Tropical Hotels with a Focus on Conservation

Indian Ocean

The Maldives’ One&Only Reethi Rah aims to be wholly plastic-free within two years – from food-service packaging to mixers at the bar. The resort has also forged a recycling partnership with nonprofit environmental organization Parley for the Oceans, which transforms plastic waste into technical textiles (companies such as Adidas use them to make shoes and sportswear). The goal of these efforts: to ensure the health of the Indian Ocean and a clean habitat for the 200 hawksbill turtles that live in the waters off the resort.

South Pacific

Biologists at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji led guests in planting 7,600 mangroves last year, and will add another 5,000 in 2019. The seedlings require about three years of care before they can live on their own. The dedicated team is also helping efforts to hatch and grow giant clams, and continuing to plant new coral.

Caribbean

After decades of gradual depletion, in 2016, local fishermen in Ocho Rios were confronting an estimated 600 percent decrease in fish populations, as well as an overall decrease in size (fish were harvested before they could mature). They turned to the Jamaica Inn and other local organizations for help, and last year saw the birth of the White River Fish Sanctuary, supported in part by the Jamaica Inn Foundation. The sanctuary’s wardens monitor the area for overfishing, with a goal of increasing fish populations by 500 percent over five years.