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Anantara continues success in coral protection, regeneration in Maldives
In 2016, the longest global coral bleaching event in history impacted reefs in the crystal clear waters of the Maldives, as a result of the El Niño weather phenomenon. Understanding the monumental role that the reef played, Anantara Maldives Resorts acted quickly by increasing its coral conservation project Holistic Approach to Reef Protection (HARP), which in only one year improved the reefs surrounding each of Anantara’s four resorts in the Indian Ocean.
The five-year HARP programme, led by Chief Scientist of the Living Oceans Foundation Dr Andrew Bruckner, encompasses practical environmental protection and marine education. Additionally, throughout the year, the project is worked on by the on-property dive centre teams, Aquafanatics at Dhigu and Elements at Kihavah, sustaining and building on the work done by Dr Bruckner which is inclusive of maintaining, monitoring and growing the coral whilst protecting it at the same time.
The pioneering programme has already succeeded in limiting potential damage to the coral reefs that surround the resorts — ensuring that they continue not only survive, but thrive.
Detailing the work at Anantara Dhigu and its positive impact for both guests and the surrounding environment, Dr Bruckner explains, “Essentially, all of the corals we used were rescued and would otherwise have died. They include juvenile colonies attached to rubble in areas where dredging and sand extraction occurs, as well as broken branches that were detached by snorkelers, divers and strong wave action from larger colonies, and corals that were dying due to coral-eating snails and coral disease. We took small clippings and attached them to ropes suspended in the water column. The nursery creates new habitat that attracts fish, and also maximises survival and growth as the fragments are elevated off the sea floor, preventing burial and consumption by coral predators.
“The work to date has produced a new snorkel trail at Anantara Dhigu and the coral nursery which provides much needed habitat and structure for fish and invertebrates in the area. Within just a few days over a 1,000 fish, comprising 60 species, had moved into the reef. A cleaning station was established at the beginning of the trail, which is now visited daily by a school of batfish, dart fish, unicorn fish and other species — and is once again being enjoyed by guests.”
After the programme was in place at Anantara Dhigu, Dr Bruckner went on to work on the reef that surrounds Anantara Kihavah’s underwater restaurant SEA.
“The project at Kihavah demonstrated that a beautiful thriving coral reef can be created using corals that would otherwise die. All of the corals transported to the underwater restaurant were collected on the reef surrounding the resort, including corals that were broken, fractured and detached from the bottom, piled up in sand channels and at the base of the reef, being buried by sand, under attack by voracious coral-eating snails and affected by coral diseases,” he says.
“Many of the colonies were partially dead, but all diseased tissue, predators and algae were first removed from the colonies. Then, small broken branches were attached to ropes suspended in the water. These branches will be grown for about 18 months until they form small “bushes”. The corals will be removed from the rope and used to restore other areas surrounding the restaurant. This will produce a continual nursery and once the grown corals are removed, the ropes will be replaced with new fragments. As a result of this work, SEA restaurant guests can once again view a healthy coral reef. Moreover, as the restaurant is located at the edge of an underwater cliff, guests can view both the reef marine life and larger pelagic fish, sharks, turtles and other creatures which visit this area in search of food. This is Kihavah’s signature restaurant and is visited by almost all guests, and this critical work promises an unparalleled ocean-viewing culinary experience.”
The underwater restaurant at Anantara Kihavah Villas Maldives. PHOTO/ ANANTARA
The next steps of the HARP programme with Anantara involve the continuation of work from the past two years, with the overall vision of restoring the entire habitat. 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 the 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.
Thailand-based Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas operates three resorts in the Maldives; Anantara Veli Maldives Resort and Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort in South Male Atoll, and Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas in Baa atoll. Additionally, parent company Minor Hotel Group runs Naladhu Private Island Maldives in the South Male Atoll and Niyama Maldives Private Islands in Dhaalu atoll.
Surrounded by one of the Maldives’ most vibrant house reefs, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, is inviting guests to leave behind more than memories. This World Nature Conservation Day (28th July 2026), the boutique island retreat officially launched its signature ‘Adopt-a-Coral’ initiative, giving travellers the opportunity to play an active role in restoring one of nature’s most precious underwater sanctuaries.
Driven by Sun Siyam Resorts’ overarching sustainability program, Sun Siyam Cares, this initiative provides a hands-on opportunity to safeguard the fragile aquatic landscapes of the South Nilandhe Atoll. Guests become active participants in the restoration process, carefully attaching live coral fragments onto specially designed nursery frames under the guidance of the resort’s marine experts. These structures are then carefully placed in nursery zones across the lagoon to flourish and rebuild vital habitats.
To commemorate the launch, guests enjoyed an interactive morning event featuring bespoke refreshments and a symbolic frame planting ceremony. Long after returning home, guests continue receiving personalised updates, allowing them to witness the growth of the very coral they helped restore, creating a lasting connection with the island and its surrounding waters.
“Our reef is the heart of our island, and protecting it is a responsibility we proudly share with every guest who visits us,” said Masdhooq Saeed, Cluster General Manager. “By giving our guests the opportunity to plant coral, we offer them a meaningful way to leave our sanctuary even better than when they arrived. It is a genuine privilege to empower our visitors to play a direct role in building a more resilient ecosystem while forging a lifelong bond with the Maldives.”
The Adopt-a-Coral initiative forms a key part of Sun Siyam Vilu Reef’s long-term sustainability vision, seamlessly combining luxury island hospitality with meaningful conservation efforts, guest participation, and community engagement. The resort’s spectacular house reef is home to an extraordinary diversity of coral formations, tropical fish, turtles, and countless other species, making its protection essential for future generations.
One of the Maldives’ most anticipated marine spectacles has arrived – manta ray season is returning to Lhaviyani Atoll. As plankton-rich waters attract these gentle giants, the atoll transforms into a haven for unforgettable underwater encounters. Graceful, curious and inspiring, manta rays can often be spotted gliding effortlessly through the turquoise waters, creating magical moments for both snorkelers and divers.
Whether you’re taking your first plunge beneath the surface or you’re a seasoned ocean explorer, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of swimming alongside these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. Think vibrant coral reefs, abundant marine life and crystal-clear lagoons. Manta ray season offers an unforgettable experience that captures the true wonder of the Maldives.
One of Lhaviyani Atoll’s most renowned manta ray sites is Fushifaru Thila, located just three minutes by boat from Fushifaru Maldives. This protected dive site is home to a natural manta cleaning station, where cleaner wrasse and other small reef fish remove parasites and dead skin from the mantas. Watching these gentle giants gracefully circle the cleaning station as they pause for their underwater “spa treatment” is a truly remarkable sight and one of the highlights of diving in the Maldives.
Whether you’re snorkelling at Hanifaru Bay, diving next to a cleaning station, or photographing a manta ray from a liveaboard, your holiday memories could help protect one of the world’s most iconic marine animals.
The Manta Trust and its flagship affiliate project, the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme (MMCP), are inviting divers, snorkellers, underwater photographers, resorts and liveaboards across the Maldives to become citizen scientists through MantaBase – a global platform that transforms everyday manta ray encounters into valuable scientific data.
For more than two decades, the MMCP has built one of the world’s most comprehensive manta ray photo-identification databases. With more than 100,000 photographed sightings and over 7,000 individually identified manta rays, the Maldives database has become one of the most important long-term marine wildlife datasets anywhere on Earth.
Now, that remarkable resource is available through MantaBase, allowing anyone visiting the Maldives to contribute directly to ongoing conservation research.
Every manta ray has a unique pattern of spots on its belly – much like a human fingerprint. By uploading a photograph of this pattern, MantaBase’s AI-powered identification system, IDtheManta, can recognise individual animals, revealing whether they have been seen before and adding another chapter to their life story.
Each submission helps researchers better understand where manta rays travel, how populations change over time, which habitats they rely upon, and how they respond to growing environmental pressures.
“Every photograph tells us something new,” says Dr Guy Stevens, CEO and Co-Founder of the Manta Trust. “The Maldives has become one of the most important places in the world for manta ray research because thousands of divers, guides, photographers and resorts have shared their sightings over many years. MantaBase allows anyone to become part of that conservation story.”
“MantaBase is more than a database – it’s a community of ocean enthusiasts whose sightings, memberships and support are helping safeguard manta and devil rays for generations to come.”
The MMCP has spent twenty years working alongside resorts, dive centres, liveaboards and local communities to study manta rays throughout the archipelago. Their long-term research has identified key aggregation sites, improved understanding of manta behaviour and migration, and helped inform the protection of some of the Maldives’ most important marine habitats.
MantaBase now makes it easier than ever for that collaboration to continue.
Divers and snorkellers can create a free MantaBase account to upload sightings, discover the identities of the manta rays they’ve encountered, and build a personal digital logbook of their wildlife experiences. For those wanting to dive deeper into the lives of the manta rays they meet, Premium Membership unlocks additional tools and insights while directly supporting the Manta Trust’s global research, technology and conservation work.
For dive centres, resorts and liveaboards, dedicated Operator Accounts provide an opportunity to showcase their conservation contributions while engaging guests in meaningful citizen science. Operators can track sightings linked to their organisation, celebrate their impact, receive official recognition through the MantaBase support programme, and demonstrate their commitment to protecting the species that make the Maldives one of the world’s premier manta ray destinations.
Every MantaBase membership helps fund the continued development of the platform and supports the Manta Trust’s work to research and protect manta and devil rays around the world. By becoming a Premium Member or joining as an Operator, users not only gain access to exclusive features, but also help power the science and conservation initiatives that make MantaBase possible.
The launch represents another milestone towards creating the world’s largest connected database for manta and devil rays, bringing together regional conservation projects from across the globe to support international research and protection.
Whether you’re visiting the Maldives for your very first manta encounter or have spent decades diving these waters, every sighting helps strengthen our understanding of these extraordinary animals. Whether you choose a free or Premium account, every photograph you submit helps build a better future for manta and devil rays.
Together, one photograph at a time, help secure a future for manta rays.
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