Dominican Republic: Marine Life and Coastal Restoration

Dominican Republic: Marine Life and Coastal Restoration

Questions? Call (440) 975-9691 for an admissions counselor

2025 Travel Dates

July 10 – July 25, 2025 Available Enroll Now

Grab your snorkel gear and dive into a marine adventure to protect the coastlines of the Dominican Republic. Stay in stunning Bayahibe and work with FUNDEMAR, a NGO dedicated to the conservation of marine ecosystems. Learn about threats to local marine and terrestrial life as you gain hands-on experience in scientific conservation methods, including the construction of reef restoration structures, the monitoring of coral growth in a wet lab, and the rehabilitation of mangroves. On remote Saona Island, spend a night helping to protect sea turtles. In your downtime, swim in freshwater caverns, search for sea stars in natural pools, and fall in love with island life.

Service projects support UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals
Program Profile
Program Profile
Growing up between the Dominican Republic and New York has given me a unique perspective about what makes this country amazing. Most think of the Dominican Republic as vacation destination with beautiful beaches, but it’s so much more complex than that with many layers of history and politics. I hope students leave with an understanding of Dominican life and a different view of this Caribbean paradise.

Quote by: Harry Alvarez Dominican Republic, Country Director

Accommodations


Students will mainly stay at our base house in the Dominican Republic. A base house is a home or lodge that is used throughout the summer for students. Here are details on accommodations:

Hotel in Santo Domingo

Students will stay in the Novus Hodelpa Hotel in the heart of the historic Colonial Zone. They’ll share rooms based on gender and have access to private bathrooms. Most teens will arrive in the evening, so their hotel stay will consist mainly of rest and relaxation.

Base House in Bayahibe

The students will drive to Bayahibe the next day and settle into the base house there. The accommodation is called the Villa Luna B&B. The teens will stay in bedrooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms. The site includes a pool and a garden and is located near the coastline.

A Night on Isla Saona

For one night, the students’ accommodations will be handled by a fishing charter company that will taking the students to Isla Saona via boat.

Base House in Bayahibe

After returning from the island, the students return to the base house in Bayahibe.

Ecolodge in Sabana de La Mar

The next stop is Sabana de La Mar. There the students will stay at the hotel Paraíso Caño Hondo. It’s located near the Jivales River and includes natural pools on the grounds. The bedrooms are rustic style with native elements of the area. The rooms include wooden floors, a ceiling fan and private bathrooms with hot water.

Hotel in Santo Domingo

The students end their journey at the Quality Hotel, outside of Santo Domingo. There they can give a fond farewell to their newfound friends.

Service Projects


Each student will provide about 32 hours of community service while on the program. During this time, they’ll work with environmental NGOs, including the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies – Fundemar. Plus, they’ll spend time interacting with children at a kids camp.

The service begins in Bayahibe on the southeastern coastline. The Dominican Republic has nearly 1000 miles of coastline and the reefs along its shore provide food and protection for many fish and other sea animals.

The students will begin their service by monitoring marine mammals and doing coral restoration projects. This includes constructing reef restoration structures, monitoring coral growth in a wet lab, and rehabilitating mangroves that are important for marine life.

They also take part in beach cleanups and create buoys so fishermen don’t drop anchors on coral reefs. The students take a break from marine service and spend a day leading local children in games at a kids camp. Then they return to the beach to save sea turtle eggs. Plus, they learn to identify important fish in the ecosystem like parrot fish versus invasive species like lionfish.

Alumna Liv Woodruff who traveled on the program in 2019 says her student group slowly became a family as they learned about the local ecosystem and did what they could to foster environmental improvements.

“The boats we rode on and the turquoise blue waters became both our playgrounds and projects, as we attempted to do our part to save the ocean,” Woodruff said.

Food


Students will have the opportunity to try a variety of food during the program. Most meals will be prepared at the base house or the hotels where they’re staying.

Foods on the menu will likely include los tres golpes for breakfast, which is fried cheese, fried salami, and fried eggs often served with plantains. For lunch and dinner, la bandera is a common choice. It’s a rice, beans, and chicken dish.

Local residents frequently offer coffee to guests. Dominican-style smoothies made with local fruits are another popular choice.

These options will be supplemented with some Western-style foods, including a stop at a pizzeria on the last day of the program.

See the Real Dominican Republic

As the days slowly melted together, so did we. My group slowly became a family, as late night games of spike ball and bilingual Bananagrams became our nightly rituals.

Liv Woodruff, Rustic Pathways Alumni

What’s Included in Your Program

Program Leaders & Guides

English Speaking Rustic Pathways international and local leaders

Airport Transportation

Meet and greet with private transportation to and from the airport

Comfortable Accommodations

All nights of accommodation

All Meals Included

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout your stay

Ground Transportation

All transportation between program locations and activities

All Activities

Every activity, entrance fee, and experience in your itinerary

24/7 Support

On-call support throughout the program for peace of mind

Emergency Coverage

Included emergency evacuation assurance plan

All Fees & Tips

Airport taxes, departure fees, donations, and guide tips

What’s Not Included in Your Program

International Flights

Souvenirs

Additional Snacks

Visa Expenses

Passport Fees

Hear the Story of a Past Rustic Pathways Traveler to the Dominican Republic

Rebuilding What Was Lost

Rustic Pathways student planting mangroves in the Dominican Republic

Reese Peters and her fellow students were given the task of heading deep into a mangrove
forest in the Dominican Republic to plant as many mangroves as they could. She said the
task seemed futile in the beginning.

“At first it seemed a bit ridiculous because how much of an impact would 13 teenagers have
on an entire forest? Once we got there, the crowded terrain it once was had turned into a
muddy swamp. But the older mangroves that had been there for years were absolutely beautiful.
Our guide had such passion for these forests since this was his home and was torn at the fact
that these plants were dying. Their community thrived off of this land and it hurt the people
to see it slowly diminishing.

Our group hopped off the boat, ready to get to work. Our legs sunk into the mud all the way
up to our knees, but our end goal didn’t involve being clean.

We walked around and planted as many mangroves as we could, each leaving a couple of feet
around these new plants so they could grow as big as the others. We felt relieved as we looked
back seeing this muddy landscape, knowing it would one day return to its former glory. Our guide
was as grateful as could be knowing people our age still cared about these wonders of the world.”

Packing the right gear (and the right amounts) is the first step to an incredible travel experience. Follow these tips to pack like a pro:

Travel light. Pack only the essentials. You’ll need less than you think!
Consider no checked bag. We strongly recommend that you consider packing only a carry-on size bag. This prevents your luggage getting lost or separated from you, keeps your bag manageable, and helps you be more mobile on your travel day.
Bring the right clothes. Pack clothes that are culturally appropriate for your destination and acceptable for service projects. This means bringing long shorts (think Bermuda and basketball shorts), t-shirts with sleeves to cover shoulders, and appropriate footwear.
Leave your valuables behind. While traveling, it’s easier for things to get lost, stolen, or damaged. Keep any prized possessions safe at home.
Check with TSA. Make sure your luggage complies with TSA regulations, especially your carry-on. Useful tip: Pack an empty water bottle and fill it up after security.
Extra paperwork? If you need additional forms filled out to get credit for your service hours, no problem! Bring these forms with you so they can be completed in-country.

Daypack

A school backpack is ideal as it will be used for daily activities and outings.

  • Passport
  • Two photocopies of passport
  • Wallet/money
  • Book and/or journal
  • Pen
  • Phone
  • Camera
  • Chargers
  • Ear buds
  • Change of clothes
  • Water bottle
  • Medication
  • Additional community service forms
  • Visa documentation (if applicable)
  • Consent to Travel Letter (for students under 19, recommended by the US State Dept but not required)
  • Rustic Pathways emergency contacts
Main luggage

A 40-50 liter duffel bag or backpack is ideal.

Miscellaneous:

  • Headlamp with red light setting (better for the turtles!)
  • Snorkel gear (fins, mask, snorkel)
  • Dry bag (to use on boat rides)
  • Students must bring additional hand sanitizer and one disposable mask per day of the program, or three hand-washable masks

Clothes:

  • Socks (10)
  • Underwear (15)
  • Lightweight pants (2-3)
  • Work pants or jeans (1)
  • Long, loose-fitting shorts for service project work. Something that provides coverage and protection while keeping you cool.
  • Athletic shorts (7-8)
  • Long skirt or dress (2-3)
  • T-shirts (7-9)
  • Tank tops (5-7)
  • Long sleeved shirt (1)
  • Pajamas
  • Swimsuit (2-4)
  • Long sleeved rash guard (1)
  • Quick dry towel
  • Beach towel/sarong
  • Rain jacket
  • Light jacket
  • Strappy sandals (like Tevas or Chacos)
  • Sneakers
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat (for sun)

Toiletries:
(Travel size bottles in Ziploc bags)

  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body wash
  • Face wash
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Oxybenzone-free sunscreen (reef-safe)
  • Bug spray
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Contacts
  • Contact solution
  • Foam earplugs
  • Personal med kit
  • Deodorant
  • Wet Wipes
  • Razor/shaving cream
Important Reminders
  • Shorts should be knee length—think Bermuda or basketball shorts—to be respectful to the local culture and traditions.
  • Students must bring additional hand sanitizer and one disposable mask per day of the program, or three hand-washable masks.