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The Conscious Traveller
How one resort in Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands breeds and returns bamboo sharks to the wild
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The bamboo shark conservation project at the Marine Discovery Centre aims to protect vulnerable marine species.
PHOTO: SAII HOTELS & RESORTS
- SAii Phi Phi Island Village focuses on marine conservation, including a "Save Our Sharks" programme, breeding bamboo sharks for release, with 42 released since 2021.
- The resort protects marine life and mangroves through education, mangrove planting, and local community partnerships, collecting 1,946kg of debris in 2025.
- Over-collection of clownfish after "Finding Nemo" led to a breeding programme to increase local populations, raising awareness of responsible marine stewardship.
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PHI PHI ISLANDS, Thailand – Bobbing on the teal waters of the Andaman Sea, I transfer from a speedboat to a diving support vessel that is carrying precious cargo of seven bamboo sharks – five juveniles and two adults.
We are at Koh Ma, or Dog Island, where the sharks will be released into their natural habitat.
