The Bay Belongs to All of Us: Sun Siyam Pasikudah Leads Community Clean-up on Pasikudah's Shores

Sun Siyam Pasikudah, Sri Lanka's five-star boutique retreat and part of the Privé Collection within Sun Siyam, reinforced its commitment to community and conservation with a beach cleanup along Pasikudah Bay on 08th May 2026. Held under the group-wide Sun Siyam Cares umbrella, guided by “Caring for our People, Nature and Culture”, the morning brought together school students, hotel staff, and in-house guests for hands-on environmental action.

Unlike typical cleanup drives, this initiative placed education at its heart. Students from a local school joined guided sessions on coastal ecosystems, the impact of marine litter on biodiversity, and the role every individual plays in protecting Sri Lanka's coastline, giving young people from the surrounding community a firsthand understanding of why this bay matters, ecologically, culturally, and economically.

Arshed Refai, General Manager of Sun Siyam Pasikudah, said: "What makes this cleanup different is who we did it with. When a child understands why this bay is worth caring for, its ecology, its beauty, what it means to the families who live here, that knowledge stays with them. That is the most sustainable investment we can make."

Pasikudah Bay's shallow, crystal-clear turquoise waters and the Eastern Province's rich marine and cultural heritage, from centuries-old mosques and kovils to the vibrancy of Kattankudy, make it a coastline worth protecting. Participants spread across the shoreline collecting and sorting waste in line with the resort's zero-waste management principles, while guests noted the activity deepened their connection to the destination beyond a typical resort experience.

Sun Siyam Pasikudah holds the Travelife Gold Certification across 147 criteria spanning energy, water, wildlife, waste, and community welfare. The resort grows over 38 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs on its organic farm, operates solar-powered installations, has eliminated single-use plastics entirely, and sources locally wherever possible. The Sun Siyam Cares Fund supports CarePhant, backing the care of Kalo, a young elephant at the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, ahead of his return to the wild in 2029.

As part of Sun Siyam Resorts, named Most Influential Sustainable Hotel Group of the Year at the 2025 GO TRAVEL Awards, initiatives like this reflect a sustained, year-round commitment to ensuring tourism on the East Coast is a force for renewal, not depletion.