Resort owner Samit Sawhny talks about founding Barefoot at Havelock in the Andamans and the challenges facing the islands as they open up.
![Leaving Only Footprints](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/1021/358013/5d30363b3845f/Leaving-Only-Footprints.jpg)
What first brought you to Havelock Island?
I came to Havelock as a backpacker, in December 2001. Havelock had only recently been opened up to visitors, [and] I was blown away by its beauty. I had my magic moment of realisation, floating on my back in the sea off Beach No 7 at Radhanagar. I looked back towards shore and saw crystal-clear water lapping gently on a broad sweep of powder-white sand, backed by dense green rainforest, and I knew that this was it.
Where did tourists stay back then?
Havelock itself was relatively untouched. You could camp on the beaches. Apart from a government guesthouse, there were only a few backpacker units with beds for US$1-2 per night. These were mostly empty. Official statistics show a total of just over 4,000 tourists for the entire year. Tourists were all backpackers who mostly arrived by ship from mainland India (three-days journey), as did I. Radhanagar beach was empty – zero day visitors and the only accommodation behind it was Jungle Resort which was where I stayed and which is now Barefoot (its owner is a shareholder in Barefoot). Land was selling at Rs4 lakhs an acre (US$6,000). It was thought of as ‘uninvestable’ at the time.
What steps have you have taken to keep your resort eco-friendly?
Denne historien er fra July - August 2019-utgaven av Action Asia.
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Denne historien er fra July - August 2019-utgaven av Action Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![Policing Paradise](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1021/369740/5d723cd4d27b9/crp_Policing-paradise.jpg)
Policing Paradise
Palau’s President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr has established his country in the vanguard of global efforts on ocean conservation, in particular with the 2015 designation of much of its territorial waters as a marine reserve and no-take zone. Policing this vast area though remains immensely challenging.
![The Not-So-Silent World](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1021/369740/5d723b2b3103e/crp_The-Not-So-Silent-World.jpg)
The Not-So-Silent World
Human activities may be emitting levels of noise that harm marine life.
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Once Were Warriors
A visit to the 2018 World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan is a surreal trip to a time and place where martial skills matter.
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The Secret Life Of Pangolins
PALAWAN – IT’S 1AM AND MOST PEOPLE are safely in their beds. Instead I’m deep in the jungles of Palawan with an international team of researchers and a squad of Philippine Marines, searching for pangolins, the most illegally trafficked mammals on Earth.
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Feast Your Senses
The Alta Via 1 is the classic Dolomite trail, bringing the peaks within arm’s reach as you hike between homely refugios and historic war-time fortifications.
![China's Olympians Show The Way](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/1021/369740/5d725213cb36e/crp_Chinas-Olympians-Show-The-Way.jpg)
China's Olympians Show The Way
WITH 40 RIDERS FROM 12 COUNTRIES, THE KTA made its second visit to the Desaru Coast in Malaysia with its Asia Pacific Hydrofoil Tour Series , which welcomes amateur and professional riders a like . Chinese Youth Olympians Haoran Zhang and Jingle Chen took first places in the Men’s and Women’s classes, while Korean veteran Soon Ho Kwon was crowned champion in the Masters.
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China's Masses Warming To Snow
TWO YEARS AGO, CHINA opened the world’s largest indoor ski slope with two black runs, a blue run, snow play area and beginner slopes all served by chairlifts and magic carpets. Interestingly, it choose to build this behemoth in Harbin, where real snow piles high every winter and temperatures plunge low enough to host the annual International Ice and Snow Festival.
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A Quieter, Cleaner Everest In Store?
FOLLOWING RECORD deaths during the Everest climbing season earlier this year, Nepal’s government and the climbing community are suggesting a new list of preconditions for any summit attempt.
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A Life List Of Adventure
There’s a first time for everything. But some firsts matter more: experiences that are life-altering, that change perspective, build confidence and teach you about all you can do and all you can be.
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Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool