Three weeks with Naucrates:

I had the BEST time here! I learnt so much about sea turtles & conservation from Alessandra – she really knows her stuff.  She is also super personable and fun to be around so it made the whole experience so enjoyable too!

I LOVED all the food and the atmosphere and the staff and the overall vibe.

Rakkan bungalow felt like home-nice and simple, exactly what you need.

Lori is wonderful and so helpful and friendly, as is every member of her team- what an amazing group of people! We got to experience so much in a short period of time which was amazing, including a new preliminary survey which was really awesome to be a part of.

I really enjoyed getting to do some crafts, especially using all the recycled driftwood and fishing gear that washes up on the shore. I loved all the boat beach monitoring trips and swimming to the islands, I enjoyed the morning walks and setting into a good routine with this.

I love the commitment and enthusiasm of everyone here – Everyone has been so kind and welcoming, and the knowledge and the support of Ale and Chloe has been incredible! What an awesome time!

Thank you so much!

One week with Naucrates:

Overall, the experience was great. Observing and looking for nests was interesting and exiting  The higlight of the week was of course finding an olive ridley turtle nest! We also saw green turtle from the observation point!

Visiting the village and museum was also nice.

The environment is absolutely fabulous. I just hope it stays like that. The nature and the animals are so nice.

Food is great, and accommodation was nice.

Best wishes from Finland

Two weeks with Naucrates:

My experience was amazing, everyone is so kind and friendly here. I loved learning more about turtle wildlife and having the opportunity to experience firsthand conservation efforts to help preserve and bring back the turtle population, as well as being part of the effort myself.

I love getting on the speedboat and getting to observe and log the sea turtle I saw like a little girl opening gifts on Christmas.

Chloe was amazing at explaining what we do here, how we do it and why we do it. I couldn’t have asked for a better first volunteer experience. Food was top tier. Best stuff ever <3

Beth

One week with Naucrates:

I stayed on Koh Phra Thong with my two kids (10 and 15) for a week, volunteering with Naucrates. It was a wonderful experience!

We joined a range of activities—some as part of the conservation work and some as free-time fun:
• joining the morning walk
• recording weather and tides
• observing juvenile turtles’ feeding area from the rocks
• beach cleaning
• a trip to Ko Ra
• a visit to Ban Lion and the museum
• snorkeling
• kayaking in the mangroves
• visiting the turtle nests farther on the beach
• a sunset “safari”
• lots of swimming

We also attended a couple of engaging presentations by Alessandra about Naucrates, and sea turtles and their biology.

We loved the island’s relaxed atmosphere! The island felt very safe for families: the kids were able to get from place to place on their own, and there were plenty of free-time activities for them, including a ping-pong table and games. The balance between volunteering work and free time was just right with the kids. We had activities in the morning and in the afternoon, and there was lunch and some free time in between. Daisy and Alessandra were wonderfully thoughtful with the kids, adjusting activities to match their energy levels.

We stayed at Rakkan Resort, next to Horizon Eco Resort. The accommodation was very basic, as expected, but we had everything we needed in our bungalow, and it was a short walk to the beach. We ate at Horizon Eco Resort and just loved the food!

All in all, we had a perfect holiday on Koh Phra Thong with Naucrates! We learned a lot about turtles, other wildlife, and the local environment; enjoyed a beautiful island; ate great food; met many interesting people; and, while learning and having fun, we were able to contribute to the important conservation work Naucrates does. I highly recommend the experience to everyone – with or without kids!

Johanna

Two weeks with Naucrates:

Dear Naucrates team,

I wanted to take the time to write this feedback because I am truly grateful for my volunteering with Naucrates, and because I know how important feedback is for a project like this. Sorry for the length!!! 😀

First of all, I want to thank Ale for being such an incredible project leader. She made us feel at ease from the very beginning, shared so much knowledge with us, and created an informal environment where learning felt natural and I felt comfortable. I had a great time working with her and I am deeply grateful for what I learned from her and for the fun time!

The team and the atmosphere around the project are really special. From the moment you arrive, you truly feel at home.

The project feels closely connected to the local tourist community, which makes it very tangible and meaningful. Beside super Ale, Leslie and John are such wonderful people, with an energy that is absolutely contagious. And Lory, she is such a great and kind woman full of energy, with a fascinating story. Her beautiful family does a great job at Horizon and helping the project.

I also loved the island itself and the accommodation.

Koh Phra Thong is such a unique place: not a crowded, mass-tourism destination like many places in Thailand. With only a few bars and a village-like atmosphere, it really allows you to immerse yourself in the place, feel at home, and try all the local food.

The balance between work and free time was also very well managed, and I deeply appreciated the project’s philosophy of “as little human interference as possible” with nature.

What I enjoyed the most during my time there was learning from Ale. I joined other sea turtle projects in the past and this was the one where I have learned the most.

I also really loved the turtle talks and explaining the project to tourists while selling in the shops, you could truly see how eye-opening it was for people, how interested they became once they understood what the project is about.

Morning walks were nice too, especially the one where we found a nest, which was a truly special moment.

I also really enjoyed discovering new activities like the sea grass work, which I had no prior knowledge about and learned a lot from (thank you, Barry!).

I also liked Involving tourists in activities, such as trips to Koh Ra, helping to secure nests, or notifying us when they found a turtle scheleton while walking!

In terms of possible improvements or ideas for the future, one thing that came to mind is increasing involvement with the local community, especially around plastic reduction and environmental awareness.

When there are more volunteers, perhaps organizing beach clean-ups again, involving locals as well — could be a great opportunity to work together and think collectively about solutions.

I also really hope that one day the hill observation point can become a space where both project staff and tourists can observe and learn, with a small, simple infrastructure. The observation hill has so much potential, I can imagine a “turtle talk” happening there, turning it into a real learning space for volunteers and visitors alike.

Similarly, I hope the museum will eventually come to life. I could clearly see how interested tourists are in the project, especially families with children. People here have time, are curious, and are often looking for meaningful activities, especially for kids. A pedagogical/learning space could be an amazing way to raise awareness, educate visitors, and at the same time offer something new and valuable to tourists and families.

Since sea turtle activity is limited on the island, and it is quite rare to spot nests, another idea could be to broaden the focus to include wider biodiversity conservation. This could attract more volunteers and increase the overall impact of the project.

Finally, I just want to say this: the Naucrates team, you are amazing people, and you should truly believe in yourselves.

I know there are many challenges, funding, changing regulations, fluctuating volunteer numbers, and that the past may seem brighter. But that past is a strong foundation to build the future of the project.

The future does not need to be made of huge projects; in nature, every small action counts. I hope you can look forward with confidence, knowing that every volunteer comes here to contribute building what comes next.

Thank you so much for everything. I loved this experience, I learned an incredible amount, and I discovered a magical place that I would never have known without you amazing Naucrates people.

Grazie!

Manu

Two weeks with Naucrates:

First, I’d like to say that this was my first time participating in a volunteer program like this. Therefore, I have no basis for comparison with other projects.

Since I had limited time (only 2-3 weeks) and Thailand was my destination, Naucrates was perfect for me.
Regarding the project itself, I have to say that my initial expectations weren’t met.

I thought I could contribute more to conservation efforts and that there would be more to see and do. But essentially, you have to understand that this is a long-term project, and the turtles are rare here. So, the core of the project is observation and data collection. But that’s also what makes the project so appealing: that there isn’t a turtle waiting around every corner.

Every observation or discovery of a nest is a privilege, and it makes you realize the extent of the turtles’ endangered status. This privilege filled me with gratitude and humility. As for the scientific aspect, as a layperson, I trust the professionals and their methods and can’t offer an opinion on them. One also has to consider the limited resources (money, volunteers).

In conclusion, I can say that great work is being done under the given circumstances. The project definitely deserves more attention and funding.
For me personally, it was a wonderful experience. I learned a great deal – thank you so much, Alessandra – and truly enjoyed it –> the island and, last but not least, the warm and welcoming people who contributed.
Thank you. I’ll be back…

Chris

Three weeks with Naucrates:

I enjoyed my stay very much!

The Team was very kind and I had a lot of fun with Daisy and Laura.

I learned so much about turtles and got to see and experience everything I hoped for.

I liked tasks and activities we had to do everyday and I loved that we included things like snorkeling and mangroves too. I would love to do this again in the Future.

I respect and admire the dedication Naucrates has for the Turtles and am very glad I got to be a part of it.

Anne

Ten days with Naucrates:

This program was incredible!

Every aspect of it was great. Alessandra and Daisy were both incredibly welcoming, informative, and friendly.

I loved the variety of activities (morning walks, weather, turtle watching, snorkeling, boat rides, going into town, dolphin bones etc.) and I was truly never bored or overwhelmed.

The homestay was also amazing, the folks running the restaurant were incredibly friendly and the food was always amazing!

Also, for the time spent and the location it was all very affordable. Personally, I found lounging in the hammocks on the beautiful beach an absolute dream! This project will forever be a cherished experience for me, incredible work to everyone involved!!

July

Two weeks with Naucrates:

We are happy to send a feedback:

Overall experience: The experience exceeded our expectations.

The main reason for this was our field guide Alessandra. She informed us profoundly about turtle protection and research by Naucrates and how the daily routine contributes to the project. So we felt as part of the team from the beginning and were happy to support the NGO.

The various activities were sometimes a little exhausting and sometimes required overcoming, but we wouldn’t have left anything out!

We appreciated that we were allowed to take responsibility and do the beach monitoring, the weather station and the observation after a while by our selves. Alessandra gave clear instructions, which is important we believe. We are not able to eveluate the scientific methods. All looked plausible.

The cooperation with the local authorities seemed rather difficult. We wondered whether the whole project is endangered. But we did not consider this to be our responsibility.

We enjoyed the teamwork with Alessandra and other volunteers.

We enjoyed the the walking especially in the early morning, magic!

We enjoyed the observation on the hill, what a tranquil place. And last but not least we will never forget the encounter with the turtle!! We were very very lucky.

The island is a relaxation for the soul. The swimming and snorkeling is a pleasure.

The birds we saw and heard all the time, all the crabs, amazing. Alessandra showed us corals and knew every fish! We could paddle in the mangroves, what a wonderful experience. And we went in the jungle on Ko Ra, wow! Lory organised this for us. The food at Lory is delicious! Lory even organised our stay on Ko Surin after the project.

Everything was fine and Ko surin another enjoyable holiday. The snorkeling there is wonderful! But we missed Alessandra and her knowledge of the creatures living in the ocean.

Volunteers should be fit and not to sensible regarding heat and insects. Bring sunscreen and insect repellent! And forgot the busy world for a while.

Please feel free to contact us for further feedback!

Marianne and Andrea

One week with Naucrates:

What an amazing week.

I can’t express how much I loved my experience with Naucrates.

Firstly the team was so helpful when helping me plan my journey to the island.

Then when I arrived I was instantly welcomed and felt at ease straight away. I was shown around and gave an introduction about what I could do on the first day.

Everyday was a little different but it was also great to a have a little routine and do certain things each day – you feel like you have a purpose and that you are helping. I was able to contribute with painting signs which was awesome to be able to help by doing something I love and leave my mark behind.

Ale was amazing. She was so friendly and so knowledgable about everything turtle. I found it so interesting learning all about them and what Naucrates do. The island is quiet and so beautiful / perfect place for my last week in Thailand!

Jenny