Preneur World March 2023

Thanda Island: The Luxury
Island That Gives Back
Nestled within the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve, just off the coast of
Tanzania, Thanda Island is the world’s only exclusive-use island in a marine
reserve and one of the most exclusive and luxurious estates in the world
A tropical hideaway surrounded
by pristine nature, Thanda Island
is a place where time slows and
the connection between humans
and nature is re-ignited. Thanda
is the world’s only exclusive-use
island in a marine reserve and
is dedicated to safeguarding the
surrounding environment by
protecting the vulnerable coral
reefs and local marine wildlife
with concerted conservation
programmes. Meaning ‘love’ in
the Zulu language, this soulful
destination creates shared value
for the environment and the
community.
Working hard to fulfil its promise,
Thanda Island does this in several
different ways.
MARINE LIFE AND
ENVIRONMENT
PRESERVATION
Thanda island works hard to
support local NGO Ropes of
Hope, a coral reef restoration
programme that will restore
coral reefs within the Mafian
archipelago and Shungimibili
Marine Reserve.
Through partnership with
local NGO Ropes of Hope,
Thanda helps educate the local
community on the importance of
reef conservation and employs
community members from Mafia
and its surrounding island to
restore their reefs.
Thanda employs a full-time
Marine Biologist, Rianne Laan,
who monitors the conservation
projects’ progress, in particular,
the rehabilitation of the
Shungimbili coral reef, where
young coral is grown until it’s
ready to be incorporated into
the reef to stimulate its
recovery.
Guests willing to learn more a
about the marine life can book
excursions with Rianne where
even the gear is eco-friendly - the
new rash vests by Ocean
R are made from recycled
plastic waste from the ocean
- and each shirt is equivalent
to approximately 12 plastic
bottles, and sun cream from
Healing Earth is reef-safe.
Thanda encourages guests to
take part in the Whale Shark
Citizen Science Programme,
which allows the community
to be involved in collecting
identification data on whale
sharks via images.
Thanda also supports the
Marine Park Rangers - who patrol
and protect the Shungimbili
Marine Reserve from illegal
fishing.
SUSTAINABILITY
An Island designed with
sustainability in mind,
Thanda strives to maintain
high sustainability levels
with its energy, water,
recycling and food usage,
whilst ensuring luxury
and quality service is still
delivered.
The new solar plant is large
enough to cater for all of the
Island’s power needs on most
given days.
Grey water is recycled to
water the Island’s expanding
68 PRENEUR WORLD www.preneur-world.com