Volunteering on Nusa Penida offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in conservation and community development projects, while living among traditional Balinese villages. Just 45 minutes by boat from Bali, this island boasts beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and dramatic cliffs, with local life still less touched by tourism compared to the mainland.
FNPF has been working with the communities of Nusa Penida since 2004, focusing on wildlife protection and restoring endangered bird populations, including the iconic Bali Starling.
We’ve turned the island into a sanctuary by securing the commitment of every village to protect local bird populations. Communities have passed regulations to safeguard wildlife from poaching and illegal trade, allowing endangered species to thrive safely in the wild—a stark contrast to much of Indonesia, where poaching poses a constant threat.
In return, we support the community by sponsoring the education of local children, running a library, teaching sustainable farming, restoring forests through tree planting, and more.
VOLUNTEER LIFE
You don’t need any particular expertise, just a willingness to help and a passion for our projects. What you do will depend on the season (we plant in the rainy months), the time you have to plan your visit, and your skills and interests. Volunteers might help in our nursery and organic gardens, monitor birds, turtles, butterflies and bats, help with GPS mapping, teach English and art, or help with marketing, fundraising and grant writing.
If you have specialist skills let us know. Are you great at music or yoga, for example? We might be able to organise for you to run classes for the young people who live on the island.
If you’re interested in formal scientific research, we’d love to hear from you too. Please email us at info@fnpf.org. Find out more about researchers who have worked with us.
We ask our volunteers to work three or four hours each morning, and then the afternoons are yours to enjoy the island. Sometimes we invite local people to our center in the evenings to practice their English and are always on the lookout for volunteers willing to participate in conversational English classes.
Our Nusa Penida team are all local and are sometimes too shy to ask a Western volunteer to work, so it’s partly up to you to proactively ask how you can assist. Our goal is for you to help us while having a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
STAYING WITH US
Once you arrive in Bali, you will need to catch a boat from Sanur or Padangbai to Nusa Penida. You can find more details about this in our FAQs.
Accommodation at our center is simple but comfortable and clean – we have rooms for individuals and groups. Bedding (sheets, pillows and a bedcover), along with mosquito nets and fans (there is no air conditioning) are included.
Our center is also home to our nursery, organic vegetable garden, bird rehabilitation facility, office and community library. You will be woken by cockerels at sunrise, occasionally spot pigs and cows wandering around during the day, and you will see endangered Bali starlings in the trees every afternoon.
After volunteering in the morning, you will have enough spare time to enjoy the island and its beautiful beaches and great snorkelling. You can rent a motorcycle or use one of the bicycles at our center to get around.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Read what our volunteers have said on Trip Advisor or check out this journalist’s story in Jetstar’s magazine. There’s this YouTube video about volunteering with us or this one about the release of Bali starlings on the island.
HOW TO APPLY
Please fill in an application and send it to info@fnpf.org with your preferred dates. We will be in touch as soon as we can to let you know if we have availability.
Our volunteering fees include the cost of accommodation. You are responsible for the cost of your food, meals and travel to and from Nusa Penida. There are several good simple local warungs near our center where you can get a meal for a few dollars.
You will need to pay a 50% deposit to secure your place. And then the remaining 50% a week before you arrive. We welcome large groups, including groups of older school children. If you have any questions or need more information, we would love to hear from you. Please send us an email.
Note: you need to be 18 or over to volunteer (unless you’re with a parent or a supervisory adult). You must be in a reasonable physical condition and prepared for hands-on manual work in a hot equatorial environment. You are responsible for your vaccinations and might want to bring antimalarials, as well as creams for protection from mosquitoes and the sun. You also must bring a copy of your passport.
The time I spend there is something I won’t forget. I learned a lot about the animals of the island, and got to see and be part of efforts to monitor and conserve a species of bird called the Bali starling. The island itself is just incredible.”
H Budgie, on TripAdvisor
VOLUNTEERING FEES
As a not-for-profit operation, all proceeds from volunteering go directly toward our conservation projects. When you volunteer, not only do you get the chance to stay in a unique environment and take part in conservation and community development projects, you also help fund our ongoing vital work.
One person in a single or twin room | *one week includes 8 days and 7 nights
| no of weeks | US$ per week | no of nights | US$ per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 158 | 1-6 | 25 |
| 2 | 150 | 8-13 | 23 |
| 3 | 142 | 15-20 | 21 |
| 4 | 135 | 22-27 | 20 |
| 5 or more | 128 | 29 or more | 19 |
One person sharing a triple room or dormitory | *one week includes 8 days and 7 nights
| no of weeks | US$ per week | no of nights | US$ per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 | 1-6 | 14 |
| 2 | 78 | 8-13 | 13 |
| 3 | 74 | 15-20 | 12 |
| 4 | 71 | 22-27 | 11 |
| 5 or more | 67 | 29 or more | 10 |
Two people sharing a twin room | *one week includes 8 days and 7 nights
| no of weeks | US$ per week | no of nights | US$ per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 237 | 1-6 | 36 |
| 2 | 225 | 8-13 | 34 |
| 3 | 214 | 15-10 | 32 |
| 4 | 203 | 22-27 | 31 |
| 5 or more | 193 | 29 or more | 29 |
CONTACT US
Have a question? We would love to hear from you.