30,000 Corals Planted in Mafia Island Marine Park

A Reef That Is Alive and Becoming

The Ropes of Hope is an initiative of the Chole Mjini founders and your stay with us helps to fund their
activities. Since August 2024, over 30,000 corals have been planted back onto severely degraded rubble in the marine park, contributing to the regeneration of more than 3,500 square metres of reef.

Beneath the surface, coral fragments are grown in underwater rope nurseries before being replanted out onto artificial substrate that is introduced to help the reef regrow, reconnect, and thrive. Over time, these structures become living reef systems — supporting biodiversity, strengthening the ecosystem, and adding resilience for the future.

This work is driven by local teams from the small islands in the park, whose lives are closely tied to the reef, and is built on a simple understanding: Healthy coral reefs sustain everything around them.

Coral restoration here is not an isolated conservation initiative. It is part of a wider system: One that includes initiatives that have saved the Seychelles Fruit bat, initiated whale shark research, introduced permaculture,
fostered local employment, introduced alternative livelihoods, education, health care and training, and now seeks to promote long-term stewardship of the reef by the surrounding communities. 

What This Means for Your Stay

You are not arriving to a place that is “damaged.” You are arriving to a place that is alive and is constantly being regenerated, in the process of becoming. Days can be spent snorkeling over thriving reef systems, swimming in warm, clear water, and encountering the richness of marine life that defines this coastline, from nudibranchs to whale sharks.

Part of a Larger Ecosystem: A More Connected Way to Travel

At Chole Mjini, the reef is not separate from the rest of the experience. The lodge exists within a wider ecosystem - one that includes marine conservation, community development, and long-term stewardship of the island. From coral restoration through Ropes of Hope, to education through the Trust Fund, to responsible marine encounters through Kitu Kiblu, each part contributes to the whole.

Our role is not to lead every part of this work, but to support our community, and to invite you into it in a way that feels natural and quietly participatory. This is what regenerative travel means to us: Something ongoing, grounded, and lived.

Where Travel Meets Impact

For many of our guests, Chole Island comes at the end of a journey, after days on safari, after summiting Kilimanjaro, or after long travel across continents. And what they find here is not just rest, but reconnection to the ocean, to nature, and to something that feels meaningful.

Since August 2024, more than 30,000 corals have been replanted in these waters, with restoration efforts now expanding by approximately 500 square metres of reef each month. And while much of this work happens quietly beneath the surface, guests become part of it simply by being here.

Some choose to visit the nurseries or learn more about the restoration process. Others experience the reef exactly as it is — vibrant, alive, and full of movement. Both are equally part of the story.

If you would like to explore the marine environment during your stay, or support the ongoing restoration work, our team will be happy to guide you.