Hydra was my favorite island when we visited this trip. I thought it was quiet, clean, and so beautiful, some of that had to be due to the island’s sustainability practices. The first things you notice about the island are the lack of crowds, and abundance of boats and donkeys. 

There are only three forms of transportation on the island. Those include garbage trucks, donkeys and water taxis. There are no airports and no large hotel chains, creating a destination that doesn’t attract masses of tourists. For those that do know about the island and make the trip by ferry, such as myself, you’re so lucky to experience the change of pace. The island is divided into two sides, one is the business community. The business community consists of visitors and residents. The other side is those that make up the environmentalists. Those that fear that visitors and holiday houses will affect their minimalist lifestyle. I can understand both sides. There needs to be some form of economic activity but if that increases too much it takes away from the charm of the island. I do not think the island needs to build an airport, the tourist activity can come from those that choose to seek it out. Hydra is a hidden gem and those that find it will find the trip worth it. That handful of people will bring in revenue to keep the business afloat. Although I was unaware that there is still a risk the visit can be dangerous, even though the island feels safer then more popular ones – such as Mykonos or Santorini. I felt very safe during my afternoon in Hydra, however we can not turn a blind eye to the incidents that do take place. The article mentioned that there has been sexual assaults involving female tourists, and even gang activity. I’m not surprised because these events are so common these days, but I felt safe there as I do on Nantucket so that made it a little shocking. The security and police presence in Greece seems to be lacking. Not only on Hydra but also in Athens you never saw any police in public. It was a little scary to know that if you called for help it’s likely there would be no immediate response. 

Overall although Hydra is lacking infrastructure, they live a simpler lifestyle. There are future plans to raise awareness to locals of all the possibilities to the island. The plan would focus on water supply and energy, as well as basic education and waste management. Hydra is just looking to update with the rest of society.