In the heart of the Maldives, where turquoise waters meet white sandy shores and vibrant coral reefs, sustainability is more than a buzzword—it’s a way of life. At Anantara Dhigu, Anantara Veli, and Naladhu Private Island, we embrace this commitment through a strong sustainability ethos, brought to life by one of our most impactful initiatives: the on-site bottling plant."
Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, especially for island nations like the Maldives. Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic waste end up in our oceans, where it breaks down into microplastics and threatens marine ecosystems. A significant portion of this pollution comes from single-use plastics, items like plastic water bottles, straws, and bags that are designed to be used once and discarded. In a country made up of more than 1,000 islands, the logistical challenge of managing waste is immense. Without proper disposal infrastructure, plastic often ends up in landfills, is burned, or escapes into the ocean. The impact on marine life is devastating: turtles and seabirds ingest plastic debris, fish and corals become entangled, and microplastics infiltrate the food chain ultimately affecting human health as well.
In response to this crisis, our bottling plant was established with a clear and urgent mission: to eliminate single-use plastic from our water consumption and significantly reduce our environmental footprint. By producing our own still and sparkling water in reusable glass bottles, we not only cut down on plastic waste, but also reduce the need for importing bottled water, lowering transport emissions and supporting a circular economy on the island.
Each glass bottle used across our resorts replaces dozens (if not hundreds) of disposable plastic bottles, preventing them from entering the waste stream and polluting the ocean. This small-scale yet powerful change demonstrates how responsible innovation can have a lasting impact, especially in delicate island environments like the Maldives.
Sustainability is a shared journey, and we proudly invite our guests to be part of it offering weekly complimentary tours of our resorts’ back-of-house operations. During these behind-the-scenes experiences, guests can visit the bottling plant, learn about our water purification process, and even refill their own reusable water bottles straight from the source.
These tours are more than informative, they empower guests to make conscious choices and engage directly with sustainability in action.
Our bottling plant is equipped with advanced filtration and UV sterilization technology, ensuring that every drop of water meets the highest standards of hygiene, taste, and safety. Whether served at our restaurants, in-room, or during excursions, it reflects our promise to offer luxury experiences that align with environmental responsibility.
The success of our bottling plant and guest engagement programs exemplifies what’s possible when innovation, education, and sustainability come together. In regions like the Maldives, where waste management infrastructure is limited and ecosystems are incredibly fragile, local, scalable solutions like this can make a world of difference.
From coral restoration and marine conservation to reducing plastic and promoting renewable practices, Anantara Dhigu, Anantara Veli, and Naladhu Private Island continue to lead by example, proving that luxury and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Posted 19/05/2025
