It's not all bad news, though. Thankfully, travellers, hotels and tour operators are listening and, with NGOs and scientists, have started to create holidays that educate guests on the importance of marine ecosystems -- and teach them how to help regenerate what we have partially destroyed. Here are some of the best luxury hotels to check into, to learn and then, with expert help, to get to work cleaning up our seas.
One of the first hotels that developed itineraries to help save the oceans was Mnemba, a tiny private island off the coast of Zanzibar. Although guests throng here for a pampered experience in its 12 thatched bandas, well kitted-out dive shop and restaurant, Mnemba is ultimately an eco-resort with a mission. Since the Zanzibar government awarded &Beyond the lease in 1997, the company has launched several programmes to help conserve the island and its surrounding vulnerable reefs, while also providing the communities on Zanzibar education in marine conservation.
With Dr Camilla Floros, the principal scientist for the NGO Wild Impact, the hotel works closely with the local government on the development of a community-based conservation model that integrates coral reef restoration and research to both empower coastal communities and to support a more sustainable blue economy. Lodge guests can explore the artificial reef structure and coral nurseries or spend a day with Floros's team as they collect and transplant coral fragments for the underwater nursery. A private and bespoke one-week full immersion Impact Journey itinerary can also be booked on request.
Details Doubles from £1,585 andbeyond.com
Conservationists and hoteliers work in union at this 140-acre jungle resort on Fiji's Yaukuve Levu Island. As well as huge pools and diving rights in the island's thriving Great Astrolabe Reef (the fourth-largest reef system in the world), treats include wine tasting and ocean trips to view humpback whales and dolphins. Marine practices here are backed by science. Four marine biologists -- Viviana Taubera, Lily Taoi, Alisi Soderberg and Jerushi Alasia -- have instituted clam and mangrove restoration projects, and run several community outreach programmes to ensure their survival.
Since 2019, Kokomo has partnered with Manta Project Fiji to monitor the reef manta ray population in two of their key habitats: Vuro Island (a critical cleaning station) and the Yaukuve Island Group (a seasonal feeding ground). More than 9,000 heat-resilient corals have been transplanted since the launch of Kokomo's restoration programme in 2018 and over 14,300 mangroves planted around Narikoso Village since 2020. Marine biology adventures might include drone checks, infrared mapping and the snorkelling with the marine biologists at manta stations.
Details Doubles from £1,850, kokomoislandfiji.com
The Nellie, as it's known to locals, has been an institution in Cape Town since it first opened its doors in 1899. Its traditional English interiors -- now updated with big palm prints and bold pink stripes -- have hosted names from Nelson Mandela to the King. But the grande dame of the Cape has also developed eco credentials by working with the local NGO The Rockhopper Fund. Its founder, Justin Blake, is a man whose mission is to "create healthy oceans with sharks".
As the marine ecologist will explain on outings with hotel guests, the preservation of these underwater giants is integral for our survival. "They show us things like the hidden nurseries, migration routes, and spawning or feeding grounds. Ecologically, sharks help maintain balance, to the food chain, and in turn help us identify critical habitats and those that are worth protecting," he says. On his "Be a Marine Biologist for the Day" experiences, guests help Blake to track sharks around the kelp forests in Miller's Point, learn how tags work, and how these underwater kelp jungles can help reduce the planet's carbon.
Details Doubles from £720, belmond.com
The Jamaica Inn's charm comes from what it lacks in the patina. It's feels old and lived in, and that's part of its time-warped charm. Owned by the Morrow family, it has lush, terraced gardens and a secluded 700ft beach that offers direct access to the Caribbean Sea. Preserving the oceans is part of the hotel's DNA. The Jamaica Inn Foundation was set up to preserve and give back to the local community. The hotel also supports the Oracabessa Bay turtle project to help protect the endangered hawksbill sea turtle, and the White River Fish Sanctuary, a marine association of local fishermen, hotel owners and local businesses, to try and restore Jamaican reefs.
The local marine biologist Jonathan Hernould works closely with the hotel, and over the past 12 months has undertaken a significant reef restoration project to combat coral bleaching in the hotel's home of Ocho Rios. The Inn's White River Fish Sanctuary contains over 2,000 pieces of critically endangered corals, and is part of a project to try and identify climate-resilient corals in Jamaica. Guests of the hotel can arrange a day with Hernould and shadow him during activities from coral mapping to diving trips.
Details Doubles from £390, jamaicainn.com
Once owned by the Hollywood star Marlon Brando, this tiny white-sanded atoll is visually spectacular: a picture-perfect French Polynesian hideaway adored by celebrities, entrepreneurs and international royals with a taste for island buyouts. Polynesian culture is celebrated throughout, as is design, but alongside the glitz Brando hoped "the island would serve as an ecological model and marine preserve". The driving force of its work is the Tetiaroa Society, a non-profit directed by Frank Murphy, who combines scientific research with environmental stewardship.
The island has become a hub for undersea exploration, with marine biologists from around the world coming together to try to protect biodiversity on land and sea. In addition, it collaborates with the Blue Climate Initiative, a multi-year programme that encourages entrepreneurs, investors and philanthropists to raise awareness about the climate crisis. Guests are encouraged to take the Green Tour of the island, which includes an excursion to the hotel's Sea Water Air Conditioning plant and Eco station to learn about ongoing projects.
Details Doubles from £4,000, all-inclusive, thebrando.com
Set on the Andaman Sea, the Datai Langkawi is often dubbed one of the best and finest eco luxe hotel resorts in the world. Its lush rainforests, pristine beaches and exceptional regional cuisine has made it a favourite among billionaires and honeymooners for decades. But sustainability is taken extremely seriously. Its Datai Pledge states its intention to protect the wildlife, environment and local community of Langkawi. The marine biologist behind its scientific success is Hamrish Singh Nijjar.
Beyond the establishment of artificial reefs and the implementation of technology to protect them from unsustainable fishing practices, Nijjar has been working on MareCet, an acoustic device that records underwater activity. Its prime focus is to record clicks from dolphins and porpoises to determine if the bay is a hotspot for these marine mammals. If so, the bay could be designated as a protective zone for vulnerable species the migrate through its waters. Guests are encouraged to increase their ocean literacy when staying by attending regular talks by in-house marine biologists, or excursions such as Ocean's Drifter in which guests encounter microscopic marine life.
Details Doubles from £470, thedatai.com