A few of you has messaged us to ask about the Sea Turtle Volunteer Program, please follow this page IUCN Volunteers: Marine Conservation in Vietnam – Bảo tồn biển Việt Nam to keep posted on when and how to apply. Good luck!

1. Hands Off

You can’t touch or hold the baby sea turtles because it affects their survival. They imprint on the sand where hatched. Oils from your skin can interfere with their imprinting process. If you grip them too hard you could break the white dot on their belly which holds three days worth of food.

Pro-tip: If a place lets you hold baby sea turtles in your bare hands, they aren’t committed to the preservation of the species.

2. Crawl Don’t Run

Release the sea turtles on the sand, not in the water. Crawling towards the ocean is part of the sea turtle imprinting process. It helps ensure their survival.

3. Sunrise or Sunset

To safeguard the sea turtles, they’re released at sunrise or sunset. This helps protect them from predators.

Pro-tip: Tour operators that allow releases during the middle of the day are not in the best interests of the sea turtles.

4. No Flash or Bright Lights

Bright lights and flashes from cameras and cell phones can disorient sea turtles. Hatchlings could get turned away from the ocean and use their limited energy resources.