INTO THE BLUE

With the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, the watchmaker is on a mission to safeguard our most precious resources, including the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area in Indonesia.

- RENÉE BATCHELOR

The ocean is one of the most diverse environments on our planet and host to a dizzying array of marine species. Some of the most beautiful oceanic spots in the world lie quite close to our little red dot. Like Nusa Penida, an island near Bali. The Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area (MPA), is an underwater landscape that hosts around 570 species of reef fish, including manta rays and the ocean sunfish, as well as turtles. Nusa Penida is also home to over 300 species of coral—a number that represents over 76 percent of all known coral species in the world. This tourism and ecology hotspot is one that needs to be protected.

It’s unsurprising that hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Nusa Penida MPA each year to dive alongside marine life and to capture their stunning beauty on film. Thanks to the ongoing efforts to preserve this environment, the area has been designated a Mission Blue Hope Spot since 2020, and supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative alongside its partner Mission Blue.

The Champions of this cause are marine ecologists Rili Djohani and Wira Sanjaya, who work together with the Indonesian people to help maintain the delicate balance between ecology, culture and the economy while ensuring the protection of the local marine ecosystems. Their work is so inspiring as it is a successful case study of how ocean conservation can exist in harmony with local communities and tourism.