Nestled in the vibrant waters of the Caribbean lies a hidden gem of biodiversity and ecological health — the coral reef of Tela, Honduras.
In an era where the majority of coral reefs are experiencing degradation and decline, Tela’s reefs are a rare example of resilience and hope.
Tela Coral News
Beneath the Surface
🎻🎹 Music for the Ocean East Coast Tour
Wednesday, May 6 - NYC at @symphonyspace
Saturday, May 9 - Washington DC at @atlaspacdc
We`ll also be showing @rebelreeffilm and visiting locals schools. If you`re in town, reach out! We`d love to share the magic of Tela with you.
See you there!
Are YOU ready to experience one of the ocean’s most magical moments? 🌕🪸🇭🇳
Join us July 28 through August 2, 2026 for a coral spawning AdZENture on the Rebel Reef in Tela, Honduras!
Timed just after the summer full moon, this unforgettable trip gives you the rare chance to witness a surreal “reverse snowstorm” where coral releases its next generation into the sea. It’s one of nature’s most breathtaking (and important) events, and you could witness it with your very own eyes.
This trip, created in partnership with the eco-travel pros at AdZENtures @adzentures who specialize in unforgettable, conservation-focused group trips, also includes the following:
🤿 Diving the Rebel Reef: This reef is thriving while others struggle. Led by coral expert Dr. Juli Berwald, Antal Börcsök of Tela Marine @tela_marine, dive master Christian Carias @scubachris17, and the Tela Coral @telacoral team, you’ll get behind-the-scenes access to the research, restoration, and hope shaping the future of reefs. Your trip includes a $500 donation to support this work.
🎤 Opportunity to do crucial citizen science with The Seabirds @seabirdsquad, collecting acoustic recordings of the Rebel Reef! We’ll lower hydrophones into the water to capture the symphony of sea sounds during a coral spawn.
🌿 Unwinding in a Jungle and Mangrove Paradise: Beyond the reef, you’ve got the option to float among the lush Honduras mangroves (the tallest in Central American) and stay in a stunning treehouse retreat, discovering the magic of Jeanette Kawas National Park.
From day and night dives to culture, conservation, and connection... this is more than a trip, it’s an experience that will stay with you forever.
Book your trip directly on the AdZENtures website: https://goadzenture.com/honduras-coral-reef-conservation-retreat-2026/ or reach out directly to AdZENtures at lindsey@goadzenture.com (a portion of all AdZENtures in Tela is tax-deductible).
New York City and Washington DC... Are you ready to fully immerse yourself in the ocean without ever having to get wet?
Music for the Ocean @musicfornature_official is a one-of-a-kind concert experience that brings the sea to the stage. Emmy-nominated composer and violinist Chad Cannon @chadwickcannon joins pianist Hui Wu @hw.musician and animator Timothy Rauch @tim_rauch to conjure an entire ocean world from a concert hall through original compositions, spontaneous improvisation, breathtaking animation, and immersive sound design.
But the best part? The show builds to its emotional peak with “The Rebel Reef”, a sweeping theme Chad wrote after diving with us in Tela Bay, Honduras, where miles of critically endangered elkhorn coral still flourish in defiance of global reef collapse.
Join us for two unforgettable nights for a concert unlike anything you have ever experienced before:
🎶 Wednesday, May 6th - Symphony Space’s Thalia Theater @symphonyspace in New York, NY @ 7 PM
🎶 Saturday, May 9th - The Atlas Theater @atlaspacdc in Washington D.C. @ 7 PM
A portion of proceeds supports Tela Coral @telacoral and our mission to protect and preserve coral reefs around the world.
Learn more and get tickets your tickets here: https://telacoral.org/musicfortheocean/
Not located in DC/NYC or can’t make it to the shows? Help us spread the word by sharing this post!
Tela’s corals are creating a sizzle! And not just the kind that you hear from the thousands of popping shrimp when you listen to the sounds of healthy reef 🇭🇳🪸
Here’s a look at where our story of The Rebel Reef has been featured lately:
🗞️ Deseret News @deseretnews spotlighted our partner Chad Cannon @chadwickcannon ahead of the Music for the Ocean @musicfornature_official Utah concerts, tracing his journey from violin prodigy to composer and ultimately to the reefs of Tela that inspired his work.
🗞️ The Economist @theeconomist also featured a score written by Chad for a piece inspired by the powerful currents surrounding Japan.
🗞️ Oceanus Magazine @oceanusmagazine did a deep dive into the search for coral solutions, following our cofounder Juli Berwald’s @juliberwald recent visit to Woods Hole and her unexpected path that led straight to Tela’s reefs. They additionally put the spotlight on our amazing partnership with Music for the Ocean.
🗞️ SPDH TV @spdhtv_noticias in Honduras aired two segments on our partner Tela Marine @tela_marine, highlighting both marine and terrestrial life at the country’s only free public aquarium, welcoming over 240,000 visitors each year.
From science to storytelling, our mission is reaching further than ever... and we’re only just getting started.
Dive into the full media roundup and read each individual story here: https://telacoral.org/media-roundup/
In a sea of negative environmental stories, The Rebel Reef offers something else: hope.
Within Tela Bay, critically endangered elkhorn coral grows in sprawling thickets, These structures, which have vanished from most of the Caribbean, provide habitat and food for reef ecosystems and shoreline protection for coastal communities. Incredibly, Tela’s corals also show astonishing resilience against bleaching and disease.
These corals continue to inspire us at Tela Coral @telacoral and our local partners in Honduras. We’re striving to understand why these corals behave so differently and how we can apply those lessons to protect reefs globally. We’ve shared this story through our award-winning documentary “The Rebel Reef: Seeds of Hope” @rebelreeffilm, built a virtual reality experience at Tela Marine @tela_marine Aquarium, and are currently fundraising to build mainland Honduras’ first genetic coral biobank: a living library of irreplaceable coral genetics.
And, we cannot do it alone. Whether you’re in Honduras or on the other side of the globe, you can be part of this work by making a donation. Your support fuels the science, the storytelling, and the local capacity-building that makes all of this possible. Donations of $35 or more include a special thank-you gift from our team: a Tela Coral hat, or a signed copy of “Life on the Rocks” or “Spineless”... two amazing books written by our co-founder and president, Juli Berwald @juliberwald.
Are you ready to help The Rebel Reef remain rambunctious? Donate today a telacoral.org/support.
Tela Coral is a 501(c)(3) organization so your donation is tax deductible!
