Each year, more than 10 million travelers engage in volunteer initiatives while vacationing, with voluntourism continuing to be an increasingly popular way to combine travel with making a positive impact. Many of these efforts focus on sustainable and environmental causes, offering the chance to leave a lasting mark on the places they visit.

Aruba offers voluntourism to protect the island’s ecosystem

Regarding voluntourism, Aruba is no exception, with multiple opportunities for visitors to contribute to preserving the Caribbean island‘s delicate ecosystem. From hotel volunteer programs to community-driven events, travelers can engage in meaningful initiatives that support Aruba’s local communities and environment. One of the biggest events of the year is CEDE Aruba’s Aruba Doet – an island-wide volunteer event held on May 16-17, one of the largest of its kind in the Caribbean.

Through these efforts, travelers can help sustain the wellbeing of Aruba’s flora, fauna, land and water and create memorable, impactful experiences during their stay.

Please see below for a full list of voluntourism opportunities in Aruba.

CEDE Aruba – Aruba Doet

From May 16 to 17, CEDE Aruba will hold the 13th edition of Aruba Doet, one of the largest volunteer events in the Caribbean. This offers an opportunity for social organizations to complete community work with the helping hands of Volunteers. Projects include the following:

• Beach and nature cleanups
• Mural paintings
• Gardening
• Decorating
• Renovating/building

Travelers are invited to join the local community for this annual volunteer event by signing up on the official CEDE Aruba website.

Boardwalk Boutique Hotel Aruba’s Do-Good Voluntourism Program

The Boardwalk Boutique Hotel Aruba’s Do-Good Program inspires guests to support the local community and environment in Aruba. The initiatives include the following:

Beach Cleanup: The Boardwalk Boutique Hotel Aruba hosts a #Boardwalkbucketchallange where guests are invited to take a bucket from the bucket station and fill it with trash from the beach. Following this, guests are asked to take a photo of their bucket and share it on social media using the hashtag #Boardwalkbucketchallange and return the bucket to hotel staff for recycling.

Donate a Crate!: For this Voluntouring initiative, guests can choose from three crate options to add to their bill: Baby, Hygiene, or Food, and Boardwalk will purchase these items and deliver them to the local food bank, Fundacion pa nos comunidad (FPNC). Moreover, guests are also invited to make a monetary donation to support Aruba’s local food bank by adding the amount of their choice to their bill.

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba

In this initiative, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba offers the following voluntourism opportunities:

Monthly Beach Clean-up Voluntourism initiative: Each month, guests at Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort are invited to team up with Bucuti Associates for its traditional beach clean-up. This volunteer initiative helps keep the beach pristine and free of debris that can negatively impact endangered Leatherback sea turtles, flora and fauna on land, and marine life just off the coast.

The Bucuti Tara – GMC Nature Preserve: The Bucuti Tara – GMC Nature Preserve is a protected 30-acre stretch in the heart of busy Noord where guests are invited to join resort staff, the island’s reforesting non-profit Ban Lanta y Planta and community members to help with the plantings and work towards reforesting the area.

Travelers can enjoy heartwarming and sustainable Voluntourism initiatives during their vacation on the beautiful island of Aruba. Learn more here and watch a video about voluntourism in Aruba below.