dinner will be organized for you.

Sunday evenings the Project Coordinator will make together with you the work schedule for the week and note this on a whiteboard. Monday the project coordinator will give you an orientation in situ, the activities are: Turtle nesting monitoring, beach cleaning, reforestation, community empowerment, making handcrafts of recycling and natural materials.

You will be working each day between 4 and 5 hours in the project. In the afternoon, you are free to enjoy the beach, surf, play volley or soccer with locals or relax. It is possible to book optional Spanish classes, surf classes and salsa dance classes for the afternoon.

On Thursday evening, a cocktail is organized for the volunteers. During the weekend, you’ll enjoy some free time to discover the magical places around Las Tunas.

Sunday evening the Project Coordinator will plan with you the work for the new week & their expectation. A welcome dinner for the new volunteers will be organized; you are more than welcome to join it.

WHAT TO DO IN
YOUR FREE TIME

Volunteers will have time to enjoy the incredible places Las Tunas and the surroundings offer, like Puerto Lopez and the breathtaking beach Los Frailes Natural Reserve. Discover the magic of Isla de la Plata (Also known as Little Galapagos), spot humpback whales (from June until October), or enjoy the vibrant surf, and party in the beach village Montañita or Ayampe (only 5 minutes from Las Tunas). You can also explore, the Ayampe Forest Reserve, where you can hike, horseback ride, or go bird watching.

The ACCOMMODATION

The accommodation is in a lovely beach front hostel with restaurant. There is a poor WIFI available in the hostel (for free).

The rooms are dorm style based on gender.

There is a shared kitchen available for you to use and to prepare your meals.

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aboutTHE TUNAS

Las Tunas is a beach located south of Manabí, 190 km north of Guayaquil, and close to the popular beach villages; Montanita, Ayampe and Puerto Lopez. It is a small village with around 1600 inhabitants. Las Tunas beach is known for its natural beauty, its crystal-clear sea waters, its gastronomy and for its community of friendly farmers and fishermen. Manabí province, in Ecuador, considered to be one of the most interesting areas to know in the country. Rich and proud in their culture, you can enjoy delicious typical food, as well as learn about the history of the different places around Las Tunas.

more experiences in Ecuador

Looking for more inspiration? Have a look at the experiences below:

Wildlife Rescue Center Amazon

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A unique experience in the jungle to taking care of injured animals, healing and feeding them until they are ready to return to nature. This project offers a unique opportunity for volunteers to work for and protect many wild animals whilst living in a beautiful part of the Amazon rainforest.
Learn more

Whale Conservation

Ecuador
The Humpback Whales – Ecuador project focuses on knowing the demography, population, behavior, and social grouping of the humpback whales that migrate each year. This is your opportunity to assist in the field, where you will watch the whales, learn from specialists and help and support research.
Learn more

Dream Center Intag

Ecuador
Be inspired by how-to live in harmony with nature and empowerment of women. Your support can make a big impact in yourself and this community! The cooperative of women in was founded with the objective to use the local resources in a sustainable way and to generate an alternative revenue for the families of the community.
Learn more

IS VOLUNTEERING A
PASSION OF YOURS?

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