Anantara Hotels and Resorts Lends Nature a Helping Hand with Annual Turtle and Bamboo Shark Release in Phuket
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Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and Anantara Layan Phuket Resort in southern Thailand continues to play a vital role in marine conservation through its long-standing partnership with the Phuket Marine Biological Centre. The collaboration forms part of the brands broader commitment to protecting the ocean ecosystems and promoting responsible, ethical tourism in the Kingdom.
Anantara has supported sea turtle conservation in Phuket for more than two decades through the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation. Established in 2002 by Minor Hotels, the parent company of Anantara, the foundation was created to help restore Thailand’s declining sea turtle populations. Since its inception, more than 1,500 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.
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Sea turtle releases take place when sea conditions are optimal, most reliably during Thailand’s New Year celebrations – known as Songkran and held every April. The timing allows guests and local communities to take part in release activities that carry both environmental and cultural significance.
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.
Anantara supports the programme by working closely with conservation partners and hosting release activities along the beaches of Layan and Mai Khao. These events provide guests and local communities with a rare opportunity to witness conservation in action, while contributing directly to the restoration of bamboo shark populations in their natural habitat.
Marine conservation forms part of Anantara’s wider sustainability and ethical tourism strategy. Guests are encouraged to engage with ongoing initiatives through the brand’s Dollars for Deeds programme, which channels donations directly into environmental and community projects, or by planning their stays to coincide with carefully managed release activities.
Across resort operations, Anantara also implements responsible practices certified by Green Growth 2050. These include reducing single-use plastics, protecting sensitive coastal environments, and promoting marine conservation awareness among guests, team members, community groups, and local schoolchildren through dedicated outreach programmes.
Through close collaboration with scientific partners, local communities and its guests, Anantara Resorts Phuket continue to champion the protection of sea turtles, bamboo sharks and the wider marine environment. These efforts help safeguard the long-term health of the Andaman Sea, ensuring it continues to thrive for generations to come.
The annual release will be held on the beaches of Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas on 13 April and Anantara Layan Phuket Resort on the 15 April, 2026.
A luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, Anantara Hotels & Resorts connects guests to genuine places, people and stories in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Each Anantara embraces the surroundings and culture of its destination, creating unforgettable memories for every guest since 2001. From city to sea and desert to jungle, Anantara delivers heartfelt, Thai-inspired hospitality at its over 50 hotels and resorts across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Ocean.
Anantara Hotels & Resorts is a Minor Hotels brand and recognises its guests through one unified loyalty programme, Minor DISCOVERY, part of GHA DISCOVERY.
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