Surrounded by the crystal clear waters of the Maldives’ Baa Atoll, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, Anantara Kihavah Villas is privy to some extraordinary marine life. To protect this fragile environment, the resort launched a Coral Adoption Program when it opened in 2011. Coral is incredibly sensitive to extreme weather and the effects of global warming; when El Niño raised sea temperatures by 4°C in 1998, 90 percent of shallow coral reef was lost in the Maldives.
Guests of the Anantara Kihavah Villas can help replant coral in the atoll reef, working with the resident marine biologist in attaching coral to iron frames which are placed in the Overwater Pool Villas' lagoon. Later these frames will be transplanted back onto the natural reef. Guests can then monitor the growth of their adopted coral frames online at kihavah-maldives.anantara.com. (The price to adopt a small frame is $100; medium, $200; and large, $400.)
The amazing marine life hosted by the coral reef—including striped lionfish, moray eel and bright orange clownfish—is visible from the viewing windows at ‘Sea’, the underwater wine cellar and restaurant. For more information about Anantara Kihavah Villas, visit kihavah-maldives.anantara.com.