It has been proved that mangroves provide a great barrier against the impact of natural disaster, especially that of the tsunami in December 2004. Villages located in mangrove areas reported no major damage. It is apparent that, if the villagers live in harmony with nature, the mangroves protect them in return. 

This paper is the summary of a full research project investigating the settlement landscapes in the mangroves. The analysis concentrates on the relationships between the natural landscape and components of the built environment, such as domestic architecture and outdoor spaces. The study shows that traditional fishing villages are climatically, ecologically, and culturally responsive. They have inherent sustainable planning and landscape features corresponding to the Western paradigm of energy conservation through passive means. The study may provide significant potential for understanding indigenous knowledge that could be applied to future development of coastal areas and, in turn, could generate the sustainable built environments.