Nestled like a verdant jewel within the deep blue sea of the Bay of Bengal, Havelock Island emerges as a canvas painted with nature’s most vibrant hues. Image this — cerulean water kissing the sand so powdery that the solar makes it seem golden.
In Havelock, Andaman, nature reveals itself in all its glory and is for certain to depart you breathless, because it did for Samit Sawhny (52) when he first set foot on the island’s coast. “In 2001, I took just a few years’s break from work to journey the world. Once I reached Havelock, it took my breath away, and I by no means needed to depart once more,” he tells The Higher India.
Roaming the shores of the island, he realised his want to contribute to its attract. The end result? ‘Barefoot at Havelock.’ True to its identify, the resort gives an opportunity for guests to completely immerse themselves within the island’s pure magnificence.
From eco-friendly cottages nestled amidst lush tropical foliage to luxurious beachfront villas boasting panoramic views of the azure sea, the resort caters to a wide range of tastes and preferences.
The tipping level
Recalling his life earlier than he based Barefoot, Samit displays on his preliminary profession aspirations. “I needed to pursue a path in finance and meticulously chosen prestigious schools to steer me there.”
Initially from Chennai, he relocated to London upon finishing his commencement and commenced employment at a famend agency. “After 5 years of working, I realised that company finance didn’t resonate with me. It lacked the sense of fulfilment I sought. Regardless of the arduous journey to safe such a place — navigating tutorial challenges, in search of out the best establishments, and cultivating the mandatory connections, the work grew to become considerably mundane. Whereas the sector fits many, I yearned for one thing extra tangible,” he displays.
Samit then determined to return to India. “Upon my return, I discovered myself at a crossroads with no clear path. It felt like beginning anew. I opted to take a while off and embark on a journey,” he shares.
Throughout his seven-month expedition, he serendipitously discovered himself in Havelock, captivated by its breathtaking magnificence. “What struck me was the sheer lack of tourism on this gorgeous locale. It felt like a hidden paradise, secluded from the remainder of the world. Recognising its potential, particularly for nature lovers in search of a tranquil escape, I used to be impressed to start out an eco-friendly enterprise on the island, with out disturbing its pure magnificence,” he says.
The property blends into nature
Whereas the island’s isolation from the remainder of the world was its enchantment, Sumit realised this USP additionally got here with its personal set of issues.
“The main problem that I may see was that since I used to be the primary one to start out one thing like this on the island, there was little or no connectivity. There have been no common ferries, and the accessible ones have been painfully gradual,” he explains.
The infrastructure of the place was very poor, and earlier than Samit may start work on his resort, he needed to tackle the problem of creating it accessible to the world. “However there was an vital lesson realized from this expertise. Havelock was Havelock for that reason — fewer crowds and extra nature. The place isn’t just like the Maldives or another vacationer vacation spot. Folks come right here for a very pure expertise,” he emphasises.
Samit concluded that opening a resort even deeper into the island wouldn’t be smart as a result of connectivity problem. Subsequently, he determined to construct the property alongside the seaside.
“If you come to the island, what you’ll discover is that it’s a mix of thick woods and seashores. So I made a decision to create a resort that blends into the pure environment and doesn’t disturb the wildlife,” he provides.
Samit obtained a plot of land beside the seaside and determined to construct a forest round it. “The lands on the island have been solely allotted to individuals who cultivated bananas, rice, and coconut, or to parks, sanctuaries, and reserves,” he says.
So Samit began a banana plantation and constructed his resort in a method that merges with the character in it. “The resort isn’t a standalone in essence. We needed to deliver the island on the map, which is why I began a journey firm to assist plan itineraries across the island. I additionally began Barefoot Scuba which is a scuba diving centre,” he explains.
Sustainable, nature-friendly, and a hidden gem
Continually listed among the many prime eco-friendly resorts within the nation, Samit says he integrated numerous sustainable components through the development. “There are some things that we did, as an illustration, we used pure supplies like mud, wooden, and thatch within the development of the constructing. All our rooms and customary areas are made in a method that they appear to be part of nature,” he says.
“We even have pure pathways with no concrete on them,” he says including that the resort makes use of very low lighting as they’ve 4 totally different styles of owls that keep on the property. “The second you flip shiny lights on, they fly away. We don’t need to disturb the birds, so we give flashlights to the visitors and ask them to make use of the sunshine solely when wanted.”
The resort additionally has a waste administration system in place. “Kitchen wastewater flows by grease traps, and sewage is directed into septic tanks earlier than being taken by our sewage therapy plant. Wastewater flows into soak pits,” he shares.
“A pure purification course of then takes over, making certain the groundwater isn’t polluted and the water desk is undisturbed. We additionally don’t take a drop of water from the Authorities pipeline. We harvest rainwater and the placement we chosen has a pure spring,” he informs.
Moreover, the resort has in-house Reverse Osmosis (RO) crops that offer water for consuming and kitchen use. “We urge visitors to refill their bottles with this water and keep away from shopping for single-use plastic bottled water. The reject from the RO plant is used within the backyard and has been examined to be match for this goal,” he informs.
The resort has a number of actions that their visitors can get pleasure from — together with tree walks, chook trails, Kalapathar seaside trek, Elephant seaside trek, scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, and standup paddling.
As for the variety of visitors, the resort, the dive centre, and the journey firm have collectively hosted over two to a few lakh individuals because it opened its doorways, says Samit. “We welcome about 10,000 vacationers a yr.”
Ajay who visited the property in 2024 calls it “a hidden slice of heaven”. He says, “From the second you arrive, the Barefoot crew greets you with the warmest of welcomes. They’re all about fostering a way of kinship, and let me guarantee you, they succeed admirably.”
“The rooms are a fusion of luxurious with a touch of Robinson Crusoe allure. Nonetheless, what actually distinguishes Barefoot is its dedication to eco-friendliness. They prioritise sustainability with out compromising on the finer issues. From harnessing solar energy to implementing waste discount measures, it’s as in the event that they’re exchanging high-fives with Mom Nature whilst you take pleasure in your cocktail.”
As for the longer term, Samit is planning to develop the resort. “We’re within the strategy of getting clearances of land from the authorities. So increasing the place with out disturbing the character round it’s what’s on my plate subsequent!” he says.
(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All Photographs Credit score: Samit Sawhny)
