Eco initiatives at Indian Ocean resorts
Eco-initiatives in the Indian Ocean are becoming more hands-on, with a range of fun and educational experiences for resort guests to try. Debbie Ward reveals five ways that clients can get involved
1. JOIN A REEF RESCUE
Snorkellers staying four nights or longer at Baros Island in the Maldives can contribute to the regeneration of the local reef through the new Eco Explorer programme.
Led by their resident marine biologist, the private experience (from US$290 plus taxes per couple) includes planting coral fragments into a frame and positioning a “coral cube” in the reef. The plastic-free, reusable cubes have been designed to protect new coral from waves and weather as it grows.
Guests can personalise their frames and cubes by adding a name tag and message. They can then gain a deeper understanding of the underwater world and its vulnerabilities through a snorkelling and fish identification session.
Turtles and sharks may be among species encountered, while photos of the experiences will be gifted to participants in a souvenir book.
2. HAVE A GO AT BEEKEEPING
Sweet-toothed guests staying at Shangri-La Le Touessrok in Mauritius can sample fresh organic honey produced on-site and join a free guided tour to see the resort’s bees at work.
The hotel’s honey farm has 10 hives situated in a lush area of its tropical grounds where there are flowers best suited for cross-pollination by the bees. On a seasonal basis, when honey is available, guests are invited to get kitted out in protective clothing and learn more about the process.
Beekeeper Tony Myrtil, who has looked after the creatures since 2018, shows guests how the colonies work and even gives them the chance to help him extract and bottle some honey. They will then be able to take home a sweet taste of Le Touessrok in a jar with personalised tag.
3. SHOP IN A SUSTAINABILITY LAB
Souvenir shopping just got a whole lot more ethical at the Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, where a new Sustainability Lab is turning plastic waste into fun souvenirs like turtle, shark and manta ray luggage tags. It is hoped that the lab will eventually become a recycling centre for communities in the wider Shaviyani atoll and beyond. It has already partnered with seven local schools to host workshops on recycling, marine biodiversity and ocean conservation. Besides shopping sustainably, resort guests can make free visits to the Coralarium – the Maldives’ first underwater art gallery in the form of a coral regeneration project.
They can also join the new Turtle Ranger programme (from £145pp), which includes snorkelling and art experiences, to help the resort’s marine biologist monitor endangered turtles and release hatchlings into the ocean.
General manager Andrew Steele says: “Our goal with The Sustainability Lab and our various other initiatives is for Fairmont Maldives to become the first zero-carbon resort in the archipelago.”
4. MEET GIANT SEYCHELLES TORTOISES
A sanctuary for giant tortoises is new this year at Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. It’s just one of the initiatives introduced to help the local flora and fauna.
The resort sits on the private island of Silhouette, over 90% of which is a protected nature reserve, and is surrounded by the largest national marine park in the Seychelles. To help keep the environment as unspoilt as possible, guests can join regular beach cleans and, if they dive, help to keep the lagoon debris-free and monitor fish populations.
They can visit the resort’s protected giant tortoises for free and may spot them roaming wild elsewhere on the island. An organic garden, water filtration plant and solar-panelled buggies are among other schemes.
General manager Andre Borg says: “Our vision is to develop Hilton Seychelles Labriz and Silhouette Island as a leader of sustainable tourism and maintain our cultural heritage in an eco-friendly environment.”
5. VISIT A FARM ISLAND
It’s one visit to a farm that won’t require wellies: Sun Siyam Resorts in the Maldives is offering curious guests an excursion ($150 per couple) to one of the two islands that grow its fresh produce.
A dhoni will take guests from Sun Siyam Iru Veli to Llohi Island to meet the farmers and learn how they grow more than 38 varieties of fruit and vegetables, including aubergine, salad leaves, passionfruit, rock melon and papaya.
Rajat Chhabra, Sun Siyam Iru Veli’s general manager, says: “We encourage our guests to visit our farm islands and allow them to experience first-hand how our resort is supporting the local farming community and workforce, while buying local and cutting back on unnecessary food miles.”
Other eco-initiatives Sun Siyam guests can experience include coral repairing and tree planting.
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