Indonesia has one of the most diverse and unique wildlife populations. If you travel there, you will be able to spot some incredible and really unique local animals such as:

• Fish that climb trees to catch insects
• Orangutans
• Gibbons
• Sea Turtles
• Sharks

Indonesia has around 515 mammal species, 122 species of butterflies, 600 species of reptiles, 1531 species of birds and 270 species of amphibians. Talking about coexistence!

Cool fact: The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, lives in eastern Indonesia on the Islands of Komodo. It can grow up to 3 meters long and weigh up to 60 kilograms! Take the opportunity to work at an animal project, located in a beautiful setting of Indonesia. As a volunteer, you can take care of animals that have been harmed or mistreated. Your help is needed to rehabilitate and reintroduce them into their natural habitat. This is especially critical for the orangutan population. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra represent the last remaining natural habitat for orangutans in Indonesia. The Bornean orangutan, with a greater remaining habitat range, is at less risk of immediate extinction and classified as endangered, whereas the Sumatran orangutan is now classified as critically endangered.

Most volunteer projects focus their activities around:

• research and conservation
• nursing injured orangutans back to health and releasing them into the wild
• giving presentations on wildlife research and conservation

Helping to save the local orangutan population is a truly incredible and rewarding experience. As a volunteer, you will leave feeling that you have actively contributed to the on-going work of one of the remarkable conservation projects.

As you might expect, Indonesia is also rich in flora, and the country hosts unique varieties of tropical plants. In fact, Indonesia is home to the world's second-highest level of biodiversity in the world, and it is topped only by Brazil. Despite that, the country struggles against low levels of awareness, the absence of an environmental law enforcement and weak development of science and technology concerned with the protection and conservation of this biodiversity.

The 5 most important environmental challenges Indonesia is facing are:

1. Large-scale deforestation
2. Wildfires
3. Overexploitation of marine resources
4. Air and water pollution
5. Garbage management

If you want to help tackle these issues you should join a project that addresses environmental issues. Projects are always seeking volunteers to assist them with agroforestry, a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. Further, you might also want to get involved with implementing sustainable environmental initiatives such a permaculture.

Although Bali is blessed with tropical shores and lush landscapes, there are local communities that do need support. Volunteers can help in many areas, among others child care. Many families in Indonesia cannot afford a good standard of care and education for their children. Especially children from communities that work as farmers or fishermen are often disadvantaged.

Helping as a volunteer at a childcare project, you will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to inspire a new generation of Indonesia's children. These projects will make a meaningful difference for years to come and give you the chance to encourage children to learn and grow.

Education in Indonesia is obligatory for nine years and parents can choose to take their children to private or public schools. However, rural and secluded communities often have difficulty accessing quality education and need support. Similarly, many unemployed girls and young women benefit greatly from training and skills development.

As a volunteer in Indonesia, you could assist the people working in the field with this enormous task and support the various projects that focus on education for children or women. Among others, your teaching tasks can consist of:

Serving as a volunteer is also an amazing learning opportunity for yourself. You will learn both, about the challenges of poverty and the workings of non-profit organizations. Through one-on-one time with the children, you will learn intimately about the international issues of education, human rights, abuse and poverty.

• preparing and giving lessons
• creating and playing educational games
• motivating and empowering local youths

Indonesia is a country that has to deal with natural catastrophes such as volcanoes and tsunamis but also with an increasing crime rate and terrorism. However, given the size of this country, it's important to retain a sense of proportion, as an earthquake on one island might not have the slights effect on another. To be on the safe, you should keep the following safety guidelines in mind at all times during your volunteering journey in Indonesia:

• Only carry the money that you will need for the day in your wallet.
• Leave the rest in a safe in your hotel/hostel room together with credit/debit cards, air tickets and passport.
• Don't be too flashy when you are withdrawing money from a bank or at an ATM.
• Don't wear expensive jewelry when walking around.
• Watch where you leave your bags on public transportation (Tip for ladies: don't put your bags on the floor!)
• The use of helmets or any other type of object or piece of cloth covering the face of individuals upon entering a public or private premises is forbidden by law.

Important to know: Possession, trafficking and manufacture of drugs is a serious offense in Indonesia. Some of these offenses carry the death penalty. So, please, do not get involved!

There is certainly a lot to do and see in Indonesia. You will find everything you fancy, from great beaches to awesome historic sites. Be it for leisure, culture, diving or trekking, there are many places you should visit in your free time to experience the country's rich cultural, social diversity, as well as its iconic views. Indonesia has a huge population, and as a result of this, it has a good mix of cultural events, religious festivities, ceremonies and festivals. You will be able to find various and diverse religious events as well as local festivals, ceremonies or arts and cultural events.

Besides being known for its unique culture, Indonesia is also known for delicious food. Why is Indonesian food so delicious? Because it is based on fresh spices and great flavors! There certainly isn't an exhaustive list of Indonesian food, but it's one that you need to try and experience as a volunteer there. Indonesian food is great and you will definitely want more! So make sure you set some free time aside to try and taste as much as you can.

When volunteering in a different country, it's important to keep in mind that different cultures ask for different behaviors. Regarding the Indonesian culture, please keep in mind that:

• Indonesians don't like conflict and it's considered very rude to deliberately embarrass someone. Try to avoid raising your voice or making accusations.
• Ask before taking a picture of a local. Simply hold up your camera and ask "boleh?"
• Women should avoid wearing short shorts, miniskirts and revealing tops
• If you want to enter a mosque, you should wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Women should also cover their hair.

Going abroad always includes some precautions that need to be taken into account, especially if you are traveling to a country with tropical temperatures and wilderness. You should visit your health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip and check whether you need any vaccinations. In addition, here are some basic precautions you can take to avoid getting sick:

• Eat and drink safely: Don't eat undercooked food, avoid eating street food and don't drink water from the tap!
• Also, wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• Plan for how you will get health care during your stay. Bring medicine with you, especially if you need special medication.
• Prevent bug bites: You might want to cover exposed skin, use an insect repellent, and use a bed net.
• Be aware that rabies exists in domestic and wild animals. There are many street dogs in Indonesia and you should avoid direct contact with dogs, cats, monkeys and other animals.
• Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccinations before every trip. These vaccinations include MMR, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, chickenpox, polio and your yearly flu shot. Moreover, the US-based health protection agency CDC recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations because you can get these diseases through contaminated food or water in Indonesia.

There are some general requirements you should comply upon your arrival in Indonesia:

• Please check the current validity of your passport. The passport should be valid at least 6 months after your expected return home date.
• Make sure your passport has at least two blank Visa pages. Indonesia requires that you have adequate un-used pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure.
• In addition, please check if a transit visa is required for any connections.
• Make sure to be in possession of a valid return ticket.

The following information refers primarily to citizens of Australia, Switzerland, Canada, the USA and EU (including the UK).

To be honest, it can seem quite confusing at first, but there are two types of visa on arrival:

1. If you want to stay in Indonesia for less than 30 days, you can enter the country and volunteer with a free visa on arrival (basically without a visa). Please note that these visa-free visits can't be extended or transferred to another type of visa.
2. If you are planning to volunteer in Indonesia for up to 60 days, you should get the Visa on Arrival (VoA) for USD $35. As the name suggests, this visa can be obtained at the airport where you will arrive. This VoA is valid for 30 days but may be extended once for a period of 30 days when you are already in Indonesia (at a local immigration office). So you can stay 60 days in total. Please keep in mind that you need another blank visa page to receive your extension.

If you are planning to volunteer in Indonesia for more than 60 days, you should apply for a Social-Cultural Visa. This visa is valid for 60 days but can be extended four times, each time for 30 days up to a maximum stay of 180 days. You can apply for this visa through your closest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. Please note that you need an invitation letter from the Indonesian organization you are volunteering with in order to apply for the Social-Cultural Visa. Also, keep in mind that you need another blank visa page for each extension.