What if you decide to “lean” on a reef for a beautiful photo?
The answer: your trip could become the most expensive one of your life.
About real numbers that bite.
The fine for breaking a coral starts at 500 dollars.
It depends on the mood of the ecologist, the extent of the damage, and how rare the species you “hugged” is.
A nuance: they might not take you to the police on the spot. But at passport control upon departure, they might politely say: “Sir/Madam, we have recorded a violation, and you need to pay the fine before departure.”
Why are they so strict?
Because corals grow 1–2 centimeters per year. A branch you accidentally broke would take 10–15 years to recover.
Let’s treat the planet with care and preserve the beauty and health of the reefs.
