Volunteer Tourism in Los Cabos, Mexico
Save Sea Turtles and Give Back to the Community While on Vacation
Aug 9, 2009
Conscientious travelers departing from Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas leave behind more than goodwill if they participated in the area's volunteer tourism programs. Their charitable efforts contributed to the community's long-lasting quality of life, which is of far greater value than a tip for good service.
"The charity mentality was very much developed in the United States and Canada," said Ella Messerli, vice president of marketing at the Marquis Los Cabos Hotel. And with many expatiates from both countries ensconced on Mexico's Baja Peninsula, it was a given that charitable work would take hold.
Volunteer tourism began about 15 years ago with a mission to encourage visitors to "give back." The hugely successful program is now sanctioned by many large hotels and tour companies. Projects are year round and participants are single travelers or groups. Plan in advance or arrive asking for a last-minute project and in a multitude of areas. Paperwork for short-term volunteer-tourism projects (some only a day) is generally not needed, although exceptions might require a non-governmental, company-sponsored waiver to work in rustic areas. Large companies appreciate the program since it promotes team-building exercises for their employees during a short-term stay. Recently, a group from an American bank went to a village school 40 miles outside of Los Cabos. They repainted the building, fixed the windows and made other repairs so the impoverished children could attend.
Typical Giving Back Projects in Los Cabos
- A doctor or other specially trained individual can donate one or more days at a clinic.
- C.A.R.E. needs people to adopt a dog and take it back to the States. Or do the paperwork to accompany an animal to the States or Canada to be retrieved by its new owner.
- Groups of ten or more staying at the Marquis Los Cabos Hotel can designate either the Red Cross, Los Cabos Children Foundation or Liga Mac to receive one dollar of every seven spent on food and beverage at the hotel.
- Guests at the Grand Mayan Los Cabos can help its employees in difficult situations by contributing to "The Al Cabo Amigos" foundation or by purchasing art that is sold on site.
- The four Pueblo Bonito Resorts give back in ecology, social assistance, community development, professional growth and culture and knowledge.
- Visitors can donate slightly worn medical equipment such as crutches, or even wheelchairs, to a give-back program.
- And the easiest good-will gesture of all is to leave books behind for the libraries.
Baja's Sea Turtle Incubation and Hatching Program
Female sea turtles born along the Sea of Cortés return each July to lay their eggs on its coastline. Best viewing time for egg hatching is September through November. Twenty Los Cabos hotels are certified by the state-sponsored PROFEPA agency as sea turtle watch and rescue sites. In addition, their personnel can physically move the nests. Hotel guests have an up-close-and-personal advantage to experience the sea turtle phenomena from the egg nesting to hatching to the baby turtles being released into the water.
A sampling of certified sea turtle rescue programs at participating hotels are:
- The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar nests are tagged and each turtle's birth date is registered. "Turtle Brigade" hotel employees invite guests to watch the turtles make their way to the sea, as well as educate the onlookers about the mammal and its voyage.
- At Las Ventanas al Paraiso, guests help to keep the newly hatched turtles' predators at bay, mostly by swirling sashes at hovering birds.
- At Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos, authorized staff collect nests from surrounding beaches and bring them to the resort's protected holding area. Since 2003, 6,800 turtles have been hatched from this site.
- The staff at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort relocates each found nest to a corral located at the front of their beach.
ASUPMATOMA is a private, non-profit group owned by René Pinal and located on a 2,000-acre nature preserve 15 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas. Local biologists teach children, tourists and the general public about turtles. Additionally, they provide tours of the preserve and opportunities to interact with the sea turtles. Last year the group protected 562 nests that produced 59,361 eggs from which 41,684 newborn baby sea turtles were released to the sea. For more information, contact savetheseaturtles.org.
Contact Information for Los Cabos Volunteer Tourism Program
Many hotels offer volunteer tourism. Best first stop for guidance is the Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau. Telephone is (52) 624-143-4777. Several tour companies specializing in volunteer tourism are Cabo Travel Advisors (cabocta.com) and Baja and Beyond Tours.
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