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Anantara takes holistic approach to reef protection in the Maldives
Maldives.net.mv – For over 15 years the team at Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has been committed to protecting the local environment, communities and culture around each of its hotels and resorts whilst creating authentic, luxury travel experiences and indigenous adventures for modern travellers. With four luxury resorts in the Maldives – Anantara Kihavah Villas, Anantara Dhigu Resort, Anantara Veli Resort and Naladhu Maldives – guests can take their pick from some of the best locations and experiences in the Indian Ocean, including getting up close and personal with the local marine life and vibrant coral reefs, snorkelling with manta rays in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, free diving with whale sharks or cruising the house reef 18 metres below the surface, just a few strokes out from the shoreline.
In line with the luxury hospitality brand’s philosophy that environmental responsibility begins at home, the Anantara team in the Maldives joined forces with marine biologists from Coral Reef CPR – conservationists, biologists and ecologists whose mission is to reduce threats and promote sustainable management and rehabilitation of reef ecosystems – in October 2015 to develop ways to protect the coral ahead of the anticipated environmental stresses of El Niño, a climate cycle that has a global impact on weather patterns.
Led by Chief Scientist, Dr. Andrew Bruckner, the pioneering five-year programme, Holistic Approach to Reef Protection or ‘HARP’, encompasses practical environmental protection and marine education with the goal of limiting potential damage to the reefs in the Maldives and ensuring the coral reefs continue to not only survive, but to thrive. As well as Anantara taking its responsibility to the local environment very seriously, the programme will also ensure that guests at each resort – as well as the local community – can continue to enjoy the spectacular world beneath the waterline for many years to come.
Corals in the Maldives
Extending across the expansive Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is a country of atolls; small coral islands encircled by azure lagoons. Unique to the Maldives, luxury resorts are the sole occupants of each island, providing a truly private and unique experience. Coral reefs beneath the shimmering waters of the Maldives protect the pristine beaches and guard the crystal-clear lagoons. They also support an astounding array of tropical fish, crustaceans and bizarre-looking molluscs. But for all of its beauty and apparent resilience, coral is a sensitive organism, vulnerable to extreme weather, sudden environmental changes, the effects of global climate change, as well as outbreaks of coral predators.
Principal investigator and lead scientist with Coral Reef CPR, Dr. Andrew Bruckner, explains: “Some reefs in the Maldives are experiencing unusually high water temperatures which is causing coral bleaching. These coral animals contain symbiotic single-celled algae within their tissues, which provide the coral with up to 90% of its energy. Once stressed, the coral expels these algae, causing them to turn completely white. If algae loss is prolonged and the stress continues, corals can die. But it’s not all doom and gloom, when a coral turns white, it is not dead and if the stress-caused bleaching is not severe, coral can recover.”
Director of Conservation for Minor Hotels, John Roberts, elaborates further: “On their first visit in October 2015 the visiting marine biologists performed a major Crown of Thorns Starfish removal from the reefs surrounding Anantara resorts in South Male Atoll. In the process, the scientists helped save a great reef on Anantara Veli Resort, which is now also proving most resilient to current bleaching. As part of those efforts last year, Coral Reef CPR and Anantara have produced a manual to distribute throughout the country outlining best practice should there be another Crown of Thorns Starfish outbreak.”
Taking A Holistic Approach To Reef Protection (HARP)
In collaborating with leading experts in their fields for ground-breaking marine biology research, Anantara is pioneering the HARP programme. Currently all project work undertaken in the Maldives by Coral Reef CPR for HARP is funded by the Anantara initiative ‘Dollars For Deeds’, whereby Anantara guests are invited to donate one dollar for each night of their stay, which is then matched dollar for dollar by Minor Hotels. Dollars for Deeds funds raised in the Maldives are committed over the coming five years to three key focus areas: protection of marine and coastal environments; environmental education; and community welfare.
In January this year, Coral Reef CPR returned to the Maldives for the first of four monitoring phases throughout 2016. Ten monitoring stations were set up on coral reefs surrounding Anantara resorts in South Male Atoll and Baa Atoll, with the purpose of evaluating the water conditions and marine populations before, during and post 2016 El Niño phenomena. Already widely reported by international media across the globe as being the longest El Niño on record, during Coral Reef CPR’s second visit to the Maldives in April this year, promising results have been extracted from the monitoring stations, despite some alarming findings.
“Since the beginning of March, temperatures on the reef have exceeded 30°C and they remained above 31°C during April, reaching 32 – 33 °C in lagoonal environments,” explains Dr. Andrew Bruckner. “Under normal conditions, sea water temperatures should be 3-4 degrees cooler at depth but these high temperatures are extending beyond 35 metres depth. These high water temperatures are due to an unprecedented El Niño event which is now in its second year. Simultaneously the sea has been unusually calm which has allowed excessive levels of UV light radiation to penetrate the reefs.”
“Due to stressful conditions corals in some areas in the Maldives began to pale in colour at the beginning of April and several sensitive species bleached white. By mid-April between 60-80% of corals on the reef we were monitoring were fully bleached or a very light yellow in colour.
In certain shallow lagoonal environments bleaching was much more severe, and sensitive corals were affected. On a positive note, by the end of April temperatures on Baa Atoll had begun to decline and there was very little coral mortality on the outer reefs.”
SUPER CORALS
Through this research some surprising and exciting revelations have been discovered. Georgia Coward, Project Manager and Fishery Biologist with Coral Reef CPR said: “Although the level of bleaching is similar to that reported during previous El Niño events and is comparable to reports from other countries, we have observed a number of colonies of each species that have proven resistant to changing conditions, possibly by producing protective fluorescent pigments. Similarly certain colonies have not bleached at all despite being located adjacent to corals of the same species that bleached severely. We refer to these as “super corals” and feel that these may have adapted to elevated sea temperatures. Over the coming months we will be analysing extracts taken from the super corals and other coral species in laboratory conditions, as well as looking closely at the fish population reports surrounding them.”
SUSTAINABILITY
In line with Anantara’s commitment to sustainability and a result of the luxury hospitality brand’s ongoing conservation efforts including the HARP project, Anantara Kihavah Villas, Anantara Dhigu Resort, Anantara Veli Resort and Naladhu have all been awarded with Green Growth Certification, an assessment framework for the travel and tourism industy which consists of 37 criteria and 406 indicators. It is based on global standards and international conventions including the UN Global Compact and the UNEP Green Economy Principles.
FUTURE VISITS
Since 2011, guests staying at Anantara resorts in South Male Atoll and Baa Atoll have been able to leave a lasting legacy by participating in coral reef propagation programmes and contribute to the ongoing conservation effort by adopting a coral frame and planting it with the guidance of Anantara’s resident marine biologists. The HARP programme now builds on those initial efforts, with a high level scientific-based practical approach to reef assessment, regeneration and community science.
The third and fourth phases of the HARP Programme with Anantara involve creating a coral nursery to assist in the rehabilitation of degraded and damaged reefs. Through coral mariculture, when the scientists return in July and October 2016, small branches from the identified super corals will be extracted and propagated. Once matured, these corals will be transplanted back on to the reef.
During the visits from Coral Reef CPR scientists, guests at the Anantara resorts in both South Male Atoll and Baa Atoll can enhance their diving and snorkelling experiences by joining the marine biologists on their excursions, and participate in Anantara’s endeavours to keep the reefs healthy and vibrant for generations to enjoy.
Future visits from Dr. Andrew Bruckner, Georgia Coward and other Coral Reef CPR scientists are set for the end of July until mid-August 2016 and October 2016. To select your Anantara Dhigu, Anantara Veli, Anantara Kihavah Villas or Naladhu Maldives experience and to help play a part in the protection and regeneration of coral reefs in the Maldives, visit anantara.com
Madifushi Private Island marked World Coconut Day 2026 with an extensive programme of cultural, culinary and community-focused activities celebrating the coconut palm and its enduring significance to Maldivian life. The resort brought together guests, its Rays team and neighbouring island communities for a celebration honouring one of the Maldives’ most treasured natural resources.
The celebrations began with an energetic coconut-gathering and dehusking challenge for the resort’s Rays team. Dressed in traditional Maldivian attire, participants ventured into the island’s natural surroundings to collect coconuts before racing to dehusk them within a set time. The teams embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and good humour, creating a lively start to the occasion.
Throughout the day, guests were treated to coconut delicacies and thoughtfully curated coconut-themed touchpoints across the resort. Specialised buffets at the island’s food and beverage outlets featured an assortment of coconut-inspired dishes alongside traditional Maldivian favourites, allowing guests to experience the remarkable versatility of the ingredient.
The celebrations continued into the evening with an immersive, hands-on cultural event showcasing the many traditional uses of the coconut and its palm. Guests were invited to personally experience these practices by trying their hand at coconut dehusking and coir-rope making, tasting coconut toddy and expressing their creativity through coconut painting. Each guest received a certificate of participation in recognition of their involvement and as a meaningful keepsake of their authentic Maldivian cultural experience.
A dedicated coconut mixology pop-up added a contemporary twist to the programme, with refreshing creations highlighting the tropical flavours of the coconut. The occasion also featured the soft launch of Madifushi Private Island’s own Heal\Me Coconut Oil, introducing a new wellness product inspired by the coconut’s long-established place in traditional island living.
Extending the celebration beyond the resort, the Madifushi team visited Muli and Mulah islands in Meemu Atoll to plant coconut palms as part of a wider, long-term community initiative.
In Muli, the team was warmly welcomed by the local community and joined members of the Island Council to plant coconut palms near the newly developed airport area. In Mulah, the resort collaborated with scouts from Mulah School to plant palms along the beach, encouraging young people to take an active role in nurturing their island environment.
“Coconut palms are deeply woven into Maldivian culture and everyday life. Nearly every part of the palm has traditionally served a purpose, from food and household essentials to craftsmanship and livelihoods. This celebration allowed us to share that heritage with our guests and Rays team while working alongside our neighbouring communities to create something meaningful for the future,” said Mohamed Hilmy, General Manager of Madifushi Private Island.
The community planting activities form part of Madifushi Private Island’s broader commitment to planting more coconut palms and strengthening its connection with the communities of Meemu Atoll.
From celebrating traditional skills and local flavours to planting new palms for future generations, World Coconut Day at Madifushi Private Island served as a meaningful reminder of the coconut’s endless possibilities and its special place at the heart of Maldivian island life.
Siyam World has never been one for quiet celebrations, and its fifth birthday is no exception. True to its promise of “A World Beyond Your Wildest”, the Lifestyle Collection resort under the Sun Siyam umbrella is marking the milestone with a packed programme of sport, entertainment and island celebrations.
England rugby star Danny Care kicks things off with a three-day children’s rugby camp, followed by football sessions with Gary Cahill and Millie Bright, a kids’ carnival, an island-wide Amazing Race, a 3K Fun Run and cinema experiences out on the lagoon.
The celebrations reach their heart on 28 October, when Siyam World officially turns five with a full day dedicated to the Maldives, before CULT CLASSICS brings the Birthday Bash to a suitably wild finale on Halloween night.
23–25 October: Danny Care Rugby Camp
The Birthday Bash gets moving on 23 October, when England rugby star Danny Care takes to the field for a three-day children’s rugby camp. Some will arrive knowing the game inside out. Others may be picking up a rugby ball for the first time. Both are welcome. Across three days, young guests will get the chance to train with Care, learn new skills and put them into practice on the field. The focus is on learning, playing and enjoying the experience, although things are expected to become fairly competitive once the games begin.
26–30 October: Football with Gary Cahill and Millie Bright
From 26 October, the rugby ball makes way for football as Gary Cahill and Millie Bright take over the pitch for five days of coaching sessions, matches and challenges.
This is not a quick wave from the sidelines followed by a group photograph. Young guests will train with them, learn from them and play some actual football. They will probably also return home with a very detailed account of every pass, tackle and goal.
Away from the pitches
There is plenty happening beyond the sporting action. The kids’ carnival brings games, music and colourful chaos, while the Amazing Race sends families and friends across the island in search of clues and challenges. Teamwork helps. So does having at least one person who can follow directions.
Guests and team members can also join the 3K Fun Run around the island. They can run it, jog it or walk the whole thing while insisting that was always the plan. Nobody is chasing a record here.
Cinema, but make it Siyam World
Movie night is leaving dry land. Cinema by Moonlight takes guests out onto the water to watch a film aboard a boat cruising through the lagoon. Stars overhead, sea breeze, no cinema walls and hopefully nobody asking them to move because they cannot see the screen.
Guests can also choose Siyam World’s version of a drive-in cinema. Instead of arriving by car, they take a JetCar into the lagoon and park on the water in front of the screen. It is not the most conventional way to watch a film. That is rather the point.
On 28 October, the Maldives is the main event
Siyam World officially turns five on 28 October, and the entire day belongs to the Maldives. Maldivian food, music, traditions and creativity take over the island, leading into a major birthday stage production that evening. Guests won’t simply watch from a distance. They’ll be invited to join the celebration and meet more of the people behind Siyam World. The sporting names bring plenty of attention to the week, but the Maldives is not the backdrop to this birthday. It is the heart of it.
“We had a lot of ideas for the fifth birthday. Probably too many, if I’m honest,” says Sara Siyam, Director of Marketing at Sun Siyam. “But the 28th was always clear. It had to be about the Maldives and our team. They have given Siyam World its energy and personality over the last five years, and we want our guests to celebrate that with us.”
And then the lovely mood is ruined
On 31 October, cult horror’s most infamous faces are checking into Siyam World this Halloween, and they’re definitely not there for the all-inclusive. For 2026, Siyam World is rewinding to the golden age of horror with CULT CLASSICS, an epic, immersive Halloween experience inspired by the characters that kept an entire generation awake at night. Freddy Krueger. Pennywise. Leatherface. Jason. They’re all invited. Whether the guests will be quite as pleased to see them is another story.
The night begins with an interactive horror walkthrough through themed sets, live performances and a series of encounters that become increasingly difficult to laugh off. Guests move through the story themselves, eventually reaching the main stage, assuming everyone makes it that far. A theatrical production follows, combining live performance, music and dark humour before the night finishes with a Halloween party.
Siyam World has learned that its guests don’t want to watch Halloween safely from a table. They want to walk into it. Some hide behind their children. Others send their children ahead first. The resort tries not to judge.
“Halloween at Siyam World was never going to be a few pumpkins and someone dressed as a ghost. Every year, we create an entire experience that guests can step into, and CULT CLASSICS takes that to another level. It’s nostalgic, theatrical, ridiculously fun and genuinely scary. One minute you’re laughing, the next you’re running from Leatherface. Pretty standard night at Siyam World, really,” says Sara Siyam, Director of Marketing at Sun Siyam.
Across nine days, the fifth Birthday Bash moves from rugby and football to carnival games, an island race, a 3K run, films on the lagoon, a full Maldivian celebration and one final night of original nightmares. It is a lot for one birthday. Fortunately, more is more at Siyam World.
Siyam World’s Fifth Birthday Bash takes place at Siyam World Maldives in Noonu Atoll from 23–31 October 2026. To find out more or book a stay, guests can visit the resort’s website.
Four Seasons has highlighted its Maldives properties as destinations for personalised celebrations and private gatherings, offering experiences ranging from exclusive island buyouts and weddings to family reunions, corporate retreats and conservation-led activities.
The Maldives features prominently in a new collection of group and celebration experiences unveiled by Four Seasons Resorts of Asia, with Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa offering distinct options for couples, families and small groups.
At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru in Baa Atoll, couples can take part in Tales from a Treetop Table, a private dining experience set within the island’s canopy. The resort also offers multi-day celebrations combining private dining, marine encounters, wellbeing and conservation activities.
Its Overwater Wedding Pavilion, accessible only by boat, features a glass-bottomed aisle surrounded by the waters and marine life of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
For larger gatherings, the resort’s four-bedroom Landaa Estate extends across 80 metres of private beach and includes a 20-metre swimming pool. Four Seasons said the estate can be used for family reunions, corporate retreats, micro-wedding receptions and milestone celebrations.
Marine conservation is also incorporated into group itineraries at Landaa Giraavaru through manta ray research, coral restoration and turtle rehabilitation programmes. Guests can participate in conservation activities together, while the resort’s Manta-on-Call programme alerts participants when manta rays are sighted nearby and arranges speedboat excursions for snorkelling encounters.
Nearby, Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah offers a different model centred on exclusivity. Located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the five-acre private island has seven rooms and can accommodate up to 30 guests.
The property hosts only one group at a time, allowing guests to create their own programme without having to work around other resort schedules. A team of 30 staff supports full-island buyouts, with experiences including personalised wellness programmes at the Ocean of Consciousness Spa, yacht excursions and private dining.
Culinary experiences can also be tailored for groups, including a Maldivian Fisherman’s Feast built around the day’s catch.
In North Malé Atoll, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa is being positioned for multigenerational gatherings and smaller groups, with the resort located around 25 minutes by speedboat from Malé.
The property brings together beaches, private villas, suites and tropical gardens within a compact island setting, while its ŪRJĀ Naturopathy Island offers wellness programmes and treatments designed around rest and restoration.
Across its Asian portfolio, Four Seasons said it is increasingly designing celebrations around personalised itineraries rather than conventional event formats. In the Maldives, this approach combines private accommodation, dining, wellbeing, marine conservation and access to the country’s natural environment.
The group said the aim is to create gatherings that allow guests to spend more time together while shaping activities around the interests and preferences of each group.
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