Six Senses Con Dao Honors World Turtle Day 2025 with Powerful Conservation Milestones

Source: Six Senses Con Dao

Reported By: Matthew Kennedy

On World Turtle Day 2025, Six Senses Con Dao—a resort where sustainability is more than a promise, but a practice—celebrates its long-standing commitment to sea turtle conservation. Set along 1.24 miles of protected shoreline on Vietnam’s Con Dao Island, this award-winning retreat continues to distinguish itself not only for its tranquil luxury but for its hands-on environmental leadership.

With the “Let’s Get Cracking” Incubation Center at the heart of its conservation program, Six Senses Con Dao has become a global model for turtle protection. Since its founding in 2018, and in partnership with Con Dao National Park, the center has safely released 29,859 green sea turtle hatchlings into the sea—an effort that boasts an exceptional 82% hatch success rate.

From March to October each year, the resort’s beach becomes a sacred nesting ground. Endangered sea turtles return to lay eggs in the same protected sands, drawn by the calm and care that defines this tropical sanctuary. With natural predators, climate shifts, and human interference posing constant threats, the incubation center serves as a vital barrier—ensuring more hatchlings survive their journey from nest to sea.

Among the many milestones in the resort’s conservation journey, one stands out for its rarity and symbolism. On October 20, 2023, a hatchling named Blanche emerged—a leucistic green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) born with an extremely rare genetic condition that results in drastically reduced melanin, leaving her shell and skin a strikingly pale hue.

These types of hatchlings occur only once in hundreds of thousands. Blanche’s unique appearance not only captivated the hearts of guests and marine biologists alike—it became a symbol of the fragile, improbable beauty of ocean life, and the importance of safeguarding it.

Building on its work with green turtles, Six Senses Con Dao celebrated another historic moment on December 15, 2024, when a critically threatened olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) laid a clutch of 98 eggs on the resort’s beach. Listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and in Vietnam’s Red Data Book, the olive ridley’s return underscores the importance of this sanctuary as a viable, long-term nesting site for multiple endangered species.

Protection efforts extend beyond nesting seasons. On May 7, 2025, two sea turtles—a hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and a green sea turtle—were found entangled in abandoned fishing nets. Thanks to swift action by the resort’s team and National Park authorities, both animals were safely freed and released, a reminder of the ongoing human-caused threats these ancient mariners face daily.

Beyond habitat protection and rescue missions, Six Senses Con Dao places equal emphasis on education and guest engagement. Through Turtle Talks, hands-on workshops led by the resort’s sustainability team, guests gain insight into sea turtle biology, behavior, and the broader ecological challenges at play.

From May through December, guests are often invited to witness hatchling release events—where newly emerged turtles crawl instinctively toward the sea. These intimate encounters offer more than spectacle—they foster a deep emotional connection with nature and a sense of stewardship that guests carry with them long after departure.

This World Turtle Day, Six Senses Con Dao renews its pledge: to protect what cannot protect itself, to educate where awareness is needed, and to conserve through both science and soul. From pioneering hatchling incubation to launching successful rescues and facilitating meaningful guest involvement, the resort has built a conservation model that’s as personal as it is impactful.

Here, each turtle isn’t just a statistic—it’s a life, a legacy, and a call to action. And each visitor is not simply a guest, but a participant in a mission far larger than any single experience.