Can one camp on Havelock?

trailblazer

Hello again IM members!!

I was hoping someone out there can shed some light on arriving and staying on havelock without prebooked accommodation over the xmas and new years.I am planning to arrive on the island on the 24 dec.But finding it difficult to get any decent accomodation.However I am a keen camper and have much experience in camping out in extreme locations and will be travelling with all my gear.I am getting conflicting information about the possibility to camp out until a hut becames available in case i dont get one upon arrival and dont even mind camping right through my stay.I do not want to camp just anywhere without explicit prior permisson.
Can anybody shed any light on the possibilites of this from your experiences or information you may have from a prior visit?

Many thanks.

fagdiva

many people camp on the beaches, there doesn't seem to be much enforcement of the rules, especially if there is no rooms to be had (and this is often the case).

when you arrive in port blair (or before if you can) book a tent with the government agency for the campground on radha beach, this is really the only place to stay on 'the best beach in asia', and can take time to get in without a prior booking (and then you can get bumped out of your tent when a new booking arrives)

i was there in march of 2007, near the end of the season, and had to wait several days before i could get in to the campground, and even then had to 'kiss up' to certain managers. however, there were many people camping rough at the end of the beach, and they didn't seem to be harassed by anyone, but i can't say for sure. sounds like you are prepared to handle it (remember a mozzie net and a bug spray for 'sand flies' or 'no-see-ums'), enjoy, its well worth the trip to see some pristine jungle and beaches before the hordes start to fly in from phuket!

__________________
May all beings exist free of suffering and its causes. May liberation swiftly encompass all.

trailblazer

Thanks for that Fagdiva. can i ask did you camo out for the few days before you got a room?
I have sent a email to the gov. run place on beach 7 but have not had a reply I will try and call tomorrow.

martinez

Camping is good if there are no alternatives. A pal of mine pays the local camp owner some rupees to rent a hut but does not use it because he prefers to camp on the campsite owners land.As a consequence he gets to shower etc,etc.
The locals need abit of financial suport if it can be sorted.

Shiver me Timbers

Some of the places along beaches 2-5 might let you camp on their grounds, in front of the beach huts - I stayed at Amazon 2 years ago, and friends of mine did this.

A hammock would be very useful for you - I spent about 5 nights sleeping up at the Blue Lagoon at the far end of beach #7, officially it's not permitted, but it's very out-of-the-way, and nobody noticed.

Waking up at Dawn to the sound of the elephant walking past me is something I'll never forget.

I'd say if you just turn up with your tent and/or hammock, you won't have any problems. There are public bathrooms on the road at beach #7 if you need them, and some good dhabas also.

trailblazer

Sounds promising I also want to camp out at neil for a couple of days.I have contacted ecovilla on havlock beach 2 i think. He has said that camping is possible but the local Authority doesnt approve of it.But then again he could be saying this to prompt me to book his Hut.

martinez

Neil Island is a very small island and all privately owned.I would suggest paying a camp owner a token something to pitch your tent on their property and use their facitities.
Another consideration is the snakes,they are plentiful and very large on Neil but they usually stay away from places of human activity...Should one get bitten there is not much hope of an antidote on Neil or even Havelock for that matter,and Port Blair is possibly many hours away(depending on the time of day).
Unlike Havelock, Neil Island does not have public washing and toilet facilities and it is definately not good to crap wherever unless it can be well buried and thereby not become a health hazard to all.

trailblazer

Yes martinez you are right I will only camp with explicit permission and not just free camp.I have free camped mostly in my travels through africa before aad have had both good and bad experiences.However i was alone and willing to take a risk, this time i have my partner with me and no way will i camp just anywhere.Thanks for you warning on snakes i will most definatley keep that in mind before setting camp.Like you suggest i will most likely camp near a dwelling and ofcourse remburse the owner for the use of facilities.If all fails i can always get a hut.

navinkurian2002

A couple of hotels in havelock allow you to pitch your tent for 50-100 rupees. I think a couple of americans where camping at sunrise hotel .

__________________
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare dream of meeting your heart's longing.