Conservation Programs

With an exclusive focus on dive skills for monitoring our reefs, our Conservation Programs have a minimum duration of two weeks. Training includes theoretical knowledge as well as practical experience organized in small groups. You will have access to an extensive amount of theory regarding ecology and our methodology for data collection and be getting in the water to develop those skills and start contributing. After the training period, your day to day is focused on surveying the ocean. The data gathered is then used for analysis of regional interest.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
  • Meals monday to saturday
  • Airport pick-up
  • Dive & conservation training
  • 10-12 dives a week

Highlights

  • Develop and perfect your diving skills
  • Learn about marine conservation
  • Get experience and training in scientific methodologies
  • Contribute with surveys to generate data for analyzing reef health
  • Live in a beautiful jungle next to the ocean, while still having excellent amenities
Contact Us

Choose your program

The cost for the minimum two week stay of any conservation program is $1700 USD + tax (7%). Enquire for more weeks or add-ons.

Coral Conservation

What you will learn

  • The types of substrate and geomorphology of coral reefs.
  • Coral anatomy, growth forms, feeding and reproduction.
  • The most common coral diseases and health indicators.
  • Our monitoring technique and data entering.

Sponge Conservation

What you will learn

  • Sponge anatomy, feeding and reproduction.
  • To identify different sponge growth forms.
  • The most common sponge diseases and health indicators.
  • Our monitoring technique and data entering.

Fish Conservation

What you will learn

  • Reef ecology.
  • To identify different fish families.
  • How to properly size fish.
  • Our monitoring technique and data entering.

Invertebrate Conservation

What you will learn

  • Invertebrate taxonomy.
  • Reef ecology.
  • To identify invertebrate species from different Phylums.
  • Our monitoring technique and data entering.

Typical Day

Breakfast
1. Mornings start off with a self-served breakfast.
Theory
2. Theoretical class on the days topic.
Coral Conservation Sechi Disc
3. In water practice!
Diver doing coral survey
4. Those who have completed their training will survey.
Lunchtime at Ankay Conservation
5. We come back to have a yummy Caribbean lunch.
Data entry
6. After lunch we enter data.
Solarte Island Bocas del Toro
7. Afternoons are perfect for a walk in the jungle
Having fun with friends
8. Enjoy island life!

Accommodation

More Info

Nightime view
Nightime view
Daytime view
Daytime view
Indoor dinning area
Indoor dinning area
Double bedroom
Double bedroom
One of the bathrooms
One of the bathrooms
Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner offered Monday through Saturday.
We can cater to most allergies (please give us notice about any serious allergies prior to arrival). There is a vegetarian menu option. For any more complex dietary regimens, we can offer that you cook for yourself in our kitchen.

Sunday is an off-day for our staff and for yourself where you can prepare your own food in our kitchen or go into town for lunch and or dinner.

Breakfast
We begin our day with a self-served continental breakfast consisting of cereal and milk, bread, cheese, butter, jam, fresh fruits and of course tea and coffee. 
Lunch


A typical lunch will have a protein (fish, chicken or a vegetarian option) , rice, beans and salad. We have lunch after we come back from diving.

Dive Snack
We offer granola bars (or similar) and water for the dive surface interval.

Dinner
Dinner is served around 7pm and everyone eats together. Participation isn’t mandatory, and if you wish to go out and try something else for a change you’re welcome to do so. Our cook prepares and serves a variety of local specialties.

Duration

The minimum stay is for two weeks.

For Open Water and non-certified divers, we recommend a 4 week program so you have enough time to gain experience and contribute, but we can tailor-make your experience to 2-3 weeks with proper coordination.

Requirements

If not already a diver, we will train you to at least PADI Advanced Open Water or PADI Open Water with specialties that focus on the skills necessary for surveying underwater such as proper buoyancy.

Advance Open Water is required, but if you are not certified we can offer to get you up to that level or offer as an alternative the Ankay Conservation Diver course or the PADI Peak Performance Specialty to focus on the skills necessary for the program.

Additionally you can add on PADI Certifications if not already Advanced Open Water for the program pre-requisite.
Ankay Conservation Diver $250 + I.T.M.B (7% tax)
PADI Open Water $350 + I.T.M.B (7% tax)
PADI Advanced Open Water $320 + I.T.M.B (7% tax)
PADI Peak Performance Specialty $230 + I.T.M.B (7% tax)
We also teach other PADI courses and specialties which you can enquire about depending the length of your stay.

Contact Us
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