Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru: 30 Years of Leading Environmental Protection in the Maldives

Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is a luxury resort in the Maldives that opened in 1995 as the first international resort brand in the country. As the world's lowest-lying nation, the Maldives is extremely vulnerable to environmental changes like rising sea levels and climate change. This makes environmental protection crucial for the country's survival.

For 30 years, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru has been committed to environmental protection in the Maldives. Sustainability has been a core value from the beginning, and this year the resort hosted a major coastal cleanup as part of its ongoing environmental efforts.

The ‘Saafu Kuramaa’ Initiative

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru held the Saafu Kuramaa coastal cleanup initiative on September 20, 2025, coinciding with International Coastal Cleanup Day. This was a significant nationwide coastal cleanup effort in the Maldives.

The cleanup brought together multiple partners including UNICEF, NGOs, and other island communities. Resort operators like Dhawa Ihuru and Taj Coral Reef also joined the conservation effort, showing the widespread support for environmental protection.

Environmental Milestones

2001 - Installed Electric Reef: An electric reef structure was created on Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru's house reef to help coral growth and make reefs stronger against damage.

2004 - Established First Resort Marine Lab: Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru became the first resort in the Maldives to open an on-site Marine Lab dedicated to research, conservation, and education. This made it the longest-running resort-based marine research facility in the Maldives.

Beyond these milestones and the Saafu Kuramaa cleanup, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru continues its environmental work through other programs:

• Community Cleanups: The resort commits to at least four community cleanups each year, working with local councils and NGOs.
• Marine Lab Projects: The lab focuses on coral garden planting, reef monitoring, and protecting endangered marine species.
• Plastic Elimination: In 2018, Banyan Tree Group pledged to reduce and eliminate single-use plastics across all properties. The resort aims to eliminate 100% of plastic from all operations by 2030 as part of the group's "Brand for Good" sustainability goals.

The resort's decades of environmental work shows how tourism and conservation can work together to protect the Maldives' unique marine environment for future generations.