Carla Virgos is the founder of the travel company, ‘Kandu’ – which provides a unique voyage into the local Maldives and an incredible underwater experience. Originally from Spain and based in London, Carla has been an ocean advocate and diver for over eight years. After several solo trips to the local islands of the Maldives, she created Kandu alongside the best group of local experts in the Maldives to be able to offer unique adventures to those who share the same passion for the ocean.
Kandu by Carla hosts a life-changing trip that helps maintain the environment and ocean. From swimming with manta rays and sharks to sharing stories about locally caught and prepared meals, Kandu offers an unforgettable adventure to people worldwide. Surrounded by local experts, it provides the best opportunity for all people to safely participate in the fun of marine wildlife encounters, breathtaking underwater footage, and content for memories.
Kandu has also been playing a role in restoring the ecosystem in Maldives. The coral reef that holds an essential value for the local economy and tourism will become extinct later due to changes in climate conditions and human-related factors, i.e., the use of plastics, industrial chemicals, and pollutants. In fact, if the coral reef dies, the fish will not gain the nutrients they need for survival; consequently, many essential species will disappear from the ocean. And restoring coral reefs by increasing their health, quantity, and variety is the only option that can save them.
However, Kandu supports the Maafushi Coral Project – an initiative established in early 2017. With this support program, the Kandu team helps plant new coral frames to restore the reef’s ecosystem around the island and attach the baby corals to the edge, which are then put into the coral garden to become new homes for the sea life. Additionally, Kandu allows its guests to become sponsors of unique frames. Guests also have the chance to dive or snorkel in this spot and experience the project’s beauty.
Further, Carla adds that the active restoration of coral is a relatively new process in the Maldives. Still, if companies and organizations establish partnerships with various support programs, they can make a difference and improve the coral reef ecosystems. Providing technical support and funding for coral restoration can also conserve coral for the future.To understand more about the coral restoration process and Kandu’s role in it, follow their Instagram page and join them on the next expedition.
