HOW TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE STAY IN THE MALDIVES AT GILI LANKANFUSHI

• Enjoy a luxurious yet eco-friendly stay at Gili Lankanfushi with 20% off the best available rate and a complimentary half-board upgrade for four nights or more

October 2021: With its crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches and balmy tropical climate, it comes as no surprise that the Maldives remains a highly sought-after holiday destination. Unfortunately, due to rising sea levels and climate change, the beautiful South Asian nation is also home to one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems. As a pioneer of sustainable tourism in the Maldives, Gili Lankanfushi invites guests to embark on an eco-friendly vacation with peace of mind that their stay will be part of the solution, not the problem.

A resort with just 45 overwater villas, Gili Lankanfushi is committed to minimising its environmental footprint through sustainable initiatives and detailed action plans to reduce energy and water use, effectively manage waste, and help protect the island’s natural surroundings and community. In line with this, the resort works closely with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for sustainable travel and tourism, and achieved sliver certification in 2017.

Here are 6 ways Gili Lankanfushi is helping guests have an eco-friendly stay.

1. Gili Veshi marine biology shack

Meaning ‘Gili Environment’ in the local Dhivehi language, Gili Veshi is the resort’s marine biology shack, research facility and central hub for all things sustainability and conservation. With xxx in-house marine biologists at the helm, their day-to-day includes replenishing the island’s sea grass meadows for the fish, crustaceans and turtles to enjoy, and tending to the 300 coral lines as part of a reef rehabilitation project.

Guests can spend time with the team to learn all about the wonderful underwater world and why we need to do our best to protect it. From donating coral lines to guided snorkel tours to say hello to island’s ocean residents, time at Gili Veshi is a must-do for guests looking for a truly sustainable stay.

2. Eco-friendly design details

Gili Lankanfushi’s eco ethos is quite literally the foundation of the resort, with all infrastructure having been made with sustainable materials and methods. Each of the buildings use sustainably sourced plantation teak, palm wood, bamboo and palm fronds, whilst the overwater villas and jetties are supported with recycled telegraph poles.

The villas are designed to catch the natural ocean breeze with counter-current heat systems and large roof overhangs to increase shading and minimise the need to air-conditioning. Most recently, Gili Lankanfushi has introduced solar panels to offset electrical use. 

3. Their very own Organic Garden

The beating culinary heart of Gili Lankanfushi, the organic garden is amongst the largest in the Maldives and provides a ready supply of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs for the kitchen. Vastly expanded over the past five years, the garden has been transformed using traditional organic farming techniques and created from island food waste, turned into compost using The Rocket – the Maldives’ first mechanical biological composter.

Guests are invited to explore the garden with Gili Lankanfushi’s Executive Chef Harinath Govindaraj and sample his game-changing vegan dishess, from his signature vegan scallops to scrumptious desserts paired with the finest organic wines. 

4. A dedicated Eco Centre

While Gili Lankanfushi has a strict no plastic policy on the island, the resort’s surrounding waters still encounter a lot of floating plastic carried by the current from other islands. In 2017, the resort began a plastic recycling scheme in partnership with Parley Maldives to intercept single-use plastics and prevent them from contaminating the precious ocean.

As part of this, the island’s fully functioning Eco Centre recycles glass, plastic aluminium, food waste and most recently, rainwater. Glass is ground up and donated as aggregate, aluminium is crushed to provide scrap metal, plastic is sorted and donated to Parley, and food waste is made into compost to nourish the organic garden, giving guests peace of mind that any leftover meals are put to good use.

5. Eco-friendly sourcing

Continuing the sustainable way of life, Gili Lankanfushi is proud to source locally whenever possible. All products used at Meera Spa, the resort’s oasis of tranquility and relaxation, are from organic and eco-friendly providers such as Voya, as well as products created on the island from oceanic and plant extracts.

All seafood used at the resort’s restaurants is caught using sustainable fishing methods and sourced from local fisherman on nearby islands. The marine biology and culinary teams work together to ensure that the fishermen only catch species with a healthy and sustainable population.

6. Education and community engagement

Gili Lankanfushi offers day visits and sustainability tours for local schools, and the Gili Veshi team works closely with teachers to tailor the experience to specific curriculums. Through this, school children have the opportunity to learn about the environment through an Eco Tour and chance to explore the natural world under a telescope in the Gili Veshi lab. The team also works with local island communities, donating to island clean-up activities and a local orphanage.

Rates at Gili Lankanfushi start from USD 1,547++ per night in a Villa Suite, based on double occupancy. The Book Direct exclusive offer includes a 20% reduction in all accommodation rates with complimentary upgrade to half-board (breakfast and dinner) when booking a minimum of 4 nights.

For more information, please visit www.gililankanfushi.com

About Gili Lankanfushi

Located in the North Malé Atoll, Gili Lankanfushi opened in 2000 as the original over water resort Soneva Gili. In 2012 the island was acquired by HPL (Hotel Properties Limited) a Singapore based company investing in hotels, lifestyle and properties around the world. Voted number one hotel in the world by Trip Advisor in 2015, Gili Lankanfushi is an easy 20 minute speedboat transfer from Male international airport. Set in the middle of its own lagoon, guests enjoy a barefoot existence with 360 degree views of the Indian Ocean. Gili Lankanfushi’s 45 overwater villas, including the vast and secluded Private Reserve offer unrivalled privacy. The wellbeing of the planet is at the heart of the Gili Lankanfushi, with each stay contributing towards preserving the natural environment, protecting the fragile marine ecosystem and treading lightly.

For press information, please contact:

Faten Abdulla

Director

FAC Consultancy

[email protected]

www.fac.ae

This article was previously published on UAE Moments.To see the original article, click here