Here’s 3 stylish, sustainable surf resorts that also make you feel good while you surf, stay and play.
Soneva Fushi, Maldives
This luxe ‘castaway chic’ surf resort is as stylish and sustainable as they come and it’s no surprise its visitors are known for repeat visits.
With a devoted celebrity audience including Paul McCartney, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, it has a beautiful low key elegance to it and some of the best sustainability credentials around.
From recycling waste and plastics into gorgeous glass arts to ensuring clean, green and local supply chains, this luxury surf resort has an enviable carbon balance that sits at 0 percent (with 2% of its room revenue going to mitigating the carbon footprint).
Tucked away in a captivating corner of the Maldives, this private island paradise is graced with thatched mansions, recycled bamboo and eucalyptus wood throughout and touches of beautiful fabrics in burnt orange and yellow from Barefoot, a company employing women in rural Sri Lanka.
Co-owner and designer, Eva Maelstrom, former high-flying Swedish fashion model-turned-clothes designer, is responsible for the company’ creative design details, which includes vintage-style travelling trunks in each room to hide the televisions, using leather from sustainable origins and staying clear of coral or wood from a non-sustainable or rainforest source.
Soneva Fushi even boasts the world’s first fully sustainable surf school where secluded surf breaks are accessible within a 5-35-minute speedboat ride, and all equipment is from made from recycled waste, meaning you can catch a ride with a thoroughly clean conscience.
Above all, Soneva Fushi is all about a slower pace of life. A place to get away, step out of our corporate boxes, take off our shoes, breathe fresh air, and leave our smartphone at the door. Bliss.
Discover more about Soneva Fushi
Nihi Sumba, Indonesia
Formerly Nihiwatu, Nihi Sumba is not just the fancy wedding destination favoured by the likes of Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth.
Travel+Leisure‘s global readers voted Nihi Sumba Island as the #1 Hotel in the World for the second year in a row at the “World’s Best Awards”, and it is not hard to see why.
A divine barefoot haven in the remote island of Sumba in Southeastern Indonesia, this breathtaking resort has a long term commitment to sustainability, using local produce, hiring local Sumbanese, ensuring energy is green and safely releasing baby turtles into the wild.
The Nihi Sumba Resort wholeheartedly supports the Sumba Foundation, focusing its efforts on everything from clean drinking water to education to reducing malaria on the island.
Make chocolate bars using Sumba’s locally sourced cocoa beans, try your hand at traditional Sumba dancing and Bahasa classes or embark on nature trail adventures, scavenger hunts and arts and crafts sessions to your heart’s content.
A refined combination of rugged grace and elegant touches, this exquisite sustainable surf resort is conscious luxury at its finest.
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Matanivusi Resort, Fiji
Designed to blend seamlessly into the natural surroundings, Matanivusi is a vision of sustainable style.
Achieving the coveted STOKE certification, this beauty offers no more than six stunning ocean front homes that sit only a stone’s throw away from the glittering ocean, tucked away between the creek and the splayed coconut palms, almost as if you’ve just been dropped into the jungle.
Drawing on an abundance of natural light, glass, warm timbers, foliage and natural plantation shutters, Gold Coast architect and surfer, Paul Uhlmann, has carved out this tropical vision with a celebration of sustainability at its very heart, from the design to the daily operations.
Buildings are constructed around significant trees. Raised walkways are crafted to ensure minimal disruption to the environment, and passive solar design allows breezes to cool the interiors naturally.
Innovative water collection and recycling programs keep footprints to a minimum, and this beautiful surf hotel also offers educational programs in the local schools.
And in keeping with the eco-friendly vibe, there’s no single-use toiletries in the bathrooms at this charming surf hotel so remember to bring your own shampoo and body wash for the trip.
Conceived and crafted under the blessing of the local elders, Matanivusi Resort has a strong relationship with the local community. Guests enjoy rare and authentic interactions with Fijian culture from kava ceremonies to attending Sunday service at church, plantation tours and kindergarten drop-ins.
Discover more about Matanivusi Resort
These are just a few of our favourite sustainable surf resorts! If SUSTAINABLE STYLE & ECO-CONSCIOUS travel is right up your ally view our full list of FEATURED RESORTS HERE.
Now, go and surf without worry and kick back gracefully in the knowledge you are helping the planet to become a better place for all.