In 2018, after a devastating time for corals in Maldives, the Ocean-Pro Dive Team at Mirihi Island Resort decided to take matters into their hand and start a coral restoration project on the island’s house reef.

Project Hope started out as a loose idea; simply tie coral fragments to some fishing line to get them off the sandy bottom. Every time you find a coral fragment, just tie it to the fishing line and watch it grow into a beautiful coral, instead of slowly bleaching on the sandy bottom. The initial couple of fishing lines filled up rather quickly and the growing corals became bigger by the day.

Astonished by how well this loose idea worked it was quickly decided to extend the project. Using different approaches, the dive team created multiple coral nurseries in varying shapes on the house reef. The necessary coral fragments were found on a nearby dive site. A lengthy process of sourcing, fragmenting, transporting and attaching the coral fragments began.

Two years later, many of the small corals from the start are now integrated into the reef and provide valuable shelter for fish and complexity to the reef. The entire nursery with all its structures houses well over 1,000 coral fragments that will eventually become beautiful corals on our house reef.

Cleaning and maintaining the nursery is key to its success and guests as well as hotel staff are happy to get involved in Project Hope.

Mirihi reopened on September 15 with enhanced health and safety protocols and with a renewed commitment to the well-being of guests and the team.

Located in the South Ari Atoll, Mirihi is an intimate resort with only 37 rooms, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere with friendly staff. Guests will immediately feel at ease in the safe and beautiful environment. 

With sand covered floors throughout much of the hotel, guests can relax upon arrival where they will be encouraged to abandon their shoes and enjoy their stay barefoot with the powder-soft sand between their toes.

Travellers looking to socialise and meet like-minded people can book sunset sailing trips, whale shark safaris, diving trips, visits to local islands, sessions tasting the most comprehensive selection of fine rum in the whole of the Indian Ocean, and can enjoy complimentary weekly beach cinemas, board games, table tennis, football and more.

Alternatively, guests can enjoy some time away from it all in their private water or beach villa, on a secluded beach or while enjoying a pampering spa treatment.

For more information and queries, please contact Mirihi’s Guest Relations Manager Alexa Stoschek at grm@mirihi.com or the resort’s Reservations Manager Muhammad Shafeeu at reservation@mirihi.com.