Malaysia Expeditions

• Section: Expeditions - Category: Expeditions - Malaysia

Introduction

Malaysia comprised of 13 states, 11 on the Malay Peninsula and two, Sabah and Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. The country is home to stunning coral reefs and dramatic forests. The Blue Ventures Malaysia volunteer project is located on beautiful Tioman Island, one of the world’s premier dive sites and an ecological hot spot. In fact, the coral reefs nestled in the waters of the South-East Asian counties have been found to be the most diverse coral reefs in the world. This area is known as ‘The Coral Triangle’ and supports over 600 species of reef building corals, over 3000 species of fish and contains 75% of all coral species known to science.

Marine research and monitoring as well as community development programs are currently being carried out by qualified international and local Blue Ventures Malaysia staff and we are looking for volunteers to take part in our program. This is a chance to be amongst the first to volunteer on a new and exciting project, to learn from the processes that occur and to really make your mark on a brand new expedition project!

Blue Ventures Malaysia’s primary aim is to contribute to the conservation of Malaysia’s valuable ecological resources. Year round monitoring of the health of the marine environment of Pulau Tioman is carried out by volunteers though underwater reef surveys as well as hands on reef and beach clean-ups. Additional marine research is carried out by Blue Ventures Malaysia scientists, visiting scientists and local university students.

This research will be used to investigate the effects of tourists and fishing activities on fragile reef ecosystems. This research will then be made available to local people, government departments and universities with the aim of formulating strategies to improve and protect the island’s reefs and forests and improve the lives of island inhabitants.

The main focus of the work that Blue Ventures conducts in all of our expeditions is collaboration with local communities to implement strategies that aim to make marine resource use sustainable.

Read more about Blue Ventures Malaysia, including interviews with Project Coordinator Katie Yewdall, in recent editions of the Otago Daily Times, and Expatriate Lifestyle Magazine.

Where we work

The decision to work on Tioman island was made after many months of visiting Malaysia and much of south east Asia. Tioman island stood out, not only as a stunning dive destination and ecological centre, but as a community ready to take the step into sustainable tourism and development.

Tioman is situated inside the Coral Triangle and the beautiful reefs around her rocky coast support valuable and endemic creatures. In addition, the interior of Tioman is covered by dense, relatively unexplored primary rainforest. Much of the terrestrial fauna and flora is also endemic and endangered. The island is approximately 130 kilometres square in size, and lies off the east coast of the Malaysian peninsular. The 2,700 inhabitants of the six main villages rely on fishing or tourism for their income.

Tioman’s marine inhabitants include green and hawksbill turtles, reef sharks, dolphins, tunas, jacks and many colourful and reef fish and critters, and even the occasional whale shark and manta ray!

The project is based on in Tekek village and volunteers will stay in simple wooden chalets on the long, sandy beach. There is a maximum of three volunteers per room. Each room has a bathroom (with hot water showers!) and balcony. The Blue Ventures Malaysia volunteer trip is a six week program during which volunteers will conduct underwater reef surveys, gain a basic understanding of marine ecology and conservation through workshops and presentations, take part in beach and reef clean-ups and work on the local community awareness raising projects, such as the after school nature club. The community awareness raising projects include a three day excursion to Mukut village, a pretty fishing village with very little impact from the tourism on the rest of Tioman, in the south of the island. Volunteers will also take part in a partner turtle conservation project at Tioman Turtle Sanctuary and conduct terrestrial surveys during a two day trek through the interior of the island.

Our Team

Blue Ventures Malaysia Expedition team comprises of a small, dedicated team and you will work closely with them during your expedition to Tioman island.

Click here to see our current team.

Heading our in-field team is the Expedition Manager, responsible for the day-to-day running of our field site. The Expedition Manager is in charge of all volunteers and personnel on site.

All diving activities and training are coordinated and supervised by our Diving Manager, a qualified PADI Open Water SCUBA / Emergency First Response instructor. On arrival at our site, the Diving Manager will brief you fully on all relevant aspects of expedition health and safety.

The day-to-day research you will be undertaking will be managed and supervised by our Project Coordinator and Field Scientist, who work closely with the Diving Manager to plan each day’s activities. Our research team, experienced tropical marine biologists, are also responsible for volunteer science training at the beginning of each project.

In addition to our full time staff, we have a number of partners and advisors, students and interns to help us and our volunteers to collect effective data and work with our local community. These partners include the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the Marine Parks Authorities, WWF-Malaysia, Reef Check Malaysia and the Malaysian Nature Society.

	Expedition Manager and Project Coordinator: Katie Yewdall Katie is the founder of our Malaysia project and co-owner and manager of Tioman Dive Centre. Katie has been living and working in Asia for the last year after a few years of working in the environmental industry in London. Her decision to come to Asia was a little like coming home, as she grew up in Sri-Lanka and Indonesia. She is also the Expedition Project Coordinator, with a BSc in Zoology and an MSc in Environmental Monitoring. She is experienced in working on volunteer conservation projects, including a year in Madagascar as one of our field scientists. Katie credits her year in Madagascar as her inspiration to continue in the conservation industry, and to seek out new places for our marine expeditions.
	Instructor and Field Scientist: Catherine-Jane Howarth Originally from Manchester, CJ moved to Cornwall to study for her degree. During her degree, she worked at a local dive centre to become a PADI professional and afterwards worked in the southwest, developing marine conservation experience with marine mammals. Having worked on several marine conservation and research projects studying sharks and turtles, she moved to Tioman in Malaysia to join Blue Ventures. CJ is a fully qualified Open Water Scuba Instructor and is enjoying diving in the warm water after teaching in the chilly UK waters!
	Field Scientist: Sharul Sharul is a local Tioman and has been working as a Divemaster in the diving industry on Tioman for several years. He is an experienced and expert dive guide. He has conducted many reef monitoring surveys and will be teaching volunteers identification and survey skills. If anyone knows the reefs of Tioman, it’s Sharul - his long term familiarity and local knowledge of the sites and their ecology is invaluable to our work.
	Boat Captain: Fadil Fadil is a Malaysian Malay and a native of Tioman island, and has been with the dive centre since 1993. He is our Boat Captain and irreplaceable Jack-of-all-trades. Give him any type of engine and he'll fix it. His wife cooks the best food on this island and if you’re lucky, you may be treated to one of her cooking lessons. His colleagues have previously remarked that they, "would go on a bark boat around the world as long as he's driving the boat". He has a profound knowledge of the sea and its moods, is a certified diver and very safety-conscious Boat Captain.
	Dive Centre Assistant: Nasir Nasir and Nan are our assistants and can always be relied upon to fill tanks, carry gear and drive boats as and when they are needed.

Project partners & advisers

	Kee Alfian, Marine Biologist, University of Kebangsaan Malaysia Kee is one of Malaysia’s most respected marine biologists and has been conducting research around Tioman and various other Malaysian islands for several years. His research focuses on marine invertebrates and he is a keen supporter of social development and education programs. A busy university lecturer, Kee sends a selection of his students on internships with us to work with our volunteers and on the community development programmes.
	Julian Hyde, Reef Check Malaysia Julian has been living in Malaysia for more than nine years, some of that time in Kuala Lumpur as an environmental consultant. Before that he lived and worked in Russia for five years. He is also co-owner of the Tioman Dive Centre, which he bought after following his dream to run his own dive centre some years ago. Along the way his passion for protecting the marine environment compelled him to set up the Malaysian arm of Reef Check International. Reef Check Malaysia’s network of reef survey teams and community projects are a valuable source of experience and an important partner.
	Yeen Lee Yeen is co-owner of the Tioman Dive Centre and a keen environmentalist. A member of the Malaysian Nature Society, she and Julian share concerns about the future of Tioman. With significant development planned in the next few years, they believe the island - which is currently a safehaven for biodiversity - needs to be protected. Yeen was instrumental in helping to set up Reef Check Malaysia, although she is now involved in other projects, but remains a valued source of advice and information.

 

Who Volunteers?

We welcome applications from volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. Your team will comprise of a variety of people with each expedition group having no more than 3 volunteers per staff member. All Volunteers have one thing in common – an enthusiasm for conservation, scuba diving, the dedication to spend time supporting valuable research and the desire to make a positive impact on marine life and local communities in developing countries.

In our experience low volunteer to staff ratios allow us to maximise the research potential, whilst ensuring that the team gets the utmost enjoyment from the research. Larger numbers of people means that volunteers would dive less or feel less involved in the projects. We have worked with volunteers from all over the world in the past 5 years, many of whom have no scientific or biological background or training, providing a challenging, educational life experience that assists in successfully advancing volunteers' careers as skilled professionals and globally aware citizens.

Science training

Soon after arrival and acclimatisation at the Blue Ventures field site, volunteers begin an intensive scientific training programme, working closely with the marine researchers based at the camp.

Training is largely field based, involving numerous snorkelling and diving excursions as well as informal lectures, small group discussions, and practice exercises of the various research methodologies that you are likely to use during your work with BV.

For more information, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

The length of the Blue Ventures training period is dependent on a number of factors but will take a minimum of one week, but typically lasts 10 to 15 days, at the end of this period volunteers will be tested on the scientific material covered.

Testing ensures that our research team know that volunteers’ knowledge is of a sufficient standard to carry out underwater surveys with our marine biologists coordinating the research.
The Blue Ventures 6-week expedition cycle is tailored to ensure that volunteers are given suitable time to receive scientific training, as well as sufficient time to have a rewarding experience playing an effective role in the research team.

Both qualified and non-qualified divers can join our expeditions. All volunteers are required to be trained up to PADI Advanced Open Water standard or equivalent before they can participate in underwater surveys. Dive training is carried out in the first two weeks of expeditions.

Due to the nature of the research you will be carrying out, it is essential that all divers have full control of their buoyancy and are confident in the water, and for this reason the ‘Peak Performance Buoyancy’ Adventure Dive is a compulsory component of the Advanced Open Water course undertaken during your training in Fiji.

We are also able to offer extra courses for those volunteers who want to advance their diving qualifications. The Emergency First Response (EFR) course, Rescue Diver course and Divemaster course are all available to take on site. Please see the Expedition costs page for more info.

We are able to assist student volunteers wishing to carry out undergraduate and postgraduate research projects during their time with Blue Ventures.

For more information, or ideas on potential research topics, please see our Independent Research page.

Costs

• Prices vary according to your current diving qualification (the more experienced you are, the cheaper your expedition. However, please don't let this put you off, as half of our volunteers have never dived before!)
• Prices are given per person and are based on 3 volunteers sharing one chalet.

Private, couple or family rooms

• We can offer private rooms for singles, couples or families. There is a maximum of 3 people per room, so if you are a group of 4, you will need two private rooms.
• Please add £50 per week supplement to the expedition cost below for each private room required.

 

Expedition period	PADI Advanced Open water (or equivalent)	PADI Open water (or equivalent)	No diving certification	Under 18s (non-diving)
3 weeks	£2,100	£2,200	£2,300	£900
4 weeks	£2,200	£2,300	£2,400	£1,000
5 weeks	£2,300	£2,400	£2,500	£1,100
6 weeks	£2,400	£2,500	£2,600	£1,200
7 weeks	£2,700	£2,700	£2,700	£1,300
8 weeks	£3,000	£3,000	£3,000	£1,500
9 weeks	£3,300	£3,300	£3,300	£1,600
10 weeks	£3,550	£3,550	£3,550	£1,700
11 weeks	£3,800	£3,800	£3.800	£1,800
12 weeks	£4,000	£4,000	£4,000	£1,900
12+ weeks	£200 per additional week

What is included and what isn't

 

your expedition cost includes

• Expedition accommodation for the duration of your expedition
• Three meals per day, including tea and coffee throughout the day
• Camping equipment and local Malay guides during trek through the interior of Tioman Island
• Transport, food and accommodation during excursion to Mukut for education expedition
• Transport, food and accommodation during excursion to Juara for Turtle sanctuary project
• Science Training with our team of Field scientists and researchers
• SCUBA Diving and SCUBA certification to PADI Advanced Open Water (depending on existing certification level)
• SCUBA Diving equipment: BCD; Regulators; weight belt; weights and cylinder
• Comprehensive logistical support and pastoral care from our large team of permanent staff
• Health and safety provision from our Expedition Manager and SCUBA Diving Manager

 

The cost of the expedition does not include

• Flight
• Transfer to Tioman island
• Personal diving equipment: wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, watch or dive computer, dive torch and underwater slate
• Personal field equipment: e.g. sleeping bag; torch and mosquito net
• Any visas or taxes for entry to Malaysia
• Insurance
• SCUBA diving training manuals
• Carbon offset payment
• Spending money for drinks, snacks and souvenirs
• Food and accommodation between expeditions (for those attending more than one expedition)
• More information about all these purchases can be found in the Volunteer Guide.

 

Additional dive training

Additional dive training can be taken whilst on your expedition. You may book these courses in advance of your arrival on Tioman Island but all courses must be paid for in local currency on Tioman Island.

Prices are listed in Ringgit Malaysia with an approximate conversion to British pounds for your guidance.

PADI Scuba Tune-Up - RM200/£36 (including manual and decal)

• This is compulsory for all divers who have not dived within six months of their expedition start date.


• You may chose to participate in a Scuba tune-up before you arrive in Madagascar and we can help you choose a suitable dive centre or Instructors.


• This course is designed for divers to tune-up their diving skills and safety knowledge before diving again. A PADI decal (sticker), attached to your certification card, denotes successful completion of the course.

PADI Emergency First Response - rm450/£82

• It is a requirement for all PADI courses that you have your own copy of the relevant course manual. We can provide this manual for £14 including delivery costs but you may wish to purchase it from a local supplier.

PADI Rescue Diver - rm1100/£200

• It is a requirement for all PADI courses that you have your own copy of the relevant course manual. We can provide this manual for £24 including delivery costs but you may wish to purchase it from a local supplier.

PADI Divemaster - rm2100/£380

• It is a requirement for all PADI courses that you have your own copy of the relevant course manual and required materials. We can provide these, please contact us for latest prices.

These manuals may be purchased from us prior to departure for the following prices:

• Open Water Manual (includes RDP table) - £29
• Advanced Open Water Manual ("Adventures in Diving" with Diving Slate) - £25
• Emergency First Response Manual - £14
• Rescue Diver Manual (includes rescue slate) - £24
• Divemaster package: includes all course materials - Please check latest price with Blue Ventures

£29.00 - Open Water manual £25.00 - Advanced Open Water manual £14.00 - EFR manual £24.00 - Rescue Diver manual

To purchase these manuals, please call or email us. These prices may be subject to change. To guarantee availability of the manuals and materials for your course, please order 4 weeks prior to your departure date. You may also purchase these manuals and materials at your local stockist or online. We recommend that you purchase your manuals before departure.

The following manuals may be purchased on site at the following prices:

• Open Water Manual (includes RDP table) - RM 180/£32
• Advanced Open Water Manual ("Adventures in Diving" with Diving Slate) - RM 180/£32
• Emergency First Response Manual - RM30/£5.50
  
• Rescue Diver Manual (includes rescue slate) - RM30/£5.50
  
• Divemaster package: includes all course materials - Please check latest price with Blue Ventures
  

 

Payment protection

Package travel regulations require that all tour organisers provide financial protection and repatriation cover in the event of their financial failure. This may be in the form of either:

• Placing all pre-payments into a designated account;


• Arranging a bond linked to an approved body such as ABTA, ABTOT, AITO etc.;


• Arranging an approved insurance policy.

At Blue Ventures we protect our volunteers by placing all pre-payments into a designated account and your payment is not used until you have begun your expedition.

Dates of Expeditions 2010

These are the start dates in Tioman Island. You will have to get yourself to Tioman before or on the start dates. Blue Ventures provides each volunteer with detailed information on how to get to the island as part of your pre-departure briefing materials.

 

We currently have volunteer vacancies for our Tioman Island project starting and finishing on the following dates.

Project start date	Project end date	Status
26-Mar-10	6-May-10	places
14-May-10	24-Jun-10	places
2-Jul-10	12-Aug-10	places
20-Aug-10	30-Sep-10	new dates released
2-Oct-10	12-Nov-10	new dates released
4-Mar-11	14-Apr-11	new dates released
22-Apr-11	2-Jun-11	new dates released
10-Jun-11	21-Jul-11	new dates released
29-Jul-11	8th Sep-11	new dates released
16-Sep-11	28-Oct-11	new dates released

Frequently asked questions

• Expeditions and money
• Diving
• Other
  

Expeditions and money

How do I join an expedition?
Firstly, phone the office or send us an email and someone from the office will contact you within 48 hours. To contact us, please click here.

Can anyone go on expedition?
Anyone between the ages of 18 – 70 is welcome on one of our expeditions providing they are in a reasonable state of fitness; we require that volunteers have a medical check-up with a doctor prior to departure to ensure a good level of health, and you will need to complete medical forms that your doctor must sign. You must also be comfortable in the water and able to swim 400m confidently and tread water for 2 minutes unaided.

I am an international citizen - can I go on a Blue Ventures expedition?
We have alumni from all around the world, from India to Alaska, and all are welcome on our projects. However, applicants must be able to speak and read English, as all literature and lectures are in English.

What is the average age of a volunteer?
We have had volunteers of all ages, from 18 – 70. Often the best friendships are formed over the most unlikely of age ranges. We do, however, insist that all volunteers who wish to SCUBA dive are at least 18. We do accept volunteers under 18 to participate on non-diving projects.The average age of our volunteers is 28.

When do the expedition dates start throughout the year?
Please check out the dates of our expeditions.

How long can I stay?
Generally, volunteers stay from 6 weeks to 12 weeks, but if you are enjoying yourself, and we are enjoying having you, essentially the stay can be as long as you wish. The longer you stay, the lower the cost of additional weeks.

If I can't go for the whole 6 weeks, can I still go?
The projects rely on some continuity evolving within groups of volunteers. Science and SCUBA training (if you are not already a diver) can take up to 3 weeks. This may mean that if you attend for a 3-week duration you might not get the opportunity to become so involved with the research surveying work. However, there are terrestrial-based projects that you can also contribute to, so it is worth phoning us to discuss how we can tailor your time on site.

Will I meet my fellow volunteers before the expedition starts?
We put you in contact with the entire expedition 6 weeks before the expedition. This helps to break down some barriers before you even meet each other. It also allows you to co-ordinate your travel movements if someone is unsure of travelling.

What’s included in my expeditions fees?
This price includes all aspects of the expedition on site, from science training, to board and lodging and includes all diving kit (apart from mask, snorkel, wetsuit, fins, dive knife, slate and watch).

Who do I make cheques payable to?
Please make all cheques payable to Blue Ventures Expeditions.

How much money do I need to take with me?
Whilst onsite there will be little or no opportunity to spend money - this is one of the benefits of running a remote site. Your main expenditure may be a well deserved Coke after a long hard day in the sun. Time in Malaysia itself will never be too expensive and monies can be tailored to suit the most lavish or the most thrifty traveller. We find a good rule of thumb is £20 per day when travelling and £5 per day when on Tioman. Additional charges that you may need to budget for include: internet use for sending/receiving emails, phone calls, and drinks and snacks.

If I pull out will I lose all my money?
We ask for an up front £100 deposit which is non-refundable in all circumstances. It is also very important that you sign the Booking Conditions when you pay your deposit. This will guarantee you a place on your chosen expedition. If you pull out 4 weeks or less before the start of the project, you will not be refunded at all. If you pull out before this date, we will assess you on a case-by-case basis. In the unlikely event that you are not able to attend an expedition and you have already paid your balance, your travel insurance company will be able to offer you a refund. Please check your policy for more details.

Do I need insurance?
To go on a expedition we require you to have two forms of insurance: basic travel insurance and specific diving insurance, provided by Divers Alert Network. They are our chosen partner for our SCUBA emergency evacuation plan and we insist all volunteers have a DAN insurance policy.

Do I need a visa?
Most nationalities will not need a visa when entering Malaysia. For further details, please read the Volunteer Guide.

 

Diving

Do I need any diving experience?
No – dive courses are conducted in the first week of a scheduled 6 week expedition period. You can also take additional PADI dive courses whilst on site.

Do I need my own diving equipment?
We provide buoyancy control devices (BCDs), scuba tanks, regulators, weights and most other gear you will need on site. What you will need is a wetsuit. You will be wearing this daily for 6 weeks, so it's imperative it fits and is comfortable. A mask, snorkel and fins are essential - these are the most important pieces of kit which need to fit you. Dive slates and pencils are also essential for our research work underwater as you record survey data. Other items you will need include a dive watch or, preferably, a dive computer, a dive knife and a dive torch (if you wish to snorkel or dive at night time - perhaps one of the most exciting dives we do).

What if I have diving accreditation through BSAC, NAUI or another Organisation?
All Volunteers must be trained up to Advanced Open Water (PADI) or equivalent. Please contact Blue Ventures London office to check your qualification level if you have trained with a different SCUBA training agency, {modalinks link=index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=335 | width=400 | height=300| }or click here for equivalent dive qualifications{/modalinks}.

How much diving will I do in a week?
We dive 6 days out of every 7. You will normally dive an average of once per day, and occasionally twice per day. The majority of our dives are science related - for example, dives might include training sessions, recording fish and benthic transect data or searching for new reef sites. Diving is strictly weather dependent due to safety and subject to logistical restrictions.

What dive courses are offered while on expedition?
All expedition members are trained up to PADI Advanced Open Water, although there are the opportunities to reach Rescue Diver and Divemaster.

N.B. Please note that you must be onsite for a minimum of 2 expeditions to complete your Divemaster and you must complete dive courses in this order: Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Emergency First Response, Rescue Diver and, finally, Dive Master.

 

Other

What do you have to learn?
We will take each and every volunteer through a detailed teaching scheme to learn species that are being researched. A high proportion of the material is self-taught, by completing snorkels and dives, with fish, coral and invertebrate “spotting sessions” with other team members and our research personnel.

What are the tests like?
The tests are there to ensure that the data collected is scientifically viable and that the research we are carrying out is the best available. The tests are designed to make sure that you know the different species that you will be researching.

How do I get there?
There are several routes to get to Malaysia and several airlines you can travel with. You can fly into Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Johor Bahru with a number of airlines, such as Air Asia, Qatar Air, Gulf Air, Malaysian Airways or Thai Air. If you book in advance and search around, flights should be very reasonable. One of the great things about Malaysia is that there is also the opportunity to travel around the country and on to some of the other countries in southeast Asia, either before or after your expedition and there are clean, efficient and cheap coach services to do so.

When I get there how do I get to Tioman Island?
You will need to get to Tioman Island independently, however, the trip is very easy and gives you the chance to get to see a little more of Malaysia. You will be given detailed information before you leave your home country and both London and in country staff can give you more advice if needed. Mersing is the ferry terminal for Tioman and can be reached in 5-6 hours by bus from Kuala Lumpur, 3 hours from Johor Barhu and 5-6 hours from Singapore. These buses are reliable, cheap and regular. The ferry takes 2 hours to reach the island and runs according to the tides. It is possible to fly to Tioman from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, this is a more expensive option but may be the best choice if your travel time is limited.

What will the weather be like in Malaysia?
The weather is often very different from the west to the east of Malaysia, with monsoons affecting the country at different times. The north-easterly winds bring a monsoon from November to February that affects the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Islands and east coastal areas have unpredictable weather with high rainfall, strong winds and choppy seas. Many resorts on this side, including on Tioman, close for this season. The rest of Malaysia may see slightly higher rainfall during this time but is not really affected by this monsoon. February to June is the dry season with sunny skies, calm seas and hot, humid days. However, being tropical, there is still some rainfall during the ‘dry’ season. July and August bring the south-west monsoon winds which brings disturbed weather to the west of peninsular Malaysia. This monsoon has less of an effect in Malaysia and, even on the west coast, resorts remain open. The east coast will also see a slight increase in rain, wind and choppier seas over these months. September and October are back to a pleasant, calm, dry season before the north-east monsoon rolls back in.

How safe is travelling in Malaysia?
Malaysia is a safe country to travel in with good transport infrastructure.

Will my previous degree be of use to me during my Expedition?
The chances are that you will find aspects of a wide range of environmental courses in the Marine Science Training Programme that is taught out on site, and so any previous experience can be beneficial, however a degree is not a pre-requisite.

How can I be contacted whilst in Malaysia?
Tekek village, in which Blue Ventures Malaysia is situated, has an internet café and our dive centre also provides internet use for volunteers at a small fee. It is suggested that volunteers set up a ‘Skype’ account, which can be used to make cheap international phone calls over the internet connection. There is a landline which can be used for getting in contact with volunteers on Tioman in an emergency.

Can I use the data I collect on a BV expedition to write my dissertation?
Absolutely. Please have a look at our independent research page for suggested dissertation projects and feel free to contact us to discuss your dissertation with a member of our research team.

Do I need previous experience to go on a Blue Ventures Expedition?
No. With an extremely high staff-to-volunteer ratio, Blue Ventures employs fully qualified staff to tutor you in dive training and aspects of marine ecology in which you will be working on a daily basis.

How does Blue Ventures ensure the safety of its volunteers?
Blue Ventures has rigourous safety procedures in place. We employ only professional staff with the training required to ensure safe expeditions. On site, the Expedition Manager is in charge of safety for all the expedition volunteers and staff. The expedition Dive Manager is a fully qualified professional capable of dealing with onsite diving emergencies until outside help is reached. The Expedition Medic is well qualified for Expedition conditions and has access to a comprehensive medical station whilst onsite.

What happens in an emergency?
In the event of an emergency, Blue Ventures has prearranged emergency procedures such as evacuation plans. These emergency action & evacuation plans can be put into action at a moment's notice. The Expedition Manager is in 24hr contact with the London office, allowing the staff to liaise directly with their base. If you would like to see any of our Health and Safety protocols or evacuation plan please contact us.

What inoculations will I need when visiting Malaysia?
Before you go on a Blue Ventures expedition you should see your doctor or an accredited Travel Clinic who will advise you on the relevant inoculations necessary for Malaysia. As a guide the standard inoculations are:

• Polio, tetanus and BCG (Tuberculosis)
• Yellow fever (only necessary if staying in sub-Saharan Africa en route to Malaysia)
• Diphtheria
• Meningitis (A & C)
• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies

 

View images from around our expedition site, and from around Tioman island: