Many hotels and resorts around the world are making more efforts to increase sustainable practices and green activities for guests.
In Malaysia, a luxury beachfront resort in Johor is expanding its collection of nature-focused programs to include tree planting, seed collecting and camera capture experiences. The new activities at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas are designed to help guests discover the local flora and fauna, which are abundant in the area.
These activities are free for people who choose to participate in the resort’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) program, in which guests donate RM5 from each night they stay to ReWild Desaru, a local non-profit organization. The resort will then match the amount of money donated by guests.
ReWild Desaru supports resident wildlife species to encourage safe migration and ensure the long-term viability of the native gene pool.
The activities will be carried out mostly within the resort or in its surroundings, with the exception of photo trapping. Guests will visit a nearby tree nursery to plant native species such as sea almond, sea apple and other fruit trees. Once they are big enough, the saplings will be moved to the forest and replanted.
The collection of seeds is an activity suitable for the whole family, since you will be able to walk through the forest collecting and identifying seeds that have fallen.
As for the camera capture activity, guests will follow the rangers on their daily tours of the Panti Recreational Forest, a nature reserve about 90 minutes from the resort.
Other resort nature programs include Desaru Beachlife & Tidepool Discovery, Bird Watching: Desaru’s Winged Gems, and nature walks.
Meanwhile, in Krabi, Thailand, a resort is collaborating with a local fishing village to provide guests with not only a unique experience, but also the opportunity to contribute to the local community.
Banyan Tree Krabi, located on secluded Tubkaek Beach, encourages guests to immerse themselves in the local culture of southern Thailand by joining weekly excursions to a nearby island. There, guests will visit the Ban Koh Klang fishing village, known for its beautiful batik fabrics and wood crafts, and join the locals in producing some of these items. Guests can also learn how to harvest rice by visiting during harvest season.
This initiative is part of Banyan Tree Group’s recently launched Stay For Good program, which is also offered at some of the resort’s other properties around the world.
The Ambassador cruise ship has an enlarged sundeck for passengers to enjoy magnificent views of Lan Ha Bay. — Photos: Brochures
cruise news
Cruise tourism continues to be popular in many international markets, so it is not surprising that new voyages are chartered every few weeks. Ambassador Cruise, for example, has just started its overnight sailing to Lan Ha Bay, near Vietnam’s famous Halong Bay.
Lan Ha Bay has more than 300 karst islands and limestone outcrops, making it as beautiful and fascinating as Halong Bay. However, not many tourist boats sail into Lan Ha Bay, adding to its secluded appeal.
Passengers will sail into the bay on the Ambassador Signature, a 39-berth ship that made its maiden voyage in July. The ship has four different cabin categories, and all cabins feature a private balcony and spacious bathroom. She also has a spa, a piano lounge and a large solarium.
As for the dining experience, the evening menus are curated by Michelin-starred chef David Gallienne (Le Jardin de Plumes) and offer a mix of Vietnamese and French colonial fare. Gallienne was the winner of season 11 of the top boss reality series.
One of the cabins on board Club Med 2.
Another new sailing itinerary comes from Club Med’s five-masted French sailing yacht, Club Med 2. Part of the resort’s Exclusive Collection portfolio, Club Med 2 is one of the largest sailing yachts in the world, with a length of 187 m. The ship was built in 1992 but underwent renovation and improvement works last year; her “new” look was unveiled in December 2022.
It has 184 renovated cabins with luxury amenities, a Sothys spa, indoor and outdoor bars, restaurants, two pools, and a large balcony suspended over the ocean.
On his list of itineraries is a 21-day cruise from Nice, France, to Athens, Greece, with stops in Turkiye, Israel, and Egypt and Greece.
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