Open arms-Keeping the way home safe for sea turtles
At the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area, conservation officers and volunteers affectionately known as the “Turtle Buddies” are spending an extraordinary summer under the island’s blazing sun and powerful coastal winds. As members of the Sea Turtle Conservation Volunteer Programme, they are helping protect the nesting grounds and keep the turtles’ journey home safe.
A Safe Haven for Returning Sea Turtles
As one of the volunteers in the first group of the 2026 program, Tran Minh Phuc, a young teacher said his time at Hon Cau had given him valuable hands-on experience.
“I feel fortunate to be part of the programme. As someone who loves nature and understands the threats facing marine ecosystems, I want to contribute to sea turtle conservation. The experience will also help me raise my students’ awareness of marine conservation and environmental protection,” he said.
Each day, volunteers and conservation staff clear plastic waste from the beaches and remove fishing nets entangled in coral reefs. At night, they split into small groups to patrol the shoreline quietly, look for turtle tracks and wait for female turtles to come ashore. Xuan Anh, a volunteer from Hai Phong, said: “A week may seem short, but it is enough to change the way we see nature. I have realised that everyone can make a difference, sometimes through an action as simple as bending down to pick up a plastic bottle.”
Hon Cau is a strategically important site in Vietnam's sea turtle conservation network. Since 2016, the Sea Turtle Conservation Volunteer Programme, jointly implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Vietnam, national parks, marine protected areas and local communities, has drawn a growing number of participants to the island.
Luu Yen Phi, a member of the sea turtle protection team at the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area, said the 2026 programme consists of four monthly volunteer groups running until September. “Registration numbers continue to rise with each group, and many volunteers return to Hon Cau for another season. Together, they clear waste from the coastline, monitor nesting beaches, protect egg clutches and move eggs to safe incubation sites. However, not every group is lucky enough to see female turtles come ashore to nest,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dang Nhan Nghia, a volunteer from Dong Thap, said: “The seven days went by very quickly. More than a hands-on experience, the programme taught me to live with a greater sense of responsibility for the environment and all forms of life around us. That responsibility begins with the smallest actions, from respecting nature to sharing positive values with the wider community.”
Small Actions, Lasting Impact
According to IUCN, more than 2,000 people applied for the 2026 summer volunteer programme, with around 200 selected to take part in conservation activities at Hon Cau and Con Dao. Despite receiving no financial support, enduring difficult living conditions and spending sleepless nights patrolling nesting beaches, many regard the experience as one of the most meaningful memories of their youth.
The volunteers come to Hon Cau not only in the hope of seeing female turtles return to nest but also because of their love for nature and commitment to environmental protection. Every bag of waste collected, every fishing net removed from the coral reefs and every night patrol helps make the island a safer nesting ground for sea turtles.
Since 2013, 82 sea turtle nesting events have been recorded at the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area, involving more than 6,800 eggs. These figures reflect not only countless nights of patrol but also the long-term dedication of conservation staff, local authorities, organisations and the wider community.
According to Tran Hoang Phuoc, an officer at the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area, "After laying their eggs, female turtles return to the sea and do not remain to care for their young. Before coming ashore, they instinctively assess the habitat, food availability and safety of the nesting area. To encourage them to return, we must first ensure that this place remains safe.”
It takes 25 to 30 years for a female sea turtle to reach maturity and return to the area where it hatched to begin a new nesting cycle. However, sea turtles come ashore to nest only when they sense that the environment is truly safe.
This decades-long journey home can continue only through the collective efforts of individuals, organisations and communities to protect ecosystems, preserve biodiversity, reduce human impacts and promote sustainable practices.