1 Week

2 Weeks

2 Weeks

3 Weeks

RM 900 nett

RM 1,800 nett

RM 4,675 nett

RM 5,620 nett

Malaysia

Week 1 - Beaches and villages between Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Besut, Malaysia
Week 2 – Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

14 nights / 15 days

22nd May ; 24th July ; 21st August           

When you are walking along the beach you will be collecting turtle track and nest data.  This data will be used to estimate the nesting population in the surveyed area.  The raw data and the estimated population will be shared with the local government, WWF and University Malaysia Terengganu

During the first week you will conduct the Turtles need Trees club at a local primary school, teaching the children about marine conservation

You will join forces with the local women’s self-help group PEWANIS and help replant the mangrove along the Setiu river

During this expedition you will get the chance to help three turtle conservation organisations: WWF Setiu, Turtle Conservation Centre and Help Our Penyu,

In the second week you have the option to take part in 1 week’s volunteering in the Perhentian Islands with Help Our Penyu .

Learn about the island environment and engage with tourists during your first week at Bubbles Dive Resort.  Then live in the village, inspiring them and their children to play their part in marine conservation, spread the word to tourists all around the islands and do all that whilst protecting the most important turtle nesting beach in the islands – Pinang Seribu.

Help us to unify turtle conservation and marine awareness in the most beautiful islands in Malaysia the Perhentian Islands.  Green turtles are in dire need of our help especially in Terengganu (Malaysia) where all 4 marine turtles nest but three of them the hawksbill, Olive ridley and Leatherbacks are almost locally extinct.  The populations of green Turtles in the area have also decreased by 80% in little over 50 years, don’t let this species go locally extinct as well.

Even though a turtle conservation program has run for a few years in Perhentian, 2011 will be the first official year for Help Our Penyu (2010 was our pilot year). With the backing of the Perhentian Resorts Association, government and villagers Help Our Penyu is joining together all the stakeholders of the Perhentian Islands unifying turtle conservation throughout these picture perfect islands.

Measurable outcomes

~ Collection of vital sea turtle nesting population data from two beaches

~ Contribute RM1000 per week per volunteer (not during the intro week) directly into the village economy

~ Marine conservation and English education for upto 60 children aged 8-10 years old

~ Spread turtle awareness to up to 10,000 tourists per week

Terengganu
The beaches of Terengganu are straight from a postcard. They are wide and long – in fact the 300km coastline of Terengganu is virtually unbroken beach. The beaches are fringed by coconut palms and various small villages and resorts can be seen dotted in between the coconut palms.  On the beach you will meet local fishermen and fun-seekers as the sun sets. The beach faces due east so the sunrises are fantastic.  We will be camping on the beach at night twice in the first week.

Kg Mangkok
The village of Mangkok (directly translated into English it means ‘empty bowl’ so is used as slang for stupid) is a typical rustic east coast Malaysian village and its location is sheer bliss; with the sea to the east and the Setiu River to the west, the sunrises and sunsets cannot be beaten. The wooden stilt houses are dotted between coconut trees with the odd cow walking amongst them.  The men mostly fish or collect turtle eggs and the women look after the homes.

Perhentian
The Perhentian Islands are renowned as being the most beautiful islands in Malaysia and welcome droves of tourists and backpackers each year. The waters are crystal clear and turquoise whilst the forests are lush green and teeming with life.

Your second week will be spent in the isolated bay of Tantung Tukah, which was HOPE’s first project site, at Bubbles Dive Resort and Centre. Bubbles is a resort which wants to spread its love of nature to its tourists. The resort was started by Ronnie, Pei See and Eric Ng who still run the resort along with two Aussies - Libby and Shrimpy (Eric). The beauty and the isolation from the outside world of the bay attracted them; it is undoubtedly the most beautiful bay in the Perhentian Islands. Another attraction was the Green Turtles which can be seen nesting on the beaches from March to September, with turtles nesting most nights May until July. Turtle hatchlings are released from June to October.

We thank you for wanting to help us by joining this 2 week Terengganu Turtle Expedition in Malaysia on the endless, untouched beaches of mainland Terengganu, ending on the idyllic island paradise of Perhentian Besar. This expedition offers you a fantastic opportunity to be part of collecting sea turtle track data which will help Help Our Penyu, WWF-Malaysia and the local government to calculate the turtle nesting population in Terengganu.  During the expedition you will also visit 3 turtle conservation projects and experience the real culture of the Malays first hand. The expedition will allow you to understand the issues regarding turtle conservation whilst getting to understand the essence of the Malay culture.

This expedition was developed after Help Our Penyu’s novel 'Walk for Turtles 2010 Campaign' highlighted the beaches between Batu Rakit (means village of rafting rock in Malaysian) and Bukit Keluang (means hill of Keluang in Malaysian) as areas of relatively high sea turtle nesting. Help Our Penyu consequently developed this expedition, which will be run 3 times a year, to increase survey effort in the highlighted area to provide more accurate turtle track data.  In addition to the three surveys Help Our Penyu are extending the main awareness walk starting 16th June to over 300km whilst seeking to break the Malaysian record for the longest single walk in Malaysia.

The data collected will be used by WWF-Malaysia to assess the success of their hatchery in Kampong Mangkok, which is at the heart of the surveyed area and shared with relevant government departments, other conservation projects in Malaysia and the general public.

The aim of the project :
To establish an accurate turtle nesting population database in Terengganu.
The objectives of the Terengganu Turtle Expedition program are as follows:
1:  Collect vital turtle population data which will be made public and given to all turtle conservation projects in Terengganu;
2: Support the local community, encouraging them to protect their environment;
3: Assist all turtle conservation projects in Terengganu;
The vision of the project is to have large sections of beach surveyed on a weekly basis through a network of interested volunteers and groups – villagers, resorts, schools and corporates, in addition to the HOPE volunteers.

Volunteer sea turtle conservation projects with Help Our Penyu in Terengganu, Malaysia. Saving the sea turtles of Terengganu.

Our aim is:

“to double Terengganu’s sea turtle nesting population by 2060 through EMPOWERING the people of Malaysia”

The sea turtles of Malaysia are becoming extinct species by species.  Malaysia was once famed for its Leatherback Turtles but now the largest sea turtle species are virtually extinct from Malaysian waters, two other species of sea turtle the Olive Ridley and the Hawksbill are in a similar situation. Only the Green turtles have a significant population but have still suffered a significant population decline of 80% between .

YOU can help save the SEA TURTLES of Terengganu by being a turtle volunteer with HOPE in Terengganu.

Help Our Penyu, HOPE, is as of 24th of August, 2010 a registered society and non-profit organization in Malaysia (Reg. No. 2103-10-WKL) which through community-based turtle volunteer projects and outreach programs empowers Malaysians to act and save the sea turtles of Terengganu state for future generations.

Turtle conservation via turtle volunteer projects is a favoured way to protect turtles as running hatcheries are labour and fund intensive.  HOPE works in partnership with the Malaysian government providing the much needed manpower and funds to protect these special creatures

                                                            

If you decide to stay after this expedition you will be based in the Perhentian village on the small island and on a rota basis guard the beach at Pinang Seribu at night. You will conduct your second Turtles Need Trees after-school club and at the weekends you will get to visit some of the other bays around the islands to host an information booth spreading turtle awareness amongst the tourists visiting Perhentian

Arrive at Kuala Terengganu airport, early afternoon transfer to Awi’s Yellow Homestay. Meet facilitator and other participants followed by a program brief and an evening dinner. (D)

Wake up early for your first Terengganu sunrise then head off to start the turtle track survey. You will survey 20km of beach, stopping halfway during the midday sun where you can cool off in the sea and be given some Malaysian language lessons.  Once you have reached a village called Merang you will camp on the beach where you will be able to watch the stars. (B, L, D)

Another early morning and a survey of 20km of beach lies ahead. You will lunch at Bari Kecil which is in the middle of one of the densest turtle nesting areas on mainland Terengganu. In the evening you will arrive at Kampong Mangkok which is your home for next few days. You will stay in twin-share accommodation and in the evening you can help the WWF conduct nightly turtle patrols and hatchery duties. (B, L, D).

Have a much needed sleep-in after the previous evening’s turtle watch duties. At 11am visit the Turtle Conservation Centre in Kampong Mangkok and talk to the leading expert of sea and freshwater turtles in Malaysia – Professor Eng Heng Chan. After lunch prepare for the Turtles Need Trees Club at the local primary school. (B, L, D)

Start work on the final preparations for the Turtles need Trees club at 11am. Then run the club from 2 til 5pm. In the evening you will take dinner with Kampong Mangkok’s self-help women’s group – PEWANIS - followed by your nightly turtle watch patrols with WWF. (B, L, D)

At 6am catch a boat to the mouth of the Setiu River and then survey the 10km of beach as you walk back to Kampong Mangkok. Lunch with the ladies of PEWANIS and in the afternoon help them with mangrove tree replanting. Once all our duties are done we will take dinner at a local restaurant which does fantastic BBQ fish before we explore the delights of the Setiu River at night with a firefly cruise. (B, L, D)

We say a sad farewell to Kampong Mangkok. However we have one last journey on the river as we take the boat to the northern side of the Setiu river mouth. We will survey another 20km of beach before camping at a secluded site where we can see our final destination – the Perhentian Islands. (B, L, D)

We take an early morning bus and then boat to the Perhentian Islands where you can rest, relax and snorkel at the Bubbles Dive Resort all day. (B, L, D)

You have a choice what to do for the second week

1. You can follow the Intro week again with the HOPE Perhentian Volunteer program, learning about coral reefs, protecting sea turtles and educating tourists.

2. Relax all week go on a snorkel tour and go scuba diving

Take breakfast at the resort before a midday boat transfer to Kuala Besut. Return back at Kuala Besut by 1pm and the program finishes.

Project Days & Activity Description

PROJECT DAYS are days where participants will contribute towards conservation via various means.  You will join the following activities:

Turtle Track Survey:
Turtle track surveys have been conducted around the world for decades and they are the main tool used by turtle conservationists to assess nesting numbers of sea turtles. However, they have been conducted only intermittently in Malaysia. The surveys are conducted on days 2, 3, 6 and 7. As a team, the expedition will walk along the beach to find visible turtle tracks and nests. When a nest is found a dGPS will be used to pinpoint the location of the nest. After the location is recorded, the width of the track will be measured and the nest assessed as to whether the turtle laid eggs or not. The presence of a fill-in by the nesting turtle is the standard method for assessing if eggs were laid or not. During the stay at Kg Mangkok a ground-truthing survey will be conducted to assess a group-specific human error. The ground-truthing survey will consist of three night surveys and then one morning survey.  The night surveys will be used to locate nests where we know 100% that eggs have been laid, then after three nights the morning survey will be conducted to see what percentage of nests the group can accurately record. The expeditions will be conducted 3 times – in May, July and August - with the Walk for Turtles 2011 main event surveying the area in June. The data collected will be used to calculate the nesting population which will be used by WWF-Malaysia to assess the percentage of eggs they protected at their hatchery – currently they do not know how many nests were laid, only how many eggs were handed in by the villagers.  The villagers eat and sell at market at least half of the eggs laid.

The Walk for Turtles 2010 survey report can be seen at the link below

Turtles need Trees Club
In 2011 HOPE are expanding their Turtles need Trees Club to the primary school in Kg Mangkok.  The club was run in 2010 at the primary school on the Perhentian Islands and was so successful that the school’s headmaster has asked for the club to be expanded so all the children can go to the club. The club seeks to introduce the concepts that the land is linked to the sea and marine conservation starts on the land. The club at Kg Mangkok will last for approximately 3 hours and incorporate moving and craft activities.  The programme is great for the children to increase their confidence in using the English language as well as to learn about the environment. The club additionally involves an activity book which needs to be completed after each session to encourage learning outside of the club and a pen pal scheme with primary schools in the UK.

WWF Hatchery assistant
WWF-Malaysia run a sea turtle hatchery based at Kg Mangkok where you will stay from days 3 to 6. The WWF staff work with the government officials from the Department of Fisheries and the local licensed sea turtle egg collectors.  Each night the WWF staff patrol the beach looking for nesting turtles. During your time at Kg Mangkok you can join the staff on their nightly patrols. The first hatchlings will start to emerge from May and if any nests erupt when you are at Kg Mangkok you will be able to help release them and then excavate the nest the following day.

Mangrove tree replanting
Kg Mangkok lies on a sand bar with the sea to the east and the Setiu River on the west. The Setiu River is the largest wetland system in Peninsular Malaysia and is home to fire flies, terrapins and even crocodiles. The area has suffered from deforestation and the local women’s group PEWANIS are starting to replant the mangroves. PEWANIS, which was initiated by WWF-Malaysia and supported by Nestle, now runs independently and is made up of the local women from Kg Mangkok. The group focuses on alternative livelihoods which do not damage the environment and empowerment of the local women. They are starting to host groups and have hosted a few scout groups and are well known for their hospitality and Banana Chips. The ladies of PEWANIS will lead the mangrove tree planting and of course host a dinner for all to enjoy their local cuisine.

Turtle Conservation Centre
Professor Chan is the most famous turtle conservationist in Malaysia and, after starting the sea turtle conservation project at Chagar Hutang, Redang Island, she is now focusing on freshwater turtles – Painted and river terrapins – at Kg Mangkok and has started the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC). The expedition will visit the TCC house and, if you are lucky, you will get the chance to talk personally to Professor Chan herself and ask her about her experiences of turtle conservation in Malaysia. Learning about the work of the TCC and just talking to Professor Chan is a sheer inspiration to all budding turtle conservationists. If the TCC has a Terrapin survey planned we will be able to help them to survey the terrapins which they buy back from the local fishermen who would have otherwise released them if they got trapped in their fishing nets. The expedition cost includes a donation of RM100 per person which will allow Professor Chan and the TCC to survey 20 terrapins.

Volunteering with Help Our Penyu

Help Our Penyu has a turtle conservation project based on the Perhentian Islands. The islands are very beautiful and are a Mecca for backpackers travelling south from Thailand. As a volunteer you will help to protect a turtle nesting beach and assist the Department of Fisheries to collect the turtle eggs laid on that beach. The volunteers will also educate the tourists staying at the same resort. It’s not just all about turtles in Perhentian, but also coral reefs. As a volunteer you will go on a snorkel tour and learn about the coral reef ecosystem which fringes the islands.

Scuba Diving
Why not take this opportunity to explore the underwater world on its own terms? The Perhentian waters are warm, clear and have an abundance of marine life. You can learn to scuba dive with our trusted professional PADI dive Centre in the Perhentians. The cost of scuba diving is not included in the expedition costs. If you have already qualified you can take leisure dives in the morning whilst you volunteer. If you dive numerous times the cost per dive decreases.