Volunteer in Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Mexico Puerto Vallarta Overview
Volunteer in Puerto Vallarta is unique in providing volunteers with extremely worthwhile work in a top Mexican resort. Volunteers will work with an experienced coordinator at various centres in need in and around Puerto Vallarta from community centres, childrens homes and centres for children with special needs and physical disabilities.
Placement at a Glance
Puerto Vallarta placement map
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Book now on 01603 627 007 and contact people travelling to the same project!
Trip info for Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Country: Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Book your placement with £125. Then pay £95 per week to volunteer and live in Puerto Vallarta.
Change lives and volunteer in Mexico Puerto Vallarta 2013 - 2014
Volunteer in Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Volunteer in the steamy colonial city of Guadalajara. Enjoy a mixed variety of projects from teaching English, arts and crafts activities to care work or try your hands at being a zoopkeeper, There is plenty to try when helping in Mexico. Placements can be easily chosen on arrival, according to your preferences, after chatting with the local English speaking volunteer co-ordinator, who is there to support you during your stay. Volunteers travel and volunteer together in groups or pairs, so you will never be short for company whilst volunteering. Volunteers spend their free weekends in a variety of ways from trips to the coast or relaxing at the lake.
Skills and Experience, no experience is required when working in Puerto Vallarta. As long as you come with energy and enthusiasm, you will be sure to fit in and have fun in your volunteering experience. Your volunteer co-ordinator will provide training and support for all volunteers new to English teaching.
What's included
Volunteer accommodation is provided and volunteers share a small house in town with dormitory style bedrooms a communal kitchen, bathroom and lounge. Additional similar shared accommodation is provided in the busy periods. Airport pick-up is available to all our volunteers and costs approx £10. English speaking co-ordinator to settle you in.
We consider this project ideal if you...
- Want to experience the real Mexico.
- Want to gain valuable work experience for your CV
- Are looking for a placement which allows you to implement your own ideas and for longer stay volunteers, experience real change during a visit.
- Are studying Spanish or want to imrprove fluency working alongside Spanish speakers (there is no Spanish requirement as for any project but for those already with some Spanish this is a great opportunity to improve)
What's not included
Flights
Insurance
Return airport transfer (coordinator can help organise)
Local transport to get to projects each day and during free time.
Meals (self catering use of kitchen or eat out in local cafes)
Highlights
Opportunity to take part in different activities
A dedicated English speaking co-ordinator, always there to help
Accommodation
Volunteers stay in shared accommodation, in a house. There are 2 to 4 bedrooms in the house, with bunk beds. There is also a living room, dining room and a kitchen.
Local support
An English speaking volunteer co-ordinator provides support during your stay, and can be easily reached for any out of hours advice or assistance by phone.
Project resources and advice
Volunteers are encouraged to take some general activity books or craft materials which do not require language if wanting to volunteer at the childrens home, for example colouring books or dot to dot.
Local facilities
Puerto Vallarta has all the local facilities that are needed within walking distance, including banks, doctors, cafes and other amenities.
Puerto Vallarta is a fairly big city and has most of the amenities and facilities needed, including: cinemas, bars, restaurants, internet cafés and nightclubs. A day after arrival, the co-ordinator will usually arrange a tour of the city and the area surrounding the city. On this tour you will be shown the facilities, shops, and where best to get buses etc.
Not on your own
Although some volunteers travel with friends, the bigger majority travel alone. It is possible to get in contact with other volunteers before your travel, and a lot of people tend to do this. Some volunteers even plan to travel together and set this up themselves before they depart.
How to apply
It is quick an easy to book with Original Volunteers. You can book online or call us on now on 01603 627 007 and book over the phone.
See related video ‘How to book’.
It costs £125 to book. Once book you can go to as many placements as you want within a year without having to pay the booking fee of £125 again.
The booking fee instantly books and reserves your place for any month you choose .We are very flexible. Just let us know if your plans change and spaces permitting we will put you on another list.
When to pay for this project
Accommodation for Puerto Vallarta is paid before you travel. The latest in which to do this is about two weeks before your departure. An invoice will be sent by email when we have received all your flights and form with your personal details.
Fast facts - Project information
Project Duration: Min 1 week - Max 12 weeks
Location of project: Puerto Vallarta and surrounding suburbs and villages
Arrival Airport: Puerto Vallarta (or Mexico City and bus to Puerto Vallarta)
Activities: Choose from: General day-to-day care and play/art/craft with children, zookeeping, informal English teaching, carework and hospital work.
Working Hours: 5 days a week. Weekends free to explore and relax
Getting to the project: Airport pick-up and transfer from Puerto Vallarta airport to the volunteer house is automatically arranged for all volunteers, once flights have been received.
Requirements: Minimum age 18
On arrival
Most volunteers fly into Puerto Vallarta airport and an airport pick up is automatically provided. Volunteers can also fly to Mexico City and make their own way overland by bus (approx 7 hours, ETN charges approx £40 single)
Food
Mexico Puerto Vallarta is a self-catering project. There are plenty of shops nearby where you can buy food to take back to the kitchen and prepare. There are also cafés and bars close by where you can go to eat out.
Free time
During the week, volunteers often spend their evenings at the volunteer house relaxing or strolling in the colonial heart of the city. All activities and excursions can be easily organised through one of the many tourist agencies in Puerto Vallarta. Just ask your co-ordinator for advice on what to see during your visit. The most popular excursions are to the lake for the day or to the Pacific coastal resorts for the weekend.
Health
There is a hospital nearby and should you need the use of one, the project co-ordinator will help you with your transfer there.
What to take
Once you have applied and registered with Original Volunteers, you will receive an Information Pack via email that will have further details on the project in Puerto Vallarta; in this email there will be a list of items to take and items that are best not to take.
Things that you will need to organise yourself
Flights to Puerto Vallarta (or Mexico City and overland travel by bus)
Travel Insurance
Any resources you wish to bring
Food
What happens after you have booked?
- As soon as you have booked you will receive a welcome email confirming your booking and explaining in more detail how to get organised for you trip.
- We will Buddy you up with another volunteer going to the Puerto Vallarta volunteer programme arriving around the same time so you should have a good chance to travel together if you wish to.
- You will also receive a Welcome Pack with some useful information which will include project specific advice on what to take, how to prepare and travel health recommendations
- We will handle all your documentation sent to us, forward this to your project and ensure your airport pick up is organised for you by the local team.
- We are available for any pre trip advice you may have on 01603 627007 or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- An invoice will be sent by email to pay for your project which can be paid easily online.
- We will provide comprehensive contact details of your local team before travel. https://
Below is an example timeline for a volunteer travelling in July 2014.
- At anytime : get flights to Puerto Vallarta. There are no fixed start dates but an arrival between Monday and Wednesday is recommended to settle in before the weekend.
- Add yourself to the Buddy List to meet other volunteers, travel together or simply find a familiar face when you arrive.
- Join the volunteer community on Facebook to see recent pictures from projects and other interesting stories and updates
- April: contact your travel nurse or travel clinic to make appointments for jabs and boosters (for more information on what is typically recommended please refer to the NHS website fitfortravel). Anti-malarials are not usually advised for this part of Mexico.
- June : Arrange suitable travel insurance – further advice is provided in your emailed welcome pack
- No visa is required before travel for Mexico for UK passport holders for short visits. If you require a visa - contact us if you require letters of introduction which we can prepare for you.
- As soon as you have flights to Puerto Vallarta: Upload your flight following the link in the Welcome Pack – your flight confirms your space on this popular project.
- At anytime : pay for your volunteer support contribution - we will send you an invoice by email to pay online – don't worry we will send you a reminder if you forget!
- We will organise your pick up and transfer from the airport automatically when we receive your flights.
Mexico - Puerto Vallarta at a glance
Mexico is a land of contrasts, a developing country yet one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Attractions in Mexico include ancient Aztec and Mayan cities, Spanish colonial architecture, the Copper Canyon railway, fabulous beaches, cheap tequila and bustling markets selling local handicrafts.
Affordably priced activities in the immediate area include guided hikes, horse riding and on the coast scuba diving, kayaking snorkelling, whale watching and swimming with dolphins.
Climate
Climate: rainy season May to October with high humidity between June and September where temperatures can reach 35! Leave synthetic fabrics at home during this time. However as Puerto Vallarta is higher up so the summer is not so hot as other parts of Mexico. The coolest months are between December and February although the temperature can still average 20 degrees Celsius.
Time difference to the UK: GMT -6hrs
Apply now on-line. There are no set arrival dates for Puerto Vallarta so you can arrive whenever it is convenient for you, just select the month you plan to arrive. You can stay over into the next month. Although there are no set start dates, we recommend arriving between Monday and Wednesday to settle in and make friends before the weekend when volunteers often explore further afield or relax together.
Media from Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Country: Mexico - Puerto Vallarta
Book your placement with £125. Then pay £95 per week to volunteer and live in Puerto Vallarta.
Images of Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Many of our returning Mexico Puerto Vallarta volunteers send us photos of their positive experiences in Americas. Click on the images below to get an idea of what to expect volunteering at this project.
Frequently asked questions – Puerto Vallarta
Country: Mexico Puerto Vallarta
Book your placement with £125. Then pay £95 per week to volunteer and live in Puerto Vallarta.
Puerto Vallarta Specific Questions
Is experience needed?
Volunteers do not require any experience for this project.
Where will I be staying?
Volunteers live together with their coordinator or at busy times with local families or shared volunteer apartments.
Will I need a visa?
Visas are not required for UK/European passport holders on short visits.
Will I be met on arrival?
All volunteers are met at the airport on arrival.
What are the start dates?
There are no start dates, volunteers can arrive on any day of the week.
Can I stay with my friend?
Everyone arriving with a friend will be placed together.
I am worried about travelling on my own - can I buddy up with someone?
We can help you find someone to travel together - use our Buddy List or pop us a message on the main Facebook Group and we'll add you to our weekly round up of travel buddies.
Will I need any jabs?
We advise to consult your trained travel health nurse a few weeks before travel for up to date advice and nay booster shots you might need (Taken from the nhs website fitfortravel 21/08/13).
Do I need to bring anything?
Unlike other community based projects, few resources are needed to help you to be a successful volunteer just bring yourself! A list of suggestions is provided in the Welcome Pack.
Should I bring anything for me?
Plenty of holiday clothes and beachwear. For volunteering shorts and regular t-shirts, the OV t-shirt will be ideal. Try to avoid strappy vests for volunteering.
How can I keep in touch with home?
Signal is good so bring an unlocked phone from home and buy a sim card on arrival.
Contact us for specific questions
We are always happy to answer any questions you may have. We pride ourselves in the vast knowledge of our projects and are always willing to share. Give us a call for a quick chat on 01603 627007 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get the answers you need!
