GETAWAYS THAT GIVE BACK

Ready to rediscover the joy of travel after a COVID-19 hiatus? Here's a list of ideas to get you started, while our travel community share what they are looking forward to as they welcome guests once more.

A beach getaway in Malaysia, a rugged trek in the Himalayas or a cozy homestay in the lush hills of Kerala? These destinations are ready to welcome you — safely.

For the past 12 months, they have been working hard to survive the pandemic by pivoting to new sources of income, while doing their best to protect livelihoods and environments — stories we captured in our series, COVID-19: In Transit .

Now, with precautions in place, they are ready to help you re-discover the joy of travel, while empowering host communities.

Read on and start planning your long-awaited vacation.

BATU BATU

Where: Johor, Malaysia
What: The only resort on Tengah Island off the coast of Johor, Batu Batu’s wooden villas and eight beaches fulfil any sunseeker’s dream. But this isn’t just another good-looking holiday destination. It also serves as a refuge for endangered green and hawksbill turtles, a centre for environmental conservation and a model of responsible tourism.

When COVID-19 happened: Batu Batu-founded NGO, Tengah Island Conservation, lost its main source of funding — tourism revenue. Batu Batu launched a crowdfunding campaign, so that the centre could continue with essential conservation work. Meanwhile, as a member of the Sustainable Travel Mersing Destination Coordination Group, it has been working with local stakeholders on a strategy plan for sustainable tourism in Mersing.
Re-opening measures: All its staff have been vaccinated and the resort only accepts fully vaccinated travellers, as well as those under 18 years old who are unvaccinated but travelling with vaccinated adults. With just 22 villas, guests can look forward to a secluded stay.

_{Photos by Kenny Ng}

A wooden jetty stretch out towards the sea in the horizon, flanked by two sheltered viewpoints.

A view of the sea from Tengah island, where Batu Batu is located. [Photo by Kenny Ng]

A wooden chair and table sit on a balcony overlooking a sandy beach and clear blue sea

Batu Batu's villas offers a relaxing blend of sun, sea and sustainability. [Photo by Kenny Ng]

Two Tengah Island Conservation workers crouch on a sandy beach with clusters of hatched turtle eggs before them, while newly-hatched turtles sit in a box awaiting release into the open sea.

Staff from Tengah Island Conservation, a non-profit formed by Batu Batu, at work at its turtle hatchery. [Photo by Kenny Ng]

A group of diners are seated around a table in a coffeeshop with old-school mosaic tiled floors.

The laidback town of Mersing is not without its charms. Batu Batu hopes that the community as a whole can benefit from sustainable tourism. [Photo by Kenny Ng]

“COVID-19 has changed the way many of us view life and travel, and brought a renewed sense of appreciation and awareness about the fragility of life and relationships. We hope that this awareness continues and more travellers and guests take time to care about the environment that nourishes us.”
Chee Shin Yee, Special Projects Director, Batu Batu

“Early on in the pandemic, we agreed that we would open whenever we could because...[we wanted to] provide some livelihoods and put money into the local supply chains, which have suffered through the lockdowns.

I think what we’ve all really missed through the pandemic is space, connections with nature, connections with our loved ones and freedom. The island gives you all of these things and so we’re focused on providing comfort, service, good meals and basically enabling people’s reconnection with the planet.

Remember that as a traveller you are a guest in someone’s home. Please treat the community with respect. Wear a mask if you’re asked to. Respect COVID protocols. Spend money at local businesses — tourism-driven communities have really suffered. Get to Mersing a few hours early, or even a day or two. Buy that teh tarik, roti kaya in auntie's old coffeeshop, or postcards, batik pouches and little gifts to take home. Avoid the chain [stores] and think about putting money into the local economy. Travel mindfully.”
Cher Chua-Lassalvy, Co-founder and Managing Director, Batu Batu

Ready for your seaside escapade to Batu Batu? Leave your details and let them tell you more.

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If you can’t travel: With tourism revenue down due to the pandemic, you can help Tengah Island Conservation continue their conservation mission by making a donation.

DONATE

GREEN ACRES ORCHARD AND ECOLODGE

Where: Penang, Malaysia
What: Green Acres is a 16-acre organic fruit farm — durian among its star attractions — that is also committed to eco-conscious and sustainable tourism. Derelict wooden houses were reclaimed and restored to build its beautiful guest lodge and treehouse, and the property’s energy needs are supported by solar power.

When COVID-19 happened: Owners Kim and Eric switched to selling their farm produce online. They also got busy on the farm — besides the daily work of fertilising, trimming and weeding, they also built a 600m road and walking trail around the farm to improve accessibility. And they created new products, such as pure nutmeg essential oil and handmade nutmeg and clove soaps.
Re-opening measures: Only fully-vaccinated travellers can join a farm tour or book a stay from December 2021 onwards. For farm stays, only the Treehouse, which accommodates up to three persons, is open for bookings, so there will only be three guests on the farm during their entire stay

_{Photos courtesy of Green Acres Orchard and Ecolodge}

A two story treehouse with an open wooden deck sits amid a lush green forest

A swimming pool is surrounded by lush jungle foliage

“I think Kim would look forward to the houses being cleaned again and our son would say that I would have the opportunity to talk non-stop again. Jokes aside, it'll be great to meet up with like-minded people to also listen to why they picked such an off-the-beaten-path and rustic place like ours.

We hope [guests will] take the necessary precautions before they come and during their stay. Managing one's own expectations is key also. We are trying to live as close to nature as possible and leave as small a carbon footprint as we can.

Respecting, understanding and learning about local customs and the hosts will make the stay more enjoyable. The more the hosts like you, the more they will go out of their way to share with you the hidden treasures of their backyard.”
Eric Chong, Co-founder, Green Acres Orchard and Ecolodge

Want to know more about Green Acres' farm tours and farm stays? Leave your details and let them tell you more.

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If you can't travel: Shop Green Acres’ delectable farm products on their online store and help their mission to promote a sustainable lifestyle to flourish on.

SHOP GREEN ACRES

A man and woman stand on steps leading to an elegant yet rustic wooden house in the background, surrounded by lush green jungle.

Eric (left) and Kim (right), the founders of Green Acres [Photo by Alexandra Wong]

A large wooden Malay-style house sits in a clearing ringed with trees.

The guesthouse at Green Acres, built from reclaimed wooden houses. [Photo courtesy of Green Acres Orchard and Ecolodge]

A wooden deck flanked by sprawling tree branches overlooks forested green hills in the background

Lush yet laidback, a stay at Green Acres is bound to restore a spring in your step. [Photo courtesy of Green Acres Orchard and Ecolodge]

HIMALAYAN ECOTOURISM

Where: Himachal Pradesh, India
What: Himalayan Ecotourism offers guided treks and homestays in the stunning Tirthan Valley in the Himalayas, working with a local cooperative to ensure fair livelihoods and ownership for the local community.

When COVID-19 happened: When tourism income drastically fell, Himalayan Ecotourism decided to tap the power of carbon offsetting: allowing people all over the world to offset their carbon footprint by planting trees in the Himalayas. Locals — including those who previously led treks and women — were hired to carry out planting to maintain the reforested plots of land.
Re-opening measures: The cooperative members working with Himalayan Ecotourism are fully vaccinated, while the state of Himachal Pradesh has mandated full vaccination or a recent negative PCR test results for all travellers. Guests are required to wear masks in crowded areas like markets and shops.

_{Photos by Stuti Bhadauria}

A clear blue stream flows over large grey rock in a lush green valley, with steep mountains rising in the background

A sunlit patio of simple house in the Himalayas overlook steep green mountains in the background

Three men sit by a stream in a sunlit patch of grass

Stephan Marchal (far right), co-founder of Himalayan Ecotourism, works with local guides to develop sustainable tourism. [Photo by Stuti Bhaduaria]

A trek with Himalayan Ecotourism immerses you in nature. Photo by Stuti Bhadauria]

A snow-capped peak rises in the background against a bright blue sky, with dense green forests in the foreground

The snow-capped Himalayas seen from the valley. [Photo by Stuti Baudauria]

“We are now striving to find a balance between generating livelihood for the locals and staying indoors. Needless to say, work from home is a luxury for the few employed in the formal sector and most of India, including our employees, have a job that requires them to be outdoors.

We have been missing the social warmth of being with diverse people on multi-day treks in the wilderness, knowing each other’s lives. Welcoming guests now, as we edge — hopefully — towards the decline of the pandemic, is a way for us to care, share, interact and laugh again.

We do not wish to see the growth of ‘Revenge Travel’ in this delicate Himalayan ecosystem with no thought about the adverse impact irresponsible travel could create.

[We] would like tourists and businesses to focus on experiences which would generate income for the locals and respect the environment, including slow travel, homestays, interaction with locals of the area and spending time in nature.”
Stephan Marchal, Co-founder, Himalayan Ecotourism

Crisp mountain air, sparkling streams and lush forests await. Leave your details and let Himalayan Ecotourism tell you more.

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If you can’t travel: Buy credits to offset your carbon footprint through their reforestation programme, which also provides income for the local community who manage the initiative.

BUY CARBON CREDITS

SAVEAGRAM

Where: Kerala and Uttarakhand, India
What: SaveAGram seeks to preserve the unique and sustainable lifestyle of rural Indian villages by offering homestays to travellers as a way of generating income, while also supporting local agricultural and educational initiatives. It offers two homestays, one in the mountains of Garhwal in Uttarakhand, the other in the hills of Wayanad in Kerala.

When COVID-19 happened: The homestays were closed to guests, while SaveAGram’s well-wishers donated funds for relief items given to those in need. At the same time, SaveAGram continued to support farmers by selling their organically farmed spices and grains on their online store.
Re-opening precautions: The homestay hosts are vaccinated, and guests are required to be tested for COVID-19 at a clinic 48 hours before arrival and show proof of a negative result. Masks are required except when the guests are outdoors and well-distanced from each other. Group sizes are capped at five persons in Wayanad and six persons in Garhwal.

_{Photos by Gayatri Ganju}

“Since COVID-19, we have not been encouraging visitors and we are only opening now. The villages so far have been almost free of COVID-19...the concern is outside visitors bringing cases.

By re-opening, we hope to welcome back some sense of joy with interaction that is meaningful both for the guests and the hosts. And for the hosts also the hope of some income.”
Amala Menon, Founder, SaveAGram

Seeking the calm of an agrarian escape? Leave your details and let SaveAGram tell you more.

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If you can’t travel: Buy grains and spices grown by farmers that work with SaveAGram through their online store (shipping within Singapore only).

SHOP SAVEAGRAM

A man stands in the courtyard of a farmhouse in India

Kesavan Nambiar, the host of SaveAGram's Wayanad homestay, in the courtyard of his home. [Photo by Gayatri Ganju]

A house with a row of bright blue columns sits before a steep hill in the background

The Uttarakhand homestay, restored in a style typical of the region. [Photo courtesy of SaveAGram]

Freshly-picked pepper grown by Kesavan. [Photo by Gayatri Ganju]

TERRAPURI HERITAGE VILLAGE

Where: Terengganu, Malaysia
What: Terrapuri Heritage Village is a resort that also happens to be a conservation and restoration project breathing new life into centuries-old Terengganu houses that otherwise would have been demolished. By saving the architecture, it is preserving the cultural motifs, history, and skills for generations to come.

When COVID-19 happened: Terrapuri’s founder Alex Lee continued with restoration projects, with all of Terrapuri’s staff kept on to maintain the property, while artisans were hired to continue restoration work. Without tourists, demand for local crafts and specialities like batik fabrics, woven baskets, and keropok keping (fish crackers) plunged, so Alex set up Terradala, an online store for these products, to help their makers develop a modest stream of income.
Re-opening precautions: All its staff have been vaccinated and the resort only accepts fully-vaccinated travellers. At full capacity, the resort has just 30 guests on its premises, and group sizes for day trips are kept small.

_{Photos by Alexandra Wong}

Two coconut trees flack a view of the beach in the distance

Terrapuri is located in Terengganu, home to some of Malaysia's longest beaches. [Photo by Alexandra Wong]

Two women sit on a mat weaving dried grass into crafts

Terrapuri supports artisan weavers by selling their crafts on its online store. [Photo courtesy of Terrapuri Heritage Palace]

The calm waters of a wetland area are ringed by mangroves and coconut trees in the background

The wetlands around Terrapuri are among the little-seen gems of Terengganu. [Photo by Alexandra Wong]

“Since the re-opening, many, many tourists are coming to Terengganu, as it has always been one of the most popular destinations in Malaysia for nature — you have the longest coastline and popular islands like Redang, the Perhentian islands and Tenggol.

We really want to stay small and sustainable. The wetlands, the mangrove, these are fragile areas, and we are working with the stakeholders to encourage them to be niche, to set prices in a way that allows them to control numbers.

We encourage guests to come in small groups...don’t crowd popular areas. Come and enjoy the environment and support the local community, which will also encourage the community to continue to take care of the environment.”
Alex Lee, Founder, Terrapuri Heritage Village