Is it a boulder? Is that an aquatic Yeti? No! At Anantara Kihavah Villas, it's a coral Christmas tree that doesn't hurt the environment. With underwater Christmas trees made entirely from reef coral collected from the seabed at Anantara Dhigu and Anantara Veli in the South Male Atoll and in the north at Anantara Kihavah Villas in the UNESCO Marine Biosphere Baa Atoll region, Anantara in the Maldives is taking its unique coral adoption initiative to new festive depths.

In Kihavah, guests at the resort's signature gourmet Sea Restaurant, one of the few underwater restaurants in the world, can enjoy the abundant marine life of the Indian Ocean while taking in the Christmas tree display, striped lionfish, moray eels, and eagle rays.

Coral trees will be planted beneath the water at our group of three resorts in the South Male Atoll to greet guests as they approach each resort's jetty. In addition, guests will be able to snorkel in the lagoon to view these one-of-a-kind holiday decorations and their glistening nighttime reflections.

Aquafanatics set up a coral nursery on the Anantara Dhigu island resort in June 2010 to recover and replace broken coral in the lagoon as part of Anantara's commitment to environmental preservation. This long-term project, which is now available at all Anantara resorts in the Maldives, provides guests with educational opportunities, accelerates the growth of coral in the atoll reefs, and ultimately ensures the destination's future. By adopting a coral frame and transplanting coral onto it with the assistance of the resorts' resident marine biologists, guests can participate in the creation of a reef and the ongoing conservation effort. Guests can follow the development of their adopted coral through a dedicated website.