Sustainability Matters in JA Manafaru Maldives

In the era of eco-tourism and responsible travel, JA Manafaru Maldives has added to its full sustainability program as the Maldives environmental situation continues to be a concern.

The Maldives is renowned as one of nature’s most magnificent seascapes, but in recent years Thilafushi, an island entirely made of waste, has caught global attention for the sheer quantity of plastic being disposed of in the beautiful surrounds. JA Manafaru is putting sustainability at the forefront of their activities in order to preserve the natural beauty and wildlife of the surrounds.

“We are seeing more and more guests take part in our environmental efforts. It’s wonderful to see such an interest in sustainability and purposeful travel. These activities bring families together and create a sense of achievement, in addition to protecting our beautiful paradise island”

— Vlad Reyes, general manager

Situated on the northern tip of Haa Alif atoll, a picturesque 75-minute seaplane ride from Malé, the luxurious JA Manafaru beckons many guests to its island paradise. Featuring a stunning selection of beach bungalows and water villas, it has everything families desire from bicycles to explore the island, scuba diving, water sports, tennis, beach volleyball, plus seven world-class restaurants. To fully immerse in the natural wonders, guests can snorkel through Manafaru Island’s stunning shallow reef and azure blue ocean whilst spotting an array of exotic sea life including Triggerfish, Angelfish, Unicornfish, Eagle Ray, Moorish Idol, Butterflyfish, Clownfish, Stingrays and Blacktip Sharks.

In order to preserve the coral reef, beautiful beaches and sea life, the JA Manafaru team kicked off a series of events to show their ongoing commitment to environmental awareness and sustainability. The hotel no longer uses plastic bottles for drinking water and instead have their own glass bottling plant, which results in a huge reduction in plastic waste. To keep the white powder beaches perfectly pristine, the team host beach clean-ups for guests, children, the local community and associates to come together for the good of the environment. 80 people took part in the most recent clean-up as purposeful travel has become a big hit in recent years and many people want to act against climate change and pollution. The JA Manafaru ‘House Reef Cleaning’ also invites guests to give back in a fun snorkeling and underwater reef-cleaning exercise, which certified divers can join. All items collected are logged so that any notable pollution can be immediately addressed.

As guests enjoy the tropical surrounds, the JA Manafaru team provide environmental ‘edutainment’ in the form of movie screenings under the stars, using educational films such as The Plastic Age with Pharrell Williams and video snippets from National Geographic. Children get involved with ‘Know the Ocean” interactive presentations in the Cool Zone Kids Club, followed by activities such as re-purposing old plastic bottles into plant pots and vases. Other initiatives in planning at JA Manafaru include upgrading the water desalination plant for residual water to be used for landscaping, solar panel installation and a campaign for associates that raises awareness about reducing energy consumption.