Beach House Maldives- Restoring the Coral Reefs of the Maldives

For $150, the luxury resor’s coral reef regeneration project allows guests to select and “plant” a small area of coral reef in the Indian Ocean where it will grow and thrive. Particularly popular with newlyweds and honeymooners at the resort, the creation of a path of reef only takes about an hour, although the benefits will last a lifetime.

The coral reef regeneration project is spearheaded by Seamarc, a Maldives-based marine consultancy who has developed a successful coral propagation technique that shows remarkable growth. The resort’s resident marine biologist harvest living but damaged or threatened corals from the surrounding waters. These are then attached by guests to a lightweight pyramidal substrate frame structure and transplanted in the resort’s lagoon thereby replenishing old habitats and creating new areas of a reef. Guests can follow the progress of their reef by logging into a dedicated website where they watch it as it grows throughout the years.

As well as being one of the world’s best holiday souvenirs, planting a coral reef makes a significant social and environmental impact on the country. “The Maldives depend on tourism and fishing which are the two largest contributors to the economy, both of these industries rely on the continued existence of healthy, vibrant reefs that are as appealing to tourists as they are to the fish that live in them. It is also important to remember that a coral reef surrounding an island protects it from wave action and erosion,” says Lebegue.