Parque Hawaii

Parque Hawaii, a nature reserve operated by Arcas (Asociación de Rescate y Conservación de Vida Silvestre, Wildlife Rescue & Conservation Association; www.arcasguatemala.com) comprises a sea-turtle hatchery with some caimans 8km east along the beach from Monterrico. It is separate from and rivals Cecon's work in the same field. Volunteers are welcome year-round, but the real sea turtle nesting season is from June to November, with August and September being the peak months.

Volunteers are charged around US$50 a week for a room, with meals extra and homestay options with local families. Jobs for volunteers include hatchery checks and maintenance, local school education sessions, mangrove reforestation, basic construction and data collection. The bulk of the egg collection happens at night. It's a way out of town, but there are usually other volunteers to keep you company and while you're here you can use the kayaks, go on village trips and go fishing in the sea and mangroves. A bus (around US$1, 30 minutes) leaves the Monterrico jetty at 06:00, 11:00, 13:30 and 15:30 (and 18:30, except Saturday) for the bumpy ride to the reserve. Pickups also operate on this route, charging around US$4 per person. Check out the Arcas website for more information.