Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, a haven of peace within the Sun Siyam’s Luxury Collection, reinforces its commitment to luxury island living by highlighting a series of eco-conscious experiences. These initiatives define a vision for purpose-led travel within the resort’s Premium Island Indulgence lifestyle, connecting guests to the environment, local people, and Maldivian culture through sincere and unpretentious engagement. From reef restoration to traditional heritage crafts and preventing food waste, the resort seeks to balance the elegance of island living with a deep-rooted respect for the natural world.

The Pattern of Island Living

The way nature flourishes within remote archipelagos in the heart of the ocean remains a captivating subject for many travellers. On a weekly basis, the resort offers a guided nature exploration led by the Chief Gardener and Resident Marine Biologist to connect guests with the island’s indigenous flora and fauna. This experience blends ecological education with cultural insights, detailing how reptiles, birds, and emblematic trees first colonised these coral islands. By addressing contemporary challenges like soil erosion, the program provides practical examples of how eco-conscious tourism helps mitigate environmental impact and preserve the Maldivian landscape.

Marine Regeneration: Adopt a Coral Frame

A growing trend in 2026 is Regenerative Tourism where travellers actively participate in restoration. A central pillar of the resort’s marine conservation efforts is the Adopt a Coral Frame programme. Led by Maldivian Marine Biologist, Shah, the experience begins with an introduction to coral biology and the environmental challenges facing the world’s oceans. Guests participate in the delicate process of fixing coral fragments onto the frame using approved techniques, before the structures are transitioned to the Nemo Garden underwater park. This initiative offers a symbolic way for guests to contribute directly to the long-term health of the local reef ecosystem. Additionally, the presence of an environmental expert at the resort acts as the bridge between daily operations and its environmental responsibility.

Citizen Science: Conservation Snorkelling

For a more immersive and purposeful guest experience, participants are invited to act as citizen scientists during a ninety-minute reef health survey. Utilising CoralWatch Charts, guests assist in primary data collection, with the results subsequently uploaded to the University of Queensland database under the participant’s name to contribute to international marine research. Each session concludes with a briefing on observed fish species and the vital functions of the reef ecosystem. Additionally, if any individual turtle or group of turtles is spotted around the island, the resort’s Marine Biologist will identify the species and report its presence to the Olive Ridley Project. This contribution helps researchers better understand the population dynamics and migration patterns of sea turtles within the Maldives.

Marine Advocacy and Youth Discovery

Beyond individual excursions, the resort extends its educational reach through specialised certification and youth-focused programming. Divers may participate in dedicated sessions exploring the preservation of endangered shark and ray species, earning a Shark and Ray Ecology Certification upon completion. Simultaneously, the Discover the Ocean initiative at the Kids Club offers a bespoke one-hour experience for younger guests, utilising interactive games and marine facts to foster a refined appreciation for ocean conservation from an early age.

Cultural Heritage and Traditional Knowledge

Eco-conscious living at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is also viewed through the lens of traditional Maldivian craftsmanship. Weekly demonstrations of organic coconut oil extraction highlight a homemade method. Guests observe the gentle heating of fresh coconut milk to produce pure oil, a sustainably sourced product utilised in the resort’s wellness treatments.

The Pledge on Food Waste

In a direct effort to reduce the environmental footprint of island dining, the resort has committed to The Pledge on Food Waste. This initiative introduces à la minute live cooking and curated individual portions at the buffet to ensure freshness while minimising surplus. Additionally, the team observes a No Bin Day, utilising creative preparation techniques to ensure total ingredient utility and promote a circular approach to food management.

“The advancement of sustainable practices is supported by acclaimed organisations that provide vital knowledge, ensuring that our commitment leads to meaningful success. Meanwhile, simple on-island actions remain highly impactful and are deeply appreciated by guests. Furthermore, as a Maldivian operating a resort within my own country, environmental stewardship is more than just professional ethics—it is a profound civic mission,” highlighted Abdulla Atham, Resort Manager.

In recognition of Earth Day 2026, RAH GILI MALDIVES, the first operational island within the SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS collection, announces that it has achieved EarthCheck Bronze Benchmarked status under the EarthCheck Company Standard v4.1, following its opening in February this year.

The certification reflects a way of operating that has been in place from the outset. Across SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS, environmental performance is integrated into how each island is designed, built, and run, rather than introduced as an added layer. At RAH GILI MALDIVES, this approach is now active in daily operation.

Set across 8.7 hectares with 74 villas, the resort runs on infrastructure designed for continuity over time. Solar energy generation, supported by battery storage, contributes to the island’s energy needs. Water is produced and managed on-site through desalination and bottling systems. Waste is segregated and processed through structured practices that prioritise reduction and reuse. Materials have been selected for their ability to endure within the Maldivian climate, favouring longevity over short-term effect. These systems are not presented as features. They operate in the background, shaping the rhythm of the island and supporting a sense of ease without drawing attention to themselves.

In a destination such as the Maldives, where the natural environment defines the experience, this level of integration is essential. It requires consistency across all areas of operation—from engineering to housekeeping, from culinary practice to service delivery. EarthCheck, in this context, does not simply recognise infrastructure. It provides a framework to assess how effectively these systems are performing in practice.

As the first operational island within SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS, RAH GILI MALDIVES establishes the baseline for the collection. The certification signals that this foundation is in place, offering a clear reference point as future islands moves towards opening.

Beyond operations, the island remains grounded in its setting. Experiences are informed by Maldivian knowledge and ways of living, ensuring that what is offered remains connected to place rather than constructed apart from it. This is carried through the Rayyithun—the people of the islands—whose presence shapes how the island is cared for. Within this, an ethos of care is not expressed as an idea, but lived through daily practice, where responsibility is shared and sustained over time.

Harish Nair, Cluster General Manager for RAH GILI MALDIVES, commented: “EarthCheck provides a clear benchmark for how the resort is operating across energy, water, and waste. Achieving this early in our journey confirms that the foundations are in place. With Earth Day as a moment of reflection, the focus remains on how we continue to improve performance, consistently and over time.”

EarthCheck is one of the world’s leading scientific benchmarking and certification programmes for the travel and tourism industry, assessing performance across energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, and community impact. For a newly opened resort to achieve Bronze Benchmarked status at this stage reflects an operational model that was established prior to opening and is now being tested in real conditions.

The announcement, aligned with Earth Day, offers a moment of reflection within a wider global conversation. For RAH GILI, however, the work sits in daily operation. It is found in monitoring systems, maintaining standards, and adjusting over time. The certification provides a point of reference, but not a conclusion.

As SIX & SIX PRIVATE ISLANDS continues to develop its portfolio, RAH GILI MALDIVES serves as a working model of how each island is intended to function—through clarity of design, consistency in operation, and a measured approach to impact.

For the resort, the EarthCheck Bronze Benchmarked status marks the beginning of a longer process—one defined by continuity, refinement, and sustained respect for the place in which the island exists.

Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives has received its seventh consecutive Green Globe Certification, attaining Gold Member status for the third time and continuing its sustainability programme across island operations.

The resort’s sustainability model is guided by the philosophy of “From Reef to Roof”, linking marine conservation with operational management to support both environmental protection and long-term guest experience.

A central part of this approach is the resort’s house reef, which supports corals, turtles and other marine life. Conservation work led by the resort’s Resident Marine Biologist includes coral restoration, reef clean-ups and guided snorkelling experiences aimed at helping guests engage more closely with the marine environment.

Sustainability measures are also integrated across the resort’s wider operations. These include renewable energy initiatives such as solar power, which help reduce dependence on diesel-generated electricity. The resort also operates an on-site desalination system that converts seawater into drinking water, alongside its own water bottling plant.

According to the resort, this has enabled the complete removal of single-use plastic water bottles since 2020, marking a step in its waste reduction efforts.

Waste management is also structured around reducing, reusing and recycling materials where possible, with composting systems in place to reduce food waste and support day-to-day operations.

Like other island resorts in the Maldives, Grand Park Kodhipparu operates independently of mainland infrastructure, producing its own energy and water while managing waste on site. The resort says this model supports both lower environmental impact and greater operational resilience.

While Green Globe Certification provides international recognition of sustainability performance, the resort describes the certification as part of an ongoing process rather than a fixed milestone. Sustainability, it says, is embedded in operations, guest experiences and long-term planning.

Raffaele Solferino, General Manager of Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives, said the certification reflected the resort’s long-term direction. “From the very beginning, our vision was to create a resort that works in harmony with its environment. Achieving Green Globe Gold status for the seventh consecutive year reflects the consistency of that approach,” he said.

“‘From Reef to Roof’ connects everything we do — from protecting our marine life to how we generate energy and manage resources. It is a responsibility we take seriously, for both our environment and our guests.”

Quoting environmentalist Robert Swan, he added: “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it. That idea resonates strongly with us — we believe it is our responsibility to act, here on our island, every day.”

The resort is also promoting a “Pay 4, Stay 6” package, aimed at encouraging longer stays and allowing guests more time to experience the property’s reef, wellness and nature-based activities.

Located around 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu continues to position itself as a luxury resort with a focus on environmental responsibility and island-based guest experiences.