August 24, 2020: Centered around sustainable philosophy and practices, Soneva Resorts has announced new conscious experiences in Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in Maldives and Soneva Kiri in Thailand.
Soneva Fushi’s ocean adventure, titled ‘Fishing is a Family Matter’ allows guests to have a first-hand sustainable fishing experience with the Maldivian fisherman Rocket who has been a long-time fish supplier for the resort. The catch of the day by the guests is then prepared back at the resort. Another program called the Wildlife Explorer experience is a guided expedition along the island trails for those who wish to discover the flora and fauna, read animal tracks and names of every plant and animal spotted in Dhivehi. The Wildlife Explorer badge at the end of the experience is certainly rewarding.
Other two experiences are the Namoona Island Visit and the Slow Life Journey. Here the guests get a closer look at the eco-conscious efforts of the island like recycling and how Soneva Fushi makes the best out of the island’s coconuts such as making compost or even coconut oil. The unique highlights are having refreshments at a Soneva Host’s family and weaving out of screw pine leaves along with learning permaculture and hand-picking ingredients in the organic gardens for a three-course meal.
Soneva Jani has numerous experiences for ocean and marine life enthusiasts. The Turtle On Call experience is an up and close experience to witness sea turtle activity during the stay. Guests can see turtles laying their eggs, with the tiny hatchlings making their way into the ocean, and they can also help the turtles stuck in the middle of the island back into the sea. The Marine Conservation Expedition allows guests to volunteer for cleaning the beach or taking surveys to gain data on micro-plastic and coral bleaching. The Coral Planting experience is a very unique initiative for rehabilitation of coral reefs. Guests are taken out on a platform in the lagoon where the ready coral fragments attached to the frame are lowered into the bottom of the lagoon. Every six months guests are updated about the progress of the coral pieces which are later used as donor reef colonies.
Soneva Kiri offers the Mangrove Paddle-Boarding Experience where guests can paddle the shoreline and explore the unique ecosystem of Koh Kood’s mangrove forests. Turtles, nesting birds and fish are spotted during this expedition. For those with an artistic side, the DIY Workshop at the Den is the place to paint a t-shirt, decorate a bag or design a photo frame as a souvenir.
Soneva’s holistic approach by blending luxuriousness with an ecologically conscious philosophy makes the guest experience relaxing as well as meaningful.
