Volunteering with Sea Turtles: Make a Real Impact in Costa Rica

Ever wonder what it’s like to hold 100 tiny sea turtle eggs in your hands, knowing that you’re giving these little guys a real shot at survival? At Jakera, the turtle conservation project is the real deal, and it’s one of the most powerful experiences for students who come here.

Volunteering with turtles isn’t just a “nice” activity—it’s hands-on, gritty, and incredibly meaningful. After learning how to recreate a turtle nest, students patrol the beaches at night, watching for signs of these gentle giants. It’s a surreal moment when the turtles emerge from the ocean to lay their eggs, and during this process, students get to witness nature in its purest form. Once the mother turtle enters her trance, students help by gently removing the eggs and relocating them to a safe hatchery. This saves the eggs from poachers and unstable beach conditions, increasing the turtles’ chances of survival in a world where only 1 in 1,000 baby turtles make it to adulthood.

There’s nothing like seeing the first baby turtles scramble their way to the ocean—knowing that you had a hand (literally) in giving them a better shot at life. It’s an experience that stays with you, one that opens your eyes to the urgent need for conservation efforts worldwide.