Was in Mayakoba!

Day One - Arriving in Mexico

After a long, arduous swim through natural canals and lagoons, connected underground to the sea, I’m finally in America!

Met in the lobby by the Banyan Tree Mayakoba team of associates, I was told that situated in the eco-haven of Mayakoba, Banyan Tree is a harmonious blend of nature and luxury, and the first all-pool villa resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico.


Our Mexican associates escorted me past the splendid banyan tree looming over the two-storey water courtyard to my lavish Garden Pool Villa. As I relaxed in the privacy of my own villa facing eco-landscape and enjoying the natural surroundings of lush nature, I could certainly see why Banyan Tree Mayakoba lives up to its promise as the most eagerly anticipated brand in the Americas!


A myriad of dining options are available in Banyan Tree Mayakoba, from the Mediterranean-inspired Tamarind, signature Thai cuisine of Saffron, modern Mexican cuisine from Oriente and in-villa dining. Being in Mexico for the first time, I headed to Oriente for a truly gastronomical experience.

Tired after the long swim and happy with a full stomach, I went to sleep almost as soon as I returned to my Garden Pool Villa.


Day 2 - Exploring Banyan Tree Mayakoba
Waking up to a beautiful day, I was eagerly anticipating the boat tour through the enchanting canals and lagoons. Bird-watching is one of the most popular activities in Mayakoba, with over 250 different vertebrate species coexisting in Mayakoba.

Hopping into the boat, which is electric-powered to avoid noise pollution, I observed many species of herons, a few neotropic cormorants, and midway into the tour, was even lucky enough to spot an iguana who obligingly posed for a photo!



After the peaceful, magical boat tour, the biologist brought me to visit the protected nests of baby turtles!

Banyan Tree guests are invited to help the little turtles out as they are hatched, and all of us protectively watch over them as they make their first steps towards the oceans.



Truly a magical experience, I hope to see many of these turtles return to Mayakoba when they are older to lay their own eggs!


Day 3 - Visiting a School
Waking up after a deep, restful slumber filled with dreams of birds and baby turtles, I had a huge breakfast at the Oriente, their buffet breakfasts are legendary.

After breakfast, the CSR team picked me up, taking me to “Vida y Esperanza” community, where we will be teaching the children art and ecology. I was told that this is would be the first class given to the 15 students from this community, by a Banyan Tree Mayakoba associate, so everyone is very excited.


There were smiles all around as the children drew native animals, trees, and learned more about the environment they are in. In addition, we also taught the basics of waste management, and why it is important to reuse and recycle instead of burning and disposing of waste.

Before leaving we visited a very special place in the community: an apiary that is going to be protected by the members of the community. The Mayan bees will live in this apiary; these amazing bees don’t have a sting so there’s no danger of being harmed.

These incredible, hardworking insects are endangered, and fortunately, Banyan Tree Mayakoba is working hard to prevent its extinction.

After my enriching day, I retired into my villa with a sense of peace and tranquility, inspired by the activities and efforts of the team in Banyan Tree Mayakoba, and hoping to visit again another day. Until then, I will continue to cherish the many fond memories, the new friends I’ve made and experiences I’ve gained.

Greening Communities 2009

The only hotel to plant trees in the city of Luang Prabang, associates from Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel, together with over 4,000 members of the local community from government offices, hospitals, and universities, planted 2,243 trees in Luang Prabang in 2009 alone.



Taking place during the rainy season from June to October, the tree plantings met and exceeded the group-wide target of planting 2,000 trees per resort per year.

Maison Souvvaphoum Hotel will continue to strive to plant 2,000 trees each year, in line with the overall group-wide Greening Communities effort of building awareness of climate change.

Packing for Lijiang!

Packing for Lijiang!

I can’t wait! I’m heading to Banyan Tree Lijiang, and winter is coming fast, so I packed my winter wear, including my favourite Shokay wool scarves and gloves.

On a side note, Banyan Tree Gallery’s Shokay wool line is an interesting story. The Shokay Company is a social enterprise using yak fibre to provide sustainable income for Tibetan yak herders while still preserving their traditional lifestyles.


Day One – Arriving at Banyan Tree Lijiang

Flying into Lijiang, I felt like I was like settling into a magical kingdom in the clouds. We flew in through majestic mountains, finally landing in the quaint airport 2200m above sea level!

I loved the scenic 45 minute car ride from the airport to Banyan Tree Lijiang. The picturesque drive cut through fields of sunflowers and corn, a “sea” of yellow rapeseed plants and grasslands. Cattle, goats, chickens, a family of pigs, dogs and people were all with lining the roads and valley.



As we approached the resort, I noticed that Banyan Tree Lijiang is nestled in a valley with a breathtaking view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and sits among several villages, including Suhe Old Town, only a nice 10-minute stroll away.

It was delightful to see Banyan Tree Lijiang fit so perfectly into this picturesque setting, obviously the resort was built to reflect and celebrate the cultural heritage of the area. With the exception of the three-storey pagoda, which was built in the traditional way by hand and without any nails, all other buildings on site are two stories or less, and mimic the nearby town and its Naxi architecture of curved roofs and flowing streams.

After talking with many of the team members at the hotel including Ms. Andy Lei, Banyan Tree’s CSR Champion for Yunnan, it became clear to me that Banyan Tree Lijiang has taken numerous steps for energy and water conservation. These efforts include the use of solar water heating panels, energy saving bulbs, and a rain water harvesting system for landscape irrigation. At the same time, another point of emphasis ensures that waste management practices are in line with conserving the environment.

I spotted many bird feeders in the trees in and around the resort, and it turns out this was a planned effort to help guests enjoy the company of our feathered friends. True to Lijiang Old Town’s roots, the resort also features many fresh water streams as well as a main pond teeming with gold fish and carp. This is one place you won’t find shark’s fin!

Because of the long day of travel, I took a quick dip in my villa’s private hot tub before settling down with a delightful Naxi hot pot meal served in the privacy of my own villa. Naxi hot pots feature the freshest mushrooms, vegetables and stock, without oil or artificial preservatives. Another highlight of the meal was the Naxi musician and dancer performing an ageless, traditional Naxi dance as I dined. WOW!




Day Two – Visit to Wenhai School and Tree Planting in Lijiang

Over breakfast I learned that Banyan Tree Lijiang has a long standing relationship with a local school, Wenhai Primary School, which associates from Banyan Tree visit twice a year. Wenhai Primary School is about a 90 minute drive from Lijiang, and has around 80 students with less than 5 teachers, limited facilities and equipment and a lack of drinking water facilities.

I was lucky enough that my stay in Lijiang coincided with one of the visits to Wenhai Primary, so I was able to help hand out books, stationary, toys and clothes to the students. No matter how often I see it, nothing is as touching as seeing happy smiles on children’s faces!



While in Wenhai Primary, I also learned that every Children’s Day (31st of October), associates of Banyan Tree visit the school with cakes, snacks, drinks, sports equipment and other gifts to celebrate with the students.

Banyan Tree Maldives - Underwater Gardens

Various coral and marine life conservation projects going on in Banyan Tree Maldives

Banyan Tree Maldives - Finding Nemo's Friends

A short clip on the Marine Conservation projects in Banyan Tree Maldives, focusing on the resident shark and turtle conservation programs.

My first blog post!

My name is Felidhoo, but my friends call me Felly. The story of how I came to be in is my profile, but as only one in hundreds of baby sea turtles make it to adulthood, I feel truly lucky to be afforded the luxury of swimming around the oceans of the world.

Now, I'm the resident globe-trotting Green Sea Turtle of Banyan Tree, here to bring you news and updates from all our resorts around the world.

Visit my page here!

I'm also found on Facebook, and Twitter. Stay tuned for more updates, news, and adventures from Banyan Tree!