The Forest Elephant - Formerly known as the Flying Elephant

Slightly ahead of the Kalapather beach this place is an experience in itself. Its not a fancy place because you don't need fancy on this island. I have been to Havelock more than once but I have been the most comfortable here. You are basically staying in a farm on the edge of a forest and the beach is just 50 mts away. It has two different types of Nicobari cottages nestled between the trees. There are the single storied ones and the double story ones. We stayed in the double story one. It was an amazing experience. Cottages are kept cool by the forest wind and the bamboo used to make it hardly retains any heat. Table fans are provided and they do a really good job, in fact it gets cold in the night and you might want to switch them off. The cottages are kept clean and smell really good due the forest. You wake up with sounds of birds or probably the morning rain. Staff is really helpful but there is no room service(you wont need much anyway). You can strike a good conversation with any of the staff if they are free. They have good stories to tell. If you are a person who enjoys luxury and are used to being pampered like princess/princes then this might not be the place for you, but you are into nature, peace and tranquility then this is one of the best places on the island. We spent four fruitful days here. We used to go for sunrises to the kalapathar beach and the would go for a dip after breakfast. Hotel will also help you in renting a scooty if you plan to go towards the jetty or Radhanagar. My only request to a fellow traveler planning to go here is to be responsible, keep it clean, don't pollute, don't make noise and behave nicely. People who host you here are really good at heart. P.S- Bathroom is a surprise.

The room is a bamboo hut with small stair to climb up to the bed, a beautiful open bathroom and right in the middle of greens. It is very well maintained. the breakfast was promptly served. Its a little far from the jetty, thought right on Kala paththar beach . we didn't mind the travel at all as the road is along the beach. ||The caretaker, Manohar Bhaiya and the Chef, Pradeep bhaiya were the sweetest and most helpful, be it help in booking taxi or food recommendations or tracking a lost phone. ||For travelers looking for an authentic forest stay experience with clean environment, this is the place to stay at.

Flying Elephant is far removed from the more populated and frequented parts of Havelock Islands. While that might not have been a problem if the property was self sufficient, the place fails spectacularly in ensuring quality hospitality for their guests. They have no restaurant, and the person at the front desk told us he would leave at 4 pm to handle his other property which was in the main part of the island. There is no other hotel, restaurant or shop for roughly 5 kilometers. The only saving grace is that Kala Patthar beach is roughly 500 m away. ||||We reached Havelock around lunch time and got to Flying Elephant, where we were greeted by the absence of any food. We luckily had some biscuits which we gorged on, and set to Kala Patthar to eat some maggi and coconut water. There is no signal, and no autos that you can hail in this stretch and we ended up walking through 5 km of forest at dusk with bees and dogs as occasional unfriendly companions. We later found out that this stretch was avoided even by locals, and even complimentary restaurant pickups refrain from venturing so far in the back of the beyond. ||||The night was spent in fear and agony. We have been in eco-frienfly resorts before, but none where the management was so poor. We were always afraid of something crawling on the bed from under the short mosquito net. The towels in the bathroom had almost a layer of insect carcasses stuck on them and were unusable. The bamboo mat wall of the shower area had a gaping hole near the floor. ||||The next morning we had arranged for our conveyance to the ferry to reach at a certain time, and told the reception an hour in advance of the time we wanted to leave and what we wanted for breakfast from their menu, since the food was to be prepared off premises in some other space and carried here. Our auto had come and yet there was no sign of the food, the front desk man had nary a care and was more interesting in offering me a massage than expediting the breakfast. The breakfast was undercooked, and the cut fruits still had their stickers on them. Only after getting the delayed breakfast were we informed that our choice of food was time consuming (paratha and pancakes).||||While the property is beautiful, it is not maintained well at all, in favour of other more lucrative properties the chain has. Would strongly recommend choosing one of their properties closer to the main area, so one at least has options of food and conveyance nearby.

We stayed here 2 nights as a family of three. First things first, the booking was done directly and they were very professional. When we came there, we were greeted well, cottage was ready and they gave my young daughter several things made of cocunut leaves which she loved. |It's just 50 m from the Kalapathar beach and seeing the sunrise is a must. |The cottages are neat and clean and ours was two level. They provided us extra bed for my daughter. They have mosquito nets so thankfully no mosquitoes bit us even though we were practically surrounded by trees and vegetation on all sides |Breakfast was basic but tasty. Hot water was available at all time. ||Advise : rent a scooty ahead of time if you are staying here as there aren't many shops nearby. For lunch and dinner will have to venture out so it's definitely useful to keep a scooty handy. ||Overall recommend.

Beautiful Natural resort. Recently visited there in November 2021 Our stay was for 2 days. The nearest location of sightseeing is kalapathar beach which on walking distance from the resort. All other location of sightseeing is far away from this place, if you already hired a travel agency or rent a bike then no problem. All staff is helping and prompt. This property is actively managed by only 4 people and they all stay there only. They makes yummy breakfast - presentation & packing of breakfast is excellent. No cafeteria is available, they send breakfast in room only. This property needs a bit maintenance like 24/7 hot water supply & generators & wifi throughout the area. Lastly we had a great time at this property very natural & peaceful place

Had a really fantastic time. Loved the ambience and the location of the resort. 10/10 for cleanliness. And the service of the staff was exceptional. Sukanto, the receptionist during our stay was beyond helpful. He made our stay a delightful experience. We especially enjoyed our rides back to the resort from town in the dark. Such an enthralling experience. And if you're staying here, I highly recommend catching the sunrise at the Kalapathar beach which is a less than 5-min walk from the resort.

The Flying Elephant is located at a 2-3 minutes walking distance from Kalapattar beach in Havelock island. From Havelock central it is quite a distance, so either you rent your own vehicle or make alternate arrangements for travel, taxis, rickshaws and also buses are available although their schedule is quite erratic. I visited along with my mother and a friend during the Indian Republic Day weekend in January 2021, they were just opening up post the pandemic and we were one of the first guests. We got around in a public bus and truly enjoyed also that experience. ||The resort is tucked away in a small arecanut plantation and has all basic amenities and is kept very clean. There is WI-FI at the reception area and food and breakfast is served at the restaurant which is a minutes walking distance from the resort. They have a few adorable pets, cats and dogs that made our stay here all the more memorable. Also Manohar the manager and all staff of the place are very warm and cordial hosts, Manohar also made arrangements for a memorable Kayaking tour around the mangrove forests of Havelock. ||If you are an entitled city dweller who does not understand the charm with basic, remote living please stay away, for anyone else I can warmly recommend this place.

The more I say less it feels. Wonderful place this was. It is located little far away from jetty and sea. It’s in the midst of plantation with a relaxing view of greenery all around. Kala patthar beach is around 300 mtrs away from this place. You will feel good vibes from the moment you enter this place. The staff was really polite and friendly. It felt safe but it does get dark after 05 : 30 here. The cottages were well kept in an old fashioned way with lower floor to sit and upper floor to sleep. It was all calm and relaxed. They offered excellent breakfast. You’ll love it if you want relaxation and chill time and you’ll hate it if you are looking for partying.