On a secluded stretch of beach on the southernmost coast of Sri Lanka is a little slice of paradise in the form of Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort. Surrounded by a coconut plantation and opening out to the great Indian Ocean, the waterfront resort is where one goes to lose oneself in nature, living out dreams of an adventure to iconic cultural sites, spectacular national parks and deep respect for Ceylonese traditions. As the Sri Lanka’s first full-blown waterfront resort, Anantara Tangalle has a special connection to the sea, one that it eagerly shares with guests through dolphin and whale watching excursions as well as participation in the Rekawa Turtle Conservation Project, where they can join volunteers to patrol the beach as green, hawksbill and leatherback turtles lay their eggs.
The task of helping these gentle creatures is one the resort takes seriously, having joined forces with the International Union for Conservation of Nature to implement effective methods to protect and conserve these marine turtles. Aside from turtles that visit the beach at Anantara Tangalle, the conservation efforts will extend to over 100km of the surrounding coastline, beginning with identifying turtle nesting sites from Tangalle to Yala National Park. Enriching the coastal habitats is also a key component of the project, which will include a biodiversity survey within the premises of the resort. As a result, a landscaping plan will be developed for the resort to aid habitat restoration. Of course, education is important and awareness of marine turtle conservation will be raised through an education and visitor centre that’s set to begin construction soon. True to providing an enriching experience for guests, funding for this project comes from guests, who each contribute USD1 per night in the hotel’s ‘Dollars for Deeds’ programme, which is then matched by Anantara.
Save the turtles with Anantara at tangalle.anantara.com
