Xuan Thuy National Marine Park is 150 kilometers south-east of Hanoi. The core zone of the park has a total area of 7,100 hectares. In 2003 Xuan Thuy Natural Reserve was approved as a national park. The park is considered to be a typical wetland ecosystem of national and international importance. In addition to a high bio-diversity, Xuan Thuy National Park is also known as an important platform for migratory birds including the black-faced spoonbill, one of the world’s endangered species, other important marine species and mangrove ecosystem. Many local projects such as planting mushroom, raising bee to have honey, collect and classify rubbish…etc are implementing.
Volunteers are supposed to plant trees, build garbage storages in the national park with the local community, support for the local staffs of the park in daily work such as making research, making reports, as well as work on related fields, take part in local projects, and participate in social and collective activities with the local community. Also volunteers will organize workshops or campaigns to raise awareness of the local people about environmental protection and the ecological systems and update the website of the national park to promote it to many people. Volunteers will also organize English classes for the young people in the village as well as for staffs of the park to improve this language’s skills for them and encourage them to 
communicate in English, because it is a famous ecotourism place so there are many foreign tourists visit this place every year.

The volunteers are expected to raise awareness about environmental protection within the local community. They can try to find solutions about how to protect the ecosystem during their voluntary work. This is a chance for volunteers to practice what they have learnt from universities/ collages, and also an opportunity to explore the diversity of mangrove forest as well as the nature in general. The park and SJ Vietnam hope that volunteers will have valuable experience after their voluntary time there, and hope they will organize campaigns to raise attitude of local people on environment.

Home stay with the local people or staying at guesthouse of National Park is 2 choices for accommodation. The life with the natives will help volunteers understand deeply about regional culture and some main characters in Vietnamese families, especially in traditional families. In countryside there are many traditional value are still obvious in daily life. The district which the part is located in is really famous for seafood and some tourist places so volunteers can take this chance to discover the nature of the region. Sleeping bags, sleeping mat, pillow, mosquito net, spray are needed. Vegetarian catering is possible.

Volunteers can enjoy the rich nature of the park and the region. Besides, biking, sailing and bird watching is very interesting as well. Some other famous tourist places surrounding are good choices for volunteers at weekend or in free time.

Giao Xuan District, Nam Dinh province (150 km from Hanoi).

Volunteers need to have knowledge about nature, birds, mangrove forest and agriculture. They also need to be enthusiastic, patient, optimistic, and full of energy as well as ready to work hard and be able to do manual work for example rice harvesting. They are supposed to be active and proactive in taking activities with staffs of the National Park as well as local people. They should understand that sometimes there are a lot of duties but sometimes they will have quite a lot of free time.