What should I bring?

Here are some useful suggestions. The Philippines is hot and often humid too. We suggest you choose light clothes. Most volunteers who bring more than a pair or two of long pants and/or anything with long sleeves never use it. If you are a woman and want to be able to do work in the local community (like teaching in schools), please bring some items of clothing that covers your shoulders (a normal t-shirt if fine) and some shorts that aren’t too short. Guys need to cover shoulders too on formal occasions.

If you use tampons, please be aware that they are difficult to find in the Philippines. We recommend bringing your own supply.

If you are prone to getting bitten by mosquitoes, consider bringing some repellant. You do not need malaria-meds, as there is no malaria here. December til June are almost completely dry months, and there are very few mosquitoes anyway. Outside of those months it is also a good idea to bring a rain coat, just in case. No matter which time of year you volunteer, you definitely want to bring a high SPF sunscreen! We recommend something like this one, as it’s safe for corals, and many sunscreens aren’t. Best to bring is both a long-sleeved rash guard and sunscreen!

It’s recommended to bring a little cheap flashlight. You do not need to bring any bedlinen, sleeping bags or similar – we got you covered. (Oh! And if you by any chance are arriving from Denmark, the UK or Brazil, you will be our best new friend if you could maybe bring some small comfort foods or package from family or friends of our permanent staff. This is how you earn big, big brownie points!)