Can the Maldives Survive Man?

By Kamin Mohammadi

The Maldives islands are renowned for their pristine beaches and spectacular diving. But global warming is a dark cloud on their horizon, says Kamin Mohammadi.

The Four Seasons Resort at Kuda Huraa in the Maldives understands well the ‘Robinson Crusoe’ factor, identified by the Maldivian Ministry for Tourism as key to the Maldives appeal. All Maldivian resorts occupy their own islands which are otherwise uninhabited, so for the length of your holiday, you really are a castaway on your own desert island. The Four Seasons Resort knows all about castaway comfort, about clean towels for the beach and fresh fruit cocktails on tap. There appear to be several staff for each guest, three restaurants, an infinity pool and fantastic waterspouts and diving facilities on an island so tiny that you can walk its circumference in ten minutes. Yet among all this luxury, there are signs of other concerns creeping in. Every night in the library, guests gather for the ‘Fish Talk’, a perfectly serious 45-minute lecture given by the resort’s marine biologist and aimed at raising awareness of the underwater environment, including the creation of coral and the recent bleaching phenomenon.
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