In a world striving to go green and rectify humanity’s past mistakes, some of the planet’s oldest living creatures need a helping hand now more than ever. In a somewhat surprising twist, luxury hotels are stepping in to help ensure their survival.
Across Africa, five of the world’s seven sea turtle species — the Green Turtle, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Hawksbill — nest on its shores and forage in its coastal waters. While total population numbers for the entire continent remain difficult to track due to their migratory nature, Africa hosts several globally significant nesting populations. Several beachfront lodges and eco-resorts across the continent offer seasonal turtle-related experiences, ranging from tracking nesting mothers to witnessing hatchlings emerge and scramble towards the ocean.
But in Asia, particularly Thailand, luxury hotels are helping lead the way in conservation — putting their money where their mouth is and, in the process, allowing guests to get involved first-hand in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
A Species Under Threat
And the turtles urgently need our help. All seven sea turtle species, including the five found off Africa’s coasts, are threatened or endangered due to human activities: plastic pollution, fisheries bycatch, and coastal development. These ancient reptiles, which have existed for more than 110 million years — even before the dinosaurs — rely on sandy beaches for nesting and use Earth’s magnetic field to navigate.
Remarkably, a hatchling’s sex is determined by sand temperature. Only an estimated one in every 1 000 hatchlings survives to adulthood due to predators and human activity. Today, conservation efforts that release them after a few months of expert care can significantly improve their chances of survival.
Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and Anantara Layan Phuket Resort in southern Thailand are two luxury resorts that continue to play a vital role in marine conservation through their long-standing partnership with the Phuket Marine Biological Centre. The collaboration forms part of the brand’s broader commitment to protecting ocean ecosystems and promoting responsible, ethical tourism in the Kingdom.
“Our parent company, Minor Hotel Group, actually started the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation with our sister property next door, JW Marriott Phuket Resort,” explains Anantara Mai Khao General Manager Serge Cuypers. “So, when our property decided to organise a yearly turtle release 12 years ago, it was a natural thing for us to do.”
Anantara has since supported sea turtle conservation in Phuket for more than two decades through the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation. The foundation was created to help restore Thailand’s declining sea turtle populations. Since its inception, more than 1 500 green sea turtles have been successfully released back into the ocean.
Each nesting season, and in line with Thai government policy, sea turtle nests discovered on vulnerable beaches are carefully relocated to protected hatchery facilities operated by marine specialists. Hatchlings are raised under expert supervision until they are strong enough to improve their chances of survival in the wild. They are then released along Phuket’s protected coastline.
Sea turtle releases are scheduled for when sea conditions are most favourable, most reliably during Thailand’s New Year celebrations, known as Songkran, held each April. This timing enables guests and local communities to participate in release activities that hold both environmental and cultural significance. Both locals and international visitors have the opportunity to sponsor the turtles at Anantara’s hotels, offering a meaningful, hands-on experience in the release process.
And they are not the only ones. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa features the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation shelter on-site, offering educational sessions and release initiatives. Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, hosts an annual Journey to the Sea event, which includes educational talks, scavenger hunts, and turtle releases. These events are often conducted alongside the Royal Thai Navy or local marine biologists.
“When we find a nest, we usually work with the local rangers to protect it,” says Anantara’s Serge. “We make sure the eggs don’t get disturbed by stray dogs, or by people not knowing what it is and going onto the beach, and sitting on it. We actually put up signage explaining the whole cycle. It’s about educating people. It’s usually only cordoned off a couple of square metres, so it’s not like the beach is being disrupted for the tourists.”
A Broader Ocean Commitment
Alongside turtle conservation, Anantara also supports bamboo shark conservation efforts. Bamboo sharks are small, non-aggressive, reef-dwelling sharks that play an important role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. Despite posing no threat to humans, they face increasing pressure from habitat degradation, pollution, and illegal harvesting for food and the aquarium trade.
The bamboo shark conservation programme focuses on nurturing fertilised eggs and juvenile sharks in a protected nursery environment. This allows them to develop strength and resilience during their most vulnerable early months. Under the care of marine experts at the Phuket Marine Biological Centre, the young sharks are closely monitored and provided with optimal conditions for healthy growth. After approximately eight months, once strong enough to survive independently, they are released into the Andaman Sea.
In an era where meaningful travel is increasingly prized, the work underway in Phuket offers a powerful truth: luxury and conservation need not stand apart.
“Being able to tell a story that every year some leatherback turtles come back to nest – it creates a narrative that people love,” says Serge. “It’s all about creating these experiences for the guests while respecting and helping the turtles.”
