Volunteering in a foreign country can be an unforgettable experience: you donate your time and skills to help disadvantaged communities, and in return you get the see the world -- all while receiving an invaluable insight into another culture.

For travelers wanting to volunteer in Mexico, there are a host of programs to choose from. Opportunities ran the gamut from teaching English to assisting with conservation projects.

Here, a range of organizations offering volunteer opportunities in Mexico, from providing healthcare to villagers in rural Oaxaca to diving on the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Organization: Proworld

• The Location: Oaxaca
• The Program: Volunteers work in a rural health clinic alongside local doctors, vaccinating children and taking part in health outreach programs
• The Duration: Ranges depending on program, from 2-4 weeks to 6 month stints
• The Costs: Visit Proworld for details
• The Highlights: Staying with a local family, learning Spanish, gaining hands-on healthcare experience. In their free time, volunteers can participate in a range of activities from archeology to birdwatching and mountaineering

The Organization: GeoVisions

• The Location: Participants have their orientation in Mexico City, and from there travel to placements in Queretaro, Zacatecas or Michoacan
• The Program: The “Conversation Partner,” which involves tutoring and teaching English at a local language school
• The Duration: Two months
• The Costs: Visit GeoVisions for details. Fees include housing with a Mexican host family, food, training and medical insurance

• The Highlights: The trips really focus on cultural exchange, so you’ll not only teach English but gain language skills and insight into the Mexican culture. The commitment is only 20 hours a week, which leaves lots of time to explore the country

The Organization: Projects Abroad

• The Location: Campemento Tecoman, on the Pacific coast of Colima
• The Program: The sea turtle conservation project, part of “Alternative Spring Break Trips,” which are specially designed for students and scheduled to coincide with major university calendars
• The Duration: One week during spring break
• The Costs: Visit Projects Abroad for details
• The Highlights: Camping on a beautiful beach on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, combing the sand looking for turtle eggs and then removing them to a hatchery – an unforgettable and unusual spring break experience 

More turtle conservation projects in Mexico

The Organization: GVI

• The Location: Yucatan Peninsula
• The Program: The Marine Conservation Expedition lets volunteers build up valuable skills – like learning how to dive – while taking part in crucial conservation work to help monitor and protect the world’s second-largest coral reef
• The Duration: Five weeks
• The Costs: $3,350, including accommodation on a remote jungle camp, food and PADI dive training. Visit GVI for more details
• The Highlights: Learn Spanish, get your PADI dive qualification and experience one of Mexico’s most breathtaking natural wonders up close…all while helping preserve this incredible ecosystem