If you are travelling through Southeast Asia on a round the world ticket an excellent option is to volunteer in Malaysia. Malaysia is a beautiful and varied country with a well developed infrastructure and many travellers decide to head there after spending some time in Thailand. If you would like to volunteer in Malaysia Real Gap has three superb volunteer programmes dedicated to protecting some of the country's unique wildlife.
Real Gap's Volunteer in Malaysia - 'Malaysia Orang-utan Interaction' project provides a unique opportunity to volunteer in Malaysia on a project endeavouring to save the gravely endangered orang-utan ape. The translation of ‘orang-utan' from Malay is ‘Forest people' and these beautiful creatures are the only great ape found outside Africa. Sadly a combination of hunting, the illegal pet trade and deforestation has meant that orang-utan numbers are now dangerously low and it's estimated there are now only 20,000 orang-utans remaining in the world today. If you volunteer in Malaysia on this project you will help with the rehabilitation of orang-utans who are in captivity and also assist with the monitoring of those that remain in the wild. This voluntary work in Malaysia with orang-utans is largely based off-the-beaten track in Malaysian Borneo. Another exciting aspect when you volunteer in Malaysia on this programme is that you work closely with the Iban - indigenous tribes-people of Borneo directly descended from Borneo head-hunting tribes - which provides a fascinating insight in to local life and culture.
If you would like to work even more closely with local people when you volunteer in Malaysia then Real Gap's Volunteer in Malaysia - 'Malaysia Tribal Community Volunteer' project is ideal. If you volunteer in Malaysia on this project, the work you do is extremely varied. Volunteers on this programme also help the Iban tribes-people with their vital orang-utan conservation work. In addition to this you will also volunteer in Malaysia helping out with various community projects - such as the maintenance of traditional long-houses, working on teaching projects at the local school and assisting with repair work on jungle trails.
If you are passionate about marine wildlife conservation you can also volunteer in Malaysia with Real Gap's Volunteer in Malaysia - 'Malaysia Island Turtle Conservation' programme If you choose to volunteer in Malaysia on this programme you will be based in the stunning Perhentian islands, off the northeast coast of peninsular Malaysia. This programme is a particularly fun and relaxed way in which to volunteer in Malaysia. Two to three hours a day are spent helping out on conservation projects aimed at protecting both the local sea turtle population and the general ecosystem of the beaches themselves. Once your volunteer work has finished you are then free to enjoy all that these pristine tropical islands have to offer. When you volunteer in Malaysia on this programme there's a free underwater photography course available and most people also take the opportunity to sign up for some extremely reasonably priced PADI scuba diving courses.
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