Landaa Giraavaru, often called Four Seasons at Landaagiraavaru, is an island in the Baa Atoll in the

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

(

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Biosphere Reserve The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) covers internationally designated protected areas, known as biosphere reserves, which are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature (e.g. encourage sustainable de ...

). Home to a luxury '' Four Seasons'' resort since 2004 with rates from USD $1,400 per night, it is one of the many island resorts of the Maldives.

Geography

Localization

Landaa Giraavaru is one of the Maldive Islands, located in the northeast of Baa Atoll. The closest inhabited islands are Kamadhoo in the southeast and Kudarikilu in the northwest, but there are also numerous desert islands around, such as Thiladhoo, Milhaidhoo or Madhirivaadhoo in the south, which offer as many diving sites.

Relief and morphology

Landaa Giraavaru is approximately 600 meters in length from east to west, and 200 meters at its maximum width; its maximum height does not exceed 2 meters. It mostly consists of sand, which makes it a motu.

Flora and fauna

Terrestrial biodiversity

Landaa Giraavaru is covered with dense tropical vegetation, including in particular takamakas, coconut palm trees and

screwpine ''Pandanus'' is a genus of monocots with some 750 accepted species. They are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs native to the Old World tropics and subtropics. The greatest number of species are found in Madagascar and Malaysia. Common names ...

Marine biodiversity

The island is located inside the "Baa Atoll

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

", designated by the UNESCO in 2011.Baa Atoll, Maldives: UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve
on Visitmaldives.com. Its shallow waters, particularly rich in coral, fish and an important population of

whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, ...

s and manta rays have gained the atoll a reputation for exceptional diving. The ecosystem is characterized by a very high cover rate coral, very diverse and dominated by several species of tabular, branching or digitate corals of the genus '' Acropora''. In addition to a high number of pelagics, the surrounding waters shelter many large marine animals such as

sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhe ...

dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...

moray eel Moray eels, or Muraenidae (), are a family of eels whose members are found worldwide. There are approximately 200 species in 15 genera which are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water, and a few are f ...

tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max len ...

and

grouper Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes. Not all serranids are called "groupers"; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name "grouper" is ...

s. This atoll is also famous for important populations of spectacular big animals such as

s and manta rays.

Conservation

The resort shelters its own "Marine Discovery Centre" with several full-time biologists, scientific divers and researchers, managed by local environmental organization Seamarc/Marine savers. Particular projects of focus include the care and rehabilitation of wounded animals (turtles, cetaceans), surveys of the local macrofauna (turtles, rays, whale sharks) and an ambitious program of reimplantation of coral in damaged areas (known onsite as ''Reefscapers''), mostly funded by tourists. The MDC also provides popularization course and conferences about marine life, aimed at resort guests, local islanders and marine biology apprentices.

History

Probably discovered during the prehistory at the same time as the other islands of the Maldives, Landaa Giraavaru may have been inhabited in an intermittent way because of the low availability in fresh water, even if remains of sedentary occupation were found in the northeast of the island. This population probably migrated to the close island of Kamadhoo at the beginning of the 20th century to settle the present village there. Before the opening of the hotel, the island was only punctually inhabited by one Maldivian tribe, about 10-12 people, who exploited the coconuts and certain products of the sea thanks to a regular supply from Kudarikilu there. When Resort was opened, they were offered to stay in resort for lifetime. First man died in 2007 and left his name to the restaurant of the employees, ''Café Umarbe''. In November 2004, the island became home to the second Maldivian resort of the '' Four Seasons'' hotel management company, and now employs approximately 500 workers and covers the entire 178062 m² of the island.

Tourism

The presence of the luxury resort ''Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru'' makes this site one of the numerous island resorts of the Maldives, and it consists of 103 villas on the shore of the beach on stilts over the lagoon, eight restaurants and bars, a three-acre spa and ayurvedic retreat, a

Professional Association of Diving Instructors The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is a recreational diving membership and diver training organization founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. Cronin was originally a NAUI instructor who decided to form his ...

5-Star IDC dive centre, a marine discovery centre, many leisure and entertainment facilities, as well as a fleet of boats. The access to the island from

Malé Malé (, ; dv, މާލެ) is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 252,768 and an area of , it is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located at the southern ...

and its international airport distant from about 130 kilometres is via a 35-minute seaplane flight. Image:Thatched-roof in the Maldive Islands 03.jpg, One of the resort's swimming pools Image:Thatched-roof villa in the Maldive Islands 02.jpg, Water villas alley Image:Thatched-roof villa in the Maldive Islands.jpg, Part of the pile dwellings of the spa

References

External links

*
The official webpage of the Marine Savers
{{coord, 05.2866, N, 73.1120, E, format=dms, region:IO_type:isle, display=title Four Seasons hotels and resorts Hotels established in 2006 Islands of the Maldives Resorts in the Maldives