Action
Soneva embarks on project to launch one of world’s largest coral nurseries
Partnership with Coralive and Ark2030 aims to propagate 50,000 coral fragments every year.
Soneva has launched an ambitious programme to restore coral reef systems and create a coral hub for the Maldives.
A partnership between the Soneva Foundation, the Swiss environmental organisation Coralive and the global ecosystem restoration organisation Ark2030, the project aims to protect and regenerate this vital marine habitat, which has been decimated by rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, El Niño events and ocean pollution.
The coral restoration programme, located onsite at Soneva Fushi in the Baa Atoll, is the largest conservation initiative to be supported by the Soneva Foundation.
Founded in 2010 by Sonu and Eva Shivdasani, this UK-registered charity builds on their belief that a business must have a purpose beyond profit and invests in the development of global projects that have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.
“With the global warming crisis, the Maldives has little influence over the actions of the big greenhouse gas emitting countries. We can’t bet our future on a wish and a prayer that the big countries decarbonise their economies in time to halt climate change before it wipes out our coral reefs. We need a back-up plan,” said Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Co-Founder of Soneva.
“When finished, the coral farm at Soneva Fushi will be 1 hectare in size – one of the largest coral farms in the world – and in the ensuing years it is our goal to cultivate 1 hectare of coral each year at each of our resorts. This is the scale that is needed to have a meaningful impact and it also represents a huge opportunity for the Maldives to become a global leader in an activity that will likely have considerable future demand.”
Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat for a quarter of all marine life, as well as protecting coastal communities from storms and erosion, with an estimated half a billion people worldwide reliant on reef systems for their livelihoods.
Over the last three decades, more than half of the earth’s corals have died, with scientists predicting that up to 90 percent of all reefs will be lost over the next 20 years if decisive action is not taken.
The large-scale, in-situ restoration programme at Soneva Fushi aims to restore coral habitats and improve the resilience of the marine ecosystem around the Baa Atoll resort, with the long-term goal of becoming a coral restoration and knowledge hub for the Maldives and beyond.
Following a two-year study to define the most suitable restoration techniques for the Maldives’ unique marine environment, it will become the largest Mineral Accretion Technology (MAT) coral nursery in the world.
Once fully operational, the nursery will cover one hectare of ocean and propagate 50,000 coral fragments every year.
The ultimate aim of the programme is to regenerate the reef back to the state in which it existed 25 years ago, covering out-planted corals across 40 hectares over the next decade.
Channelling low voltage electricity through metal structures placed underwater, MAT creates the ideal environment for corals to grow – as the electrons flow, calcium carbonate (CaCO3) deposits begin to accumulate on the structures, the same mineral that forms the skeleton of most hard and some soft coral species. Corals that have been placed on MAT structures have been observed to grow up to four times faster than other propagation methods, as well as having significantly higher survival rates during bleaching events.
At Soneva Fushi, the nursery will be cultivated from ‘corals of opportunity’ – rather than being harvested, these are corals that have been broken or damaged due to storms, waves or human activity.
Located at the outer edge of the house reef, the coral nursery at Soneva Fushi will comprise 432 table structures, arranged in three circular clusters.
The project is divided into three distinct phases: the initial installation phase, where the tables and nursery infrastructure will be placed into the water, expected to take up to three months; a two- to three-month population phase, which will include scouting for donors and creating a detailed database to record taxonomy, growth and survival rates; and the third, ongoing maintenance and monitoring phase to ensure the health of the corals, monitor predation and verify that the MAT equipment is fully functional.
Each table structure will be given its own unique code, where coral growth rates and health are recorded twice a year.
The restoration site at Soneva Fushi will be constantly monitored via an Aqualink Smart Buoy, which records temperatures at both the surface and the ocean floor, with all data accessible through the cloud. In phases two and three of the project, guests at Soneva Fushi will be invited to join in the restoration efforts themselves – a unique opportunity to be part of this ground-breaking project.
Founded in 1995, Soneva is an award-winning sustainable luxury resorts operator. At Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva in Aqua in the Maldives, and Soneva Kiri in Thailand, true ‘luxury’ is defined by peace, time and space. Each day, guests are encouraged to discover the SLOW LIFE, reconnecting with themselves and the natural world through rare, unforgettable experiences that inspire and enthral.
Soneva is a pioneer for responsible tourism, combining a conscientious, proactive approach to sustainability with exquisite luxury and intuitive personalised service. Carbon neutral since 2012, Soneva launched its Total Impact Assessment in 2016, a first for the hospitality industry, measuring its social and environmental impacts.
A mandatory 2% environmental levy is added to every Soneva stay, with proceeds going towards the not-for-profit Soneva Foundation to offset both direct and indirect carbon emissions from resort activities and guest flights. The Foundation funds a range of global projects that have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.
Action
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives honoured for 25 years of marine conservation efforts at HICAP 2026
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives has won the 2026 Sustainable Hotel Award for Biodiversity Action & Education from Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP). The award recognises 25 years of conservation, research and training at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa (since May 1998) and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru (since November 2006).
Winners are selected by an expert judging panel for innovative sustainability practices that can be replicated across Asia Pacific. The Biodiversity Action & Education category emphasises measurable conservation and practical learning. Four Seasons Resorts Maldives was recognised for connecting sustained conservation and scientific advances with hands-on learning for guests, local schoolchildren and young Maldivians.
The resorts’ Reefscapers partnership, launched at Kuda Huraa in 2001, encompasses more than 9,000 coral frames across one of the Indian Ocean’s largest artificial reef restoration projects. Decades of monitoring have supported peer-reviewed, AI-assisted research into coral survival, informing restoration methods as environmental pressures increase. Corals on mature frames now reproduce naturally, while spawning and larval-settlement research advances methods to repopulate damaged reefs and increase diversity.
That research also supports practical conservation education. Since 2023, Landaa has hosted the Baa Atoll Marine Biology Internship Programme, a three-stage, three-year initiative introducing students across the atoll to marine science.
Furthermore, the resorts’ government-accredited Apprenticeship Programme has produced 1,058 Maldivian graduates since 2001 and currently offers 14 career pathways, including Marine Conservation. A new, fully funded four-year Marine and Environmental Science apprenticeship with Maldives National University combines academic study with fieldwork at both Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru. The pathway progresses towards a bachelor’s degree.
“This award belongs to the people who keep doing the work,” says Armando Kraenzlin, Regional Vice President and General Manager. “Our marine biologists, conservation partners, gardeners and trainers turn years of experience into knowledge others can use. Guests and young Maldivians contribute too, learning alongside our teams and helping carry that work forward.”
Science that informs action
Marine Savers, the resorts’ conservation programme, operates from Marine Discovery Centres at Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru, working with long-term partners including Reefscapers and The Manta Trust.
Reefscapers achieved a Maldives first by collecting coral reproductive cells in the wild, then fertilising them and settling larvae under controlled conditions. During severe bleaching in 2024, teams relocated 28,000 corals to deeper, cooler waters.
The Turtle Rehabilitation Centres at Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru have cared for over 500 sea turtles. To date, of the many injured by ghost fishing nets carried into Maldivian waters by wider Indian Ocean currents, more than 280 have been released.
Both resorts also support manta research, with studies by Landaa’s onsite Manta Trust scientists identifying the world’s largest-known reef manta population. Their research contributed to Baa Atoll’s designation as the Maldives’ first UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2011.
Learning through participation
Guest coral sponsorship funds restoration, with guests transplanting fragments alongside marine biologists and following their development on MarineSavers.com.
Marine Discovery Centres connect guests and local schoolchildren with this conservation work. At Kuda Huraa, the Junior Marine Savers introduces younger children to ocean conservation through hands-on marine discovery activities. Landaa’s one-to-one Trainee Marine Biologist Programme gives teenagers practical experience across six specialist modules, while garden tours connect cultivation with food, wellness and composting.
All of the resorts’ research, field reports and findings are shared with the Maldives wider resort community, students, researchers and a global audience via MarineSavers.com. The Reefscapers programme’s selection as a World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance case study further extends its relevance to the hospitality industry.
For more information and ways to participate in award-winning biodiversity conservation and education at Four Seasons Resorts Maldives, visit MarineSavers.com or contact the Resorts at reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or call +960 66 00 888.
Marine experiences at Sun Siyam Iru Veli begin just beyond the island’s shoreline, from its house reef in Dhaalu Atoll to the waters of Faafu, Meemu and South Ari Atolls. For guests, this geographical reach means the underwater journey can take many forms, from a first guided snorkel close to the island to more advanced diving and encounters farther across the atolls.
The Big Encounters
Among the most notable journeys beyond the waters of Iru Veli is the Whale Shark Excursion to the South Ari Marine Protected Area. The guided snorkelling experience takes guests in search of the world’s largest fish, with the chance to snorkel alongside them when conditions allow. The same waters also offer manta encounters, another remarkable way to venture farther afield and see these graceful ocean giants in their natural environment.
Across the Atolls
The journey continues across Meemu and Faafu Atolls, where full-day explorations move between open-water encounters, quieter lagoons, coral reefs and uninhabited islands. Around Makunueri, guests can snorkel vibrant reefs with the chance to encounter turtles, sharks, rays and a variety of reef life. For those seeking a more exclusive experience, private journeys offer a way to discover coral gardens and lesser-visited stretches of ocean, with some also providing a first introduction to scuba in calm waters.
The House Reef, in Daylight and After Hours
Closer to Iru Veli, the house reef tells a different story. By day, guided snorkelling invites guests to coral formations and resident marine life directly around the island. After sunset, the same waters take on an entirely different character as nocturnal species emerge. The guided night snorkelling offers the chance to encounter nurse sharks and experience the reef from a whole new perspective with the help of fluorescent and blue lights.
A Different Side of the Water
For those looking for something less conventional, the SSI Mermaid programme brings a playful side to underwater exploration. Guests can swap fins for a mermaid tail and learn the techniques needed to move comfortably and confidently through the water. Combined with underwater photography and video, this experience offers a chance to explore a more imaginative side of underwater exploration at Iru Veli.
A Lasting Impact
The marine discovery at Iru Veli also extends beyond observation. Through the resort’s coral planting initiative, guests can contribute to the continued restoration of the house reef and leave a lasting connection beneath the surface. Back on land, the weekly Marine Night brings these stories together, sharing more about marine life, reef conservation and underwater environments surrounding the island.
Beyond the many ways to explore the ocean from the surface, the SSI-certified dive centre at Iru Veli offers adventures for seasoned divers and complete beginners alike. Certified divers can continue exploring the surrounding dive sites with the resort’s professional team, while first-timers can start with an introductory scuba experience. Guests looking to go further can also earn SSI certification during their stay, turning their holiday into the start of a new diving journey.
From the house reef to some of the Maldives’ most remarkable marine encounters, Sun Siyam Iru Veli reveals an island experience shaped as much by what lies beneath the surface as by what surrounds it.
Discover more marine activities, explore the latest Sun Siyam Iru Veli offers.
Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection, is set to host an exclusive underwater photography and media experience from 14 to 17 October 2026, in partnership with Youth Global Program in partnership with Nikon Middle East & Nikon India. The programme is supported by Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East. Led by Nikon’s underwater photographers and welcoming select international media, the programme will offer an immersive exploration of Machchafushi’s exceptional marine environment and the underwater world of the South Ari Atoll.
Set within the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), Machchafushi offers an exceptional setting for an exclusive underwater photography experience. The resort’s award-winning house reef, spanning more than five times the area of the island itself, creates an expansive underwater landscape shaped by vibrant coral gardens, diverse marine life, and a series of distinctive dive sites.
The experience will take Nikon underwater photographers and select media beneath the surface of Machchafushi, offering the opportunity to capture the island’s marine environment from a unique perspective. From coral formations and marine life to the deeper waters surrounding the island, the programme will showcase the diversity and character of the South Ari Atoll, including the renowned Kudhi Maa shipwreck, which rests between approximately 12 and 30 metres under the surface and has become an established artificial reef.
Together, Machchafushi’s award winning house reef, vibrant coral gardens, diverse marine life and Kudhi Maa create a compelling underwater canvas, offering visiting photographers and media an opportunity to experience and document a lesser seen perspective of the Maldives.
Beyond the reef, the programme will introduce participants to the wider Machchafushi experience, connecting the underwater environment with the island’s natural surroundings, dining, wellness and slower rhythm of island life. Together, these experiences offer a broader perspective of Machchafushi and its place within the South Ari Atoll.
The collaboration brings together Nikon’s expertise in photography and Machchafushi’s distinctive marine environment, creating an exclusive platform to showcase the underwater character of the South Ari Atoll through the lens of leading underwater photographers and international media, with support from Lexar Middle East and Hollyland Middle East.
Taking place from 14 to 17 October 2026, the experience will offer an opportunity to discover and document Machchafushi beyond the shoreline, from its award-winning house reef and vibrant marine life to the distinctive underwater landscapes surrounding the island. Through the photographers and media attending, the experience will bring a different perspective of the Maldives to audiences around the world.
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