Assava and Ban’s Diving Resort believe that Protecting the Natural Beauty of Koh Tao, Thailand is an important part of operating a dive resort in this picturesque part of the country. They are doing their bit with both Marine and Land Conservation Programs
Operating multiple resorts and PADI 5 Star Dive Centres on the island paradise of Koh Tao is a truly a privilege. We work surrounded by white-sandy beaches, clear blue waters, and a reef abundant with life. However, to ensure we protect the natural beauty of this popular tourist destination, the teams at Assava (www.assavadiveresort.com) and Ban’s Diving Resort (www.bansdivingresort.com) have an additional responsibility to actively run both land and marine conservation programs. The good news is that we have systems of sustainability in place and a culture that cares.
Ban’s Conservation Education Centre
We are proud to have created an in-house Conservation Centre that is used to host resort guest, school children and university groups. We practice what we preach by using renewable energies, creating biofuels, using eco-friendly detergents (made at the resort) in our rooms, recycling waste, and serving organic fruits/vegetables in our restaurants from our on-site gardens. During the Covid closures, the Conservation Centre was able to help the community by offering a “Little Green Station”, where locals could pick up free produce, soaps, and garden cuttings.
Assasa Dive Against Debris and Adopt a Dive Site – Project AWARE partnership
It’s estimated that a staggering 39 million people visited Thailand in 2019, many of whom visited the southern islands to snorkel and SCUBA dive. As a 100% Project AWARE (www.projectaware.org) partner facility, we have committed to regularly monitor and clean our “adopted” dive sites. Citizen science programs such as Dive Against Debris not only encourage underwater rubbish removal but they also require reporting of the types of debris removed, which can help with policy change. Resources provided by Project AWARE also allow us to run Coral Reef Conservation, Shark Awareness, AWARE Kids lectures at the resort.
Ban’s Ecological Action for Coastal Health (B.E.A.C.H)
It is the goal of B.E.A.C.H. to promote conservation organically through education and community action. We are able to foster a modern and viable sense of environmental awareness and responsibility for our ocean planet, by changing the ecological perspectives of our students and patrons through our programs. Daily beach clean ups, conservation theory integrated in diver training, and dedicated ecology-themed presentations at the resort are a few of the regular programs run under B.E.A.C.H.
Assava Mangrove and Beach Restoration Project
Mangroves are essential for shoreline protection from damaging storms, waves and floods. They also help to prevent erosion by stabilizing sediments with their tangled root systems and they aid in maintaining water quality by filtering pollutants. Assava Dive Resort has teamed up with the local government for a Mangrove Tree Planting and Mangrove Periwinkle Snail release program behind the resort. To further help the shoreline and support beach restoration in Chalok Bay, we have removed concrete retaining walls and replaced them with natural bamboo barriers to collect organic deposits during tidal changes.
While our collective global pause has certainly allowed a little room for our ecosystems to repair and reset, we will remain active in our approach to help conserve both land and marine environments. We encourage you to visit our resorts on Koh Tao, Thailand when international travel restrictions are lifted and take part in our eco-programs. Remember when you get here to reduce your footprint by taking only photographs on land and leaving only bubbles underwater!
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