Bali Reef
Restoration

Live in a beachside bungalow in rural Bali while working hands-on to restore a damaged coral reef back to its natural, vibrant state. Spend your days hiking to hidden waterfalls, scuba diving, and freediving in crystal-clear waters. Outside of the ocean, you'll hang out with local kids and help out at a nearby school, building real connections. Hop over to neighboring islands to learn how to surf, replant vital mangroves, and join manta ray research teams—scuba or freedive alongside these incredible creatures as part of the experience of a lifetime.

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Dates

2 Week Trips
Year Round

Group Size

10-20 Student
2-4 Trip Leaders/Chaperones
Max 8:1 Student/Adult

Tuition

$4450

(Not Including Airfare)

Early Bird & Group

Discounts Available

Bali & Nusa Lembongan

THE TRIP AT A GLANCE

North Bali Reef

This trip's main project is in partnership with North Bali Reef Conservation outside the rural fishing village of Tianyar. One of Padma’s most immediately fulfilling projects, trip members make and deploy structures in the ocean to restore a section of destroyed reef. Each year the biodiversity of the targeted section of reef has nearly doubled thanks to our efforts. It’s hard to imagine a project that provides such directly and quickly visible benefits to our friends in the sea.

Ubud

Trips begin in the spiritual and cultural heart of Bali: Ubud. This ancient city is home to centuries old temples blended with modern restaurants, shops, yoga centers, and local markets. You’ll hang out with monkeys, settle into island life, and participate in a blessing and purification ritual at one of Bali's incredible temples.

Manta Rays

Gentle and graceful giants of the ocean, trip members learn about, and swim with manta rays off the shores of Nusa Penida Island. Many trip members and trip leaders say this is one of the greatest experiences of their lives.

Tianyar Projects

In addition to working on reef restoration, students will spend time tutoring English and sustainable living skills in a local school, where they also play games and sports, and hang out with the local children of Tianyar. When not building reef structures, spending time with kids, or exploring the ocean, students can also help to clean up the beaches. Most years, students get to see baby sea turtles from NBRC's hatchery making their first journey out to sea. Some trips include data collection and analysis led by marine biologists studying reef restoration.

Nusa Lembongan

For several days you’ll stay on this small island off the coast of Bali. A hub of marine research, students learn about manta rays, then get to swim with them! You’ll also explore some breathtaking reefs with crystal clear waters. This phase of the trip includes surf lessons, where no matter your ability level, you’re sure to have a blast.

Surfing

Bali is one of the premier surf spots on the planet. Every trip affords opportunities to surf, as well as surf lessons if you want to start your wave riding journey.

Ocean Exploration

This trip offers ample opportunity to explore the ocean and see all sorts of reef dwelling species. Trips include talks on habitats, species and conservation practices to enrich your experience beyond just seeing shiny pretty fishies. Students receive snorkel instruction if needed and for those who are scuba certified, there are a few opportunities to dive at some of the best spots in Bali. Trips often include at least one night snorkel in Tianyar where you’ll swim amongst bioluminescent plankton that sparkles vivid blue all around you.

FAQ

We get a lot of little questions from parents and students throughout the year, especially leading up to trips. Below you can find answers to the questions we get most often. If you can't find what you need here, feel free to reach out to us by email or phone.

Trip Tuition:

$4,450 (early bird & group discounts available)

Trip Tuition Covers:

• Accommodations
• Most meals (we occasionally encourage trip members to explore local restaurants)

• Local transportation

• Project planning, materials, and management
• Adventure activities
• Travelers medical, emergency and evacuation insurance
• Local and international trip leaders

Trip Tuition Does NOT Cover:
• International airfare (trip leaders can help select and arrange airfare for groups)
• Local shopping
• Additional sightseeing activities

• Volunteer/tourist visa

Passport:

If you do not have, or have not applied for your passport and are planning to join a trip, sooner than later is best. Passport delivery since 2020 has taken as long as several months to receive. You can order a passport at your local post office. Standard service (is supposed to) takes 4-6 weeks, while expedited service is much faster but also more expensive. If you already have your passport it must have at least 6 months of validity from the day you arrive in Bali, or it needs to be renewed. If you do not have 6 months of passport validity you will be refused entry to Indonesia.

Bali Tourist Visa:

This trip requires trip members to purchase a special volunteer tourist visa, which costs approximately $200. Padma works in coordination with a local partner and visa processing agency to submit applications as a group. Please do not apply for any visa individually, as this may result in confusion and delays.

Accommodations:
All accommodations in Bali are locally owned and clean yet modest. Upon arrival in Bali, we will stay in the cultural hub of Ubud. In Tianyar students stay in beachside, thatch roof bungalows. In Nusa Lembongan, the dorm-style hostel offers great coffee, an onsite restaurant, and a swimming pool. At all accommodations, students will sleep 2 to 8 people per room. Roommates will be arranged based on your preferences, vendor policies, and in consultation with chaperones and Padma staff.

Electronics:
There is little time for playing on screens during a Padma trip. That being said, be sure to have a camera or phone to take pictures throughout the trip. Feel free to bring GoPros and camera drones if you'd like. With a simple power converter (ask the omniscient Google for options) all US chargers can be used on your trip. Trip leaders will have local cellphones for your use if needed to communicate with families back home. Smartphone apps such as WhatsApp and WeChat offer free international voice messaging and calling from anywhere with internet access. Trip leaders' and chaperones' primary international means of communication is through WhatsApp.

Meals & Water
Most meals are eaten together at reputable restaurants or prepared by chefs at our accommodations. A special focus on hygienic, nutrient rich, and clean food is our goal to help avoid any gastrointestinal issue during the trip. We are careful to provide, and remind trip members to only drink, clean water. With abundant activity and the often humid and warm locations of our trips, it is important to drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration. Although we strive to provide ample food, many trip members also bring snacks from home. There are also opportunities for trip members to explore local restaurants on their own.

Alcohol & Drugs
Padma maintains a zero-tolerance policy on illicit drug use, and it will not be tolerated. Depending on the severity of the incident, trip members may be immediately expelled from the trip at their family's expense. In many countries and areas we travel, trip members are legally allowed to drink alcohol. On such trips, trip members are allowed to drink alcohol responsibly unless parents/guardians inform us otherwise. No drunkenness, inappropriate, or disrespectful behavior is allowed and if it occurs, trip members may lose privileges or be sent home if Padma trip leaders conclude the situation warrants expulsion.

Disciplinary Policy:
Padma Organization reserves the right to expel any trip participant from the trip at Padma trip leaders' discretion. This trip is not a party. Padma trips are intended as an opportunity for students to serve others while representing themselves, their school, Padma, and the United States as cultural ambassadors. Any behavior that disrupts this purpose, brings danger to themselves or other trip members, along with any illegal activity, are not allowed. The family of any student expelled from the trip is responsible for all costs to bring their student home. A first warning and removal of privileges will be given for minor offences, while larger incidents may result in immediate trip expulsion.

The itinerary below is a sample. Each trip itinerary may look a little different depending on variables such as the cost and arrival date of flights at the time of purchase. Itinerary may also change or be adjusted based on group interest and themes. Trip members will receive an itinerary specific to their trip after flights have been booked.

Day 1: Depart from your Stateside airport to head across the planet to Indonesia.

Day 2: Arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali. Padma staff will be waiting at the airport to meet you.

Day 2-3: Stay in Ubud, the cultural and spiritual hub of Bali. While in Ubud we will engage in a number of team building and leadership training activities. This time also allows us to gently settle into the time change, relaxing by the pool, taking in the sights of old Bali and exploring the famous Monkey Forest and one of Bali's most significant temples while the effects of jetlag fade.

Day 3-11: We leave for Tianyar after breakfast and wind through verdant mountain forests on our way to the rural northeast coast. We will stay at North Bali Reef Conservation on the beach in Tianyar for nine nights. During the day, we will construct reef domes, tutor English, work in the plastic recycle center, and perform beach cleanup together with locals. Students will also help construct new permaculture based edible gardens to be used and maintained by several local families.

When not working, students are free to snorkel, hang out on the beach, explore the village of Tianyar, enjoy beachfront bonfires, paddleboard, fish, or just relax on a hammock. Students will have two adventure days, where they can choose to scuba dive at a WWII shipwreck site, enjoy a rainforest and waterfall hike, or become certified scuba or free-divers.

Day 11-13: After lunch we will head south to catch a ferry in the town of Sanur to the island of Nusa Lembongan. Our first evening on the island will be spent with the amazing folks of Marine MegaFauna Foundation learning about the biodiversity of the surrounding waters with a focus on large species such as manta rays and whale sharks. In the morning, we head out with a research team to observe and help identify local manta rays. The rest of our time in Lembongan will be filled with surfing, snorkeling, and enjoying tropical paradise.

Day 13: We leave Lembongan after breakfast and head to the yoga and surfing town of Canggu to spend our last few hours together before catching a flight back across the Pacific. Vans will drop off all students at Ngurah Rai Airport with plenty of time before departure. The flight home promises to be a quiet one with everyone sure to be ready to sleep after the adventure of a lifetime.

Day 14: Arrive home and talk your family’s ears off with all your stories.

Medical Considerations

Medical staff are part of every trip. Based on the medical forms submitted as part of each trip member's application, a Padma medical staff member will contact every participant who may require an individualized medical plan. Each student is provided travelers medical, emergency, and evacuation insurance. Any medical, psychological or physical conditions that might impact a student's trip participation must be communicated to your Padma trip leadership before your trip. Prescription medications must be brought with you as availability is not guaranteed during trips. Trip members must be capable of administering their own prescriptions/medication without the help or supervision of Padma staff or other adults. If you wish to purchase international medical insurance to cover any additional costs in the event of an emergency, contact your Padma trip leader for recommendations. Here are a few:

World Nomads
Allianz
AIG Travel Guard

Vaccinations:

There are currently no required vaccines to travel to Bali and it is up to parents and students to decide what vaccines to get. We recommend consulting the CDC website for suggestions on vaccines and details on additional travel information on Bali. Here is a link to the CDC's Indonesia travel information: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/indonesia

Recommended for all trip members:

To be up to date on COVID vaccinations and routine vaccines such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

Trip members can cancel for any reason up to sixty (60) days before their trip, and receive a 50% refund of all paid tuition, less the $250 non-refundable deposit. Cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the trip cannot be guaranteed a refund. In case trip members are unable to join a trip due to medical or emergency related reasons, a full refund may be considered at the discretion of Padma staff. If trips must be canceled due to unexpected travel restrictions, or for any reason such as a natural disaster, social unrest, etc., full refunds will be offered, pending refunds from trip partner companies and organizations, contractors, and third-party vendors.

Water Safety:

During your trip, there may be opportunities to swim, snorkel, scuba dive, and surf in the ocean, or swim in rivers and lakes. Currents, sudden depth changes, riptides, large waves, sharp reefs, stings and bites are some of the inherent risks we will face. Trip participants are never to swim alone and careful consideration of individual swimming ability and experience must always be considered.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria:

Padma’s Bali Reef Restoration Expedition includes outdoor and/or physically strenuous activities in various environments such as snorkeling, surfing, hiking, and building large or heavy structures. Following instruction, trip members must also be able to work independently for up to four hours a day and be capable of completing or participating in the specific activities of this trip.