Vakkaru Maldiveshas pledged its support of the Australianbushfire crisisand is hosting a charity dinner on Saturday 11 January to raise funds for Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES).

Vakkaru General Manager, Nicholas Mason, has strong ties to Australiaand saidhe and his team were moved by the plight of Australia and its wildlife and wanted to raise money for WIRES’ dedicated emergency fundraiser.

“We’re located in a UNESCO biospherereserve here in the Baa Atoll, so we understand the importance and fragility of healthy ecosystems,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking to see so many injured animals and such widespread loss of life and natural habitat.”

“We hope our contribution helps the incredible WIRES team to rescue and care for as many sick, injured and orphaned native animals as possible.”

Guests on island at Vakkaru will be invited to an Australian-themed dinner on 11 January at Vakku Grill, the resort’s signature restaurant on the beach. The set menu dinner is inspired by the country’s food culture, using an array of produce and supplies from Australia and the Maldives curated by Nicholas Mason –General Manager, Prasong Taochan –Executive Chef and Stefanie Wiesner-Sommelier. The menu items include braised pork belly with vegemite sauce, grilled Australian black angus beef tenderloin and Tasmanian salmon couscous and chai cake for the main course as well as choices of pavlova and lamington for the dessert.

Wine pairing will also be available as part of the dinner experience, and our resident sommelier has selected some of Australia’s iconic wines. All proceeds will be donated to WIRES to ensure that the native fauna affected by the bushfire are receiving the best of care.

Vakkaru is a timeless sanctuary located in a breathtaking enclave within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of the Baa Atoll. A lush and secluded floating paradise of palm-lined beaches and powder white sand, the five-star resort epitomises barefoot elegance.