Maldives resort debuts “Underwater Nature Trail”

	Lagoon Beach at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives, opening in the fourth quarter of 2008 in the Addu Atoll, will feature the first “Underwater Nature Trail” in the Maldives, as well as a snorkelling garden “seascaped” with transplanted corals. As part of the resort’s marine initiatives, guests will also be invited to help track some of the archipelago’s largest manta rays found in the Addu Atoll waters.

The Underwater Nature Trail, designed by the resort’s marine specialist, will lead out to the resort’s house reef on the northern end of Villingili Island. Submerged signage will identify resident marine life along the way, including branching corals, sea anemones, Maldives anemonefish, clams, moray eels and the colourful juvenile Oriental Sweetlips. The marine specialist has also created snorkel gardens close to the southwest shoreline of the resort. In addition to offering a marine adventure for less experienced swimmers, the shallow-water snorkel gardens will provide a nursery for corals and reef fish.

Experienced divers will be invited to participate in the tracking of manta rays. Addu Atoll is one of the few places in the Maldives where giant manta rays with wingspans of more than five metres can be found year-round. Divers will be encouraged to photograph manta rays and contribute to the photo database that will be shared with other such centres around the world to help monitor the movement and population of these sea creatures. The resort will also set up a programme to educate and encourage guests to sponsor the satellite tagging of sea turtles and support organisations working on conservation on a larger scale.

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Alila Plans Eco-Resort In Maldives

	Alila Villas project

Alila Hotels and Resorts is pleased to announce its first sustainable tourism resort development in the Maldives - Alila Villas Hadahaa. Slated to open in 2009, it is the first resort in the Maldives to commit to the standards of Green Globe throughout its design, construction stages. It achieved the prestigious Green Globe 'Building Planning and Design Standard' Certified Status in August 2008.

"By joining the internationally-recognized Green Globe program and committing to having both its design and operations certified, Alila Villas Hadahaa is raising the benchmark for others to follow," said Andre Russ, Head of Global Markets for Green Globe.

Green Globe is the international benchmarking and certification programme for the travel and tourism industry based on the Agenda 21 principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Green Globe is managed by EC3 Global, a subsidiary of the Australian based research body Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre, the world's largest source of tourism research. Alila Villas Hadahaa is set on the pristine tropical island of Hadahaa in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, surrounded by a vast expanse of sea, stunning coral reef, abundant fish life, and stands of the native Sea Trumpet and Sea Hearse. In developing the island, Alila kept to Green Globe's rigorous 'Building Planning and Design Standard' benchmarks and its own long-standing philosophy of luxury living in natural environments, while treading lightly to preserve the essence of a destination.

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Centara Hotels & Resorts announces new managed Resort in The Maldives

	Grand Island Resort and Spa

Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel group, has announced it will invest in and manage a new property in The Maldives, which will be the first property of Centara Hotels & Resorts outside of Thailand - but with many others to come. Scheduled to open in May 2009, Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa, located on South Ari Atoll, will deliver a unique Premium 4 star resort experience.

The resort is relatively close to Male Airport with an air transfer time of just 25 minutes or transfer by speed boat in 85 minutes.

For diving enthusiasts the resort enjoys an excellent house reef complete with a sunken ship wreck and is within easy reach of the top dive spots in Ari Atoll. The Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa will be tailored to provide an exceptional experience for both couples and the family market.

Barefoot luxury will be combined with an active and varied social program for both adults and children alike and the resorts objective is to offer much more than a day-time water oriented resort experience. Adults will enjoy premium levels of service with a variety of dining options, pools, recreational activities, Sports and Fitness options, bars and lounges with nightly entertainment, and Centara Hotels & Resorts very own 5 stars Spa experience - Spa Cenvaree,

Children will benefit from the new Centara Hotels & Resorts Kids Club concept offering 2 venues – Kid Camp and E-zone for ages 4 to 9 and 10 to 17 respectively.

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