More and more organisations in Bali are focusing on coral restoration and planting around the island. With so many damaged or destroyed reefs, the ocean here needs all the help it can get, and you can do your part in sustainable tourism and give back during your time in Bali.
With quite a few coral restoration organisations and NGOs to choose from in Bali, it can be tricky to choose the right one to support. They offer very different experiences, and while some are suitable for tourists, others are better for longer stays on the island.
Many coral restoration efforts require you to be a certified diver, but there are also options on this list for those who only want to snorkel. Or, if you want to help from afar, you can always sponsor a coral, which costs as little as US $10.
Here are the best coral restoration NGOs to support in Bali, with plenty of opportunities for planting coral, joining educational workshops and getting hands-on experience both in and out of the water.
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Why you can trust this article about coral planting in Bali
Hi, I’m Victoria, and I’m your go-to source for Bali and Indonesia travel information.
I’ve lived on this beautiful island for several years now and visited plenty of times before that, both as a tourist and backpacker. I know how to save money and when to splurge on things, so I’ll introduce you to the best luxury getaways for a special occasion but also the cheapest airport pickups and fun group tours you can join if you want to make friends.
Bali is a place that struggles with over-tourism and lacks regulations and enforcement when it comes to protecting the environment. If you snorkel anywhere in Bali, and also the Gili Islands in Lombok, you’ll see a lot of dead coral and reefs that were damaged by people, boats and other human-caused factors.
As someone who swims and snorkels in Bali quite a lot, I’m on a mission to find different ways for visitors and expats to give back and ensure Bali’s marine life stays as healthy as possible. I’ve visited and spent a day with quite a few coral restoration organisations and have some clear favourites that are worth supporting, in my opinion.
Since I live in Bali permanently, I can do my best to keep this article up-to-date, and will add to it should new organisations appear or information change.
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Best coral planting NGOs and places to plant coral in Bali
If you’re looking for a unique experience in Bali that supports sustainable tourism and is educational at the same time, we highly recommend joining a coral restoration organisation and planting your own coral. Many are located in Nusa Penida or areas of north Bali, and the majority offer some sort of experience for tourists.
Here are the best coral planting NGOs and charities in Bali.


1. Living Seas Foundation
The Living Seas Foundation has the largest reef restoration site in Bali at 3,000 m2, with over 100,000 corals planted in Padang Bai in the past five years.
In my opinion, they provide the best experience to visiting tourists, combining education and tourism with reef restoration. If you only have time to pick one organisation to visit, I would probably recommend this one. One reason for this is that they allow both scuba divers and snorkellers to join in their coral planting days, while many organisations only cater to divers.
We’ve personally visited the Living Seas Foundation and helped plant reef stars at their coral restoration site, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in Bali so far.
They are also a highly organised and knowledgeable organisation that focuses not only on planting coral but also on maintaining the growing reefs, which is incredibly important to make sure that any restoration efforts aren’t wasted.
They offer different types of dives, planting days, and educational workshops, so make sure to check their schedule for upcoming events.
If you’re not able to head to Padang Bai to visit the Living Seas Foundation team, I would highly recommend sponsoring a reef star, which costs only US $30 and has space for 18 coral pieces. Alternatively, you can adopt a single coral for US $10 or even sponsor a superstar for US $65.
Your reef star will come with a bamboo tag with your name on it, and the Living Seas team will even send you monthly photos and updates until the tag becomes too difficult to read as the reef takes over.
There is also a subscription, so you can contribute a reef star every month and know that you did your part to support sustainable tourism.
In addition to restoration dives, the Living Seas Foundation also offers different dive courses, so if you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to get certified, this is a fantastic choice.
Website: Living Seas Foundation
Location: Padang Bai
Activities: coral planting for both divers and snorkellers, sponsored coral, restoration dives
Address: Jl. Silayukti, Padangbai, Kec. Manggis, Kabupaten Karangasem, Bali 80871



2. Metamorfosa
Metamorfosa is another one of my personal favourite coral planting charities and an organisation that we visit every time we head to West Bali. Located in the Banjuwedang/Sumberkima area, not far from West Bali National Park, Metamorfosa’s modern head office is located right by the water and the local mangrove forests.
They not only plant coral but also banyan and fruit trees, providing education and income to the local community.
Their artificial reefs have formed an underwater art gallery, which you can visit by joining one of their snorkelling tours. You can also sponsor coral and have them planted for you if you’re not able to visit West Bali soon. The types of structures you can sponsor start at only €10 and go all the way up to €600.
I’ve been on their kayaking and coral planting tour twice now, and it’s always been a fantastic experience. The area is extremely beautiful and perfect for snorkelling, with hundreds of starfish and lots of underwater life to see. You can also stop by Gili Putih, a remote sandbank located very close by.
Metamorfosa also rescues and releases baby sea turtles and offers all sorts of tours and packages including scuba diving, stand-up-paddle tours, floating restaurant experiences, beach clean ups, hiking trips and more.
They partner with local organisations, such as the renowned Sumberkima Hill Retreat, which is located just a quick drive away.
Website: Metamorfosa
Location: West Bali
Activities: coral planting for snorkellers, kayaking, sea turtle release, diving, sponsored coral and much more
Address: VH6X+HQV, Sumberkima, Gerokgak, Buleleng Regency, Bali 81155



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3. Sea Communities
Sea Communities is a small organisation in North Bali that focuses on extended volunteer stays for both scuba divers and snorkelers. They welcome anyone to come and join their coral planting efforts, promoting sustainable fishing practices and involving the local community of Les Village, where they are located.
You can stay anywhere from three days to several weeks, with no maximum duration. While you don’t need to be a diver to join, they encourage it and also offer onsite certification if you’re interested.
Program costs include accommodation (shared), meals, airport pickup and your own adopted coral. If you’re looking for the ultimate getaway in Bali while having a positive impact at the same time, definitely look into this organisation.
Website: Sea Communities
Location: Les, North Bali
Activities: Coral planting volunteer programs
Address: Pantai Penyumbahan, Les, Tejakula, Buleleng Regency, Bali 81173

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4. Blue Corner Conservation
Blue Corner Conservation is another major coral restoration initiative in Bali, with its main location in Nusa Lembongan and another coral planting site in Nusa Penida.
They are a dive school, so they’re very focused on different diving offers with one to six-day courses available and different certifications. Blue Corner Conservation also offers plenty of internship opportunities, so they’re a great choice for longer stays in Bali.
Their one-day coral restoration experience is fantastic for divers hoping to get an introduction to the world of coral restoration and planting in Bali, and it also includes the adoption of one coral frame.
While they don’t have any options for non-divers to join their coral planting efforts, you can still sponsor a coral for US $5, or a frame for US $50.
Website: Blue Corner Conservation
Location: Nusa Penida
Activities: dive courses and sponsored coral
Address: Jl. Jungutbatu, Nusa, Lembongan, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali 80771

5. Ocean Gardener
Ocean Gardener is a very large, well-known organisation focused on coral restoration and planting in Bali and across Indonesia. With over 25 years of experience in coral farming, they have perfected the process and have planted over 100,000 corals in that time.
In Bali, their main restoration sites are in Nusa Penida along the main beach and at Crystal Bay, with more locations in Sanur and Tulamben close to Amed.
Their efforts are all about education, working with different local organisations, hotels and dive shops to provide workshops and much more.
As a visitor, you can join one of their many coral diving courses, which take anywhere from three days to four weeks and include anything you might need to know about coral restoration, farming and planting. In fact, they offer many different types of dive courses focused things like on reef fish, giant clams, anemones and much more. Just note that you already need to be open water certified to join most of the courses.
This is definitely a great choice if you’re looking for an extremely in-depth experience, and some of the more in-depth courses even require you to have a degree in a relevant field. Non-divers can join the coral discovery course, which is half-day and includes coral planting and snorkelling.
You can, however, still sponsor a coral with Ocean Gardener, and prices start at US $50 and go up to over US $2,000 for a large structure.
Website: Ocean Gardener
Location: Nusa Penida and Tulamben
Activities: coral dive courses, snorkelling and sponsored coral

6. North Bali Reef Conservation
Founded by Ketut, who grew up in the small fishing village of Tianyar, North Bali Reef Conservation is a local-run coral restoration organisation that works hard to regenerate the local reefs. They include the local community of fishermen in their efforts, providing education about sustainable fishing practices and how to protect marine life.
You will need a PADI Open Water Certificate to join in their coral planting efforts, although they also offer opportunities to get certified on arrival if needed. Note that they aim to dive approximately once per week, so many of their program activities also take part outside of the water.
This area of North Bali is extremely quiet and peaceful, and the community at North Bali Reef Conservation is tightly knit, so it’s a great choice for those looking for a secluded getaway.
Program durations are from one to eight weeks, and the cost to join includes accommodation (shared), airport pickup and three meals per day (weekends excluded).
Website: North Bali Reef Conservation
Location: Tianyar, North Bali
Activities: coral restoration programs
Address: Jl. Labuan Jelung, Tianyar, Kec. Kubu, Kabupaten Karangasem, Bali 80853

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7. Coral Triangle Centre
The Coral Triangle Centre is an organisation located in Sanur that has major coral planting efforts in Nusa Penida. They are very active in the conservation field and offer all sorts of courses to government officials, schools, volunteers and more. However, they don’t offer much to tourists, so if you’re looking for a hands-on experience this might not be the best choice.
You can still visit the Coral Triangle Center in Sanur, where they offer a few family-oriented educational activities such as a coral clay workshop, art performances, weaving classes, ocean-themed escape rooms and much more.
The Coral Triangle Centre also allows you to adopt a coral for US $30, with regular photo updates sent to your email.
Website: Coral Triangle Centre
Location: Sanur and Nusa Penida
Activities: family-oriented classes and sponsored coral
Address: Jl. Bet Ngandang II No.88-89, Sanur, Denpasar Selatan, Kota Denpasar, Bali 80228

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Why planting coral is so important
Many coastal areas of Bali have fallen victim to disastrous fishing practices, over-tourism and degradation of the local reefs. This severely impacts biodiversity, the local marine life, the community, and also tourism.
By replanting reefs in areas where coral was previously flourishing, the organisations on this list are making an effort to restore the beauty of the underwater world, which is important for the entire ecosystem.
However, simply planting coral is not always the solution. The conditions need to be just right, and most importantly, the coral needs to be maintained and monitored for several years until the reef is finally self-sufficient.
Another important contributer is education for locals, tourists and government leaders alike to make sure these new reefs can survive and others will not be destroyed in the future.
If you’re hoping to give back during your time in Bali and help in a meaningful and lasting way, supporting any of these organisations is highly recommended.

Coral planting and restoration in Bali FAQ
Dead coral and shells are needed in local ecosystems, so do not take them home with you from Bali.
Most coral rehabiliation sites in Bali are located in Nusa Penida or North Bali.
Yes, organisations like Living Seas or Metamorfosa offer coral planting experiences for snorkellers.
You can sponsor a coral in Bali for as little as US $10.
Before you go…
Now that you know everything about coral restoration, you’re ready to plan the rest of your trip to Bali. Check out these posts about how to hire a driver in Bali, how to rent a car, where the best places to get around on foot are, and how to use grab and gojek.
You might also like our guides to places like Kelingking Beach and Diamond Beach, or our day trip guide to Ubud and Uluwatu.
Did I miss anything?
If you have any questions or feel like something is missing from this post, please leave a comment below or contact me.
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