A waste of a gem
My experience at Barefoot Conservation Arborek was mixed. There were several very positive aspects that I truly appreciated. The marine life and diving are brilliant — when conditions were good, I saw mantas, reef sharks, turtles, and smaller marine life such as mantis shrimp and orangutan crabs. The people also made a big difference: the science team are wonderful, friendly, knowledgeable, and always happy to share their expertise. The dive manager brings a fantastic sense of humour and makes the dive courses fun and engaging. Most of my fellow volunteers were also great to meet and learn from, coming from all over the world.
On the average side, I would place the science programme. It is adequate but quite basic, with limited depth. Some of the course materials are outdated, going back to 2003 and most lessons lacked depth or explanation. For example, while we learned to identify fish species important to Raja Ampat’s conservation efforts, there was little context provided on why these species matter or their ecological and economic roles. There’s definitely room to strengthen the scientific learning experience.
The learning materials themselves are also in poor condition. Many of the laminated identification sheets for fish and corals are faded or barely legible, and a reference book on reef fish has been damaged by water. It’s surprising that these resources haven’t been put online to ensure better preservation and access.
Unfortunately, the negatives go beyond that. The food quality is very poor and, given the lack of alternatives, meals are often eaten out of necessity rather than enjoyment. Most dishes are deep-fried and excessively oily, while vegetables are over-boiled to the point of losing all texture, flavour, and nutritional value. The kitchen itself is in an unacceptable state of filth — layers of grime and grease have clearly built up over months, if not years. Even after scrubbing with boiling water and vinegar, some surfaces, containers and utensils remained filthy. In any developed country, the kitchen would be shut down on health and safety grounds. To make matters worse, the cook frequently smokes while preparing food.
There are also serious health and safety hazards around camp that appear to be ignored by management. Exposed live electrical wires hang between buildings, covered with nothing more than a bit of electrical tape — a clear fire and electrocution risk. Rusted nails protrude from structures, and several volunteers sustained cuts or scrapes, which easily become infected in tropical conditions. The infrastructure is poorly maintained, and during my stay, I personally witnessed volunteers getting injured. A major safety incident feels, unfortunately, inevitable under current conditions.
Management is significant weak points. The operation seems to run on autopilot, with little visible oversight or accountability. The owner, who lives offsite, is particularly difficult to contact. Once payment has been made, communication becomes almost impossible — emails go unanswered, and follow-up is required repeatedly. It took more than a week to receive PADI course materials, which should have been available immediately online. Other volunteers reported similar experiences and frustrations. From what I heard, the owner’s reluctance to delegate authority to onsite staff contributes to many of these operational issues.
Finally, the programme description is also highly misleading. The claim that participants “dive with manta rays every day” is almost the exact opposite of reality. Manta sightings are rare, even at the cleaning stations, where it’s more common not to see any at all. Similarly, the statement about “working alongside the local community” is not accurate. There is no active promotion of waste management among local residents. Instead, volunteers are sent to clean the beaches twice a week while members of the community are either absent or watching, which unfortunately reinforces existing negative behaviours around littering. The village itself is littered with rubbish — even around the camp, where cigarette butts are scattered across the ground, reflecting a lack of management oversight and care.
The claim that volunteers can “become certified Reef Check Eco Divers” is also untrue — no such certification was offered or provided during my time there. This appears to be an entirely fabricated statement by Barefoot.
I cannot recommend this programme. As it stands, Barefoot Conservation Arborek does not appear serious about creating a safe, rewarding, or responsible experience for its volunteers.