Goa, beyond the beaches

The received wisdom of what to do in Goa is find a shack on the beach, and enjoy the sunset with a beer and some seafood, and either chill or party, depending on what floats your boat. Over the years, the restaurant scene has picked up and these days, deciding where you will eat is part of the planning you do before you land in this state.

Goa though, can be different things to different people. And if like me, the beach scene and the food scene are too sybaritic for your taste, it has other pleasures to offer. Here are three of them.

Forts: When I dream of Goa, I dream of forts by the sea. My favourite spot in Goa is atop Chapora fort in Vagator. It’s a short climb up a very small hill. A little effort for some absolutely fabulous views of the shoreline from the top. Fort Aguada is of course the most popular fort in Goa - and if you get there at sunset time, the stone, the sun and the sea can prove magical. There are other forts worth your time as well - Terakhol up north and Reis Magos near Panjim, Corjuem fort in Corjuem and Rachol fort overlooking the Zuari river. One of these days, I will do a fort holiday in Goa, and catch up with all these beauties.  

The view from Chapora fort

The historic district of Fontainhas: A heritage walk through this district was one of the highlights of my last Goa trip. The colourful houses, the dolls on the doorways, the roosters on the roof, the pretty tiled nameplates and the mother-of-pearl on the windows - it might have been a walk through a European small town. A not-to-be-missed experience.

Divar Island: A sleepy little island on the river you can get to, only by taking a ferry. There is hardly anything to see here, except a lovely old church and some paddy fields. It’s quaint and quiet, and if you can get a meal in a local home, you can go back to the mainland replete and completely charmed.

Slow living - a view from Divar island

There are other things to do as well - see the Churches of Old Goa, the prettiest of which in my opinion is the Se Cathedral; experience the backwaters and the waterfalls; go whale watching; and go on a temple tour ( I had just a glimpse of them - and they seemed to made in such a unique style!). So the next time you want to catch up on some susegad in Goa, remember, Goa is more than that shack on the beach or the newest restaurant.

Road Trip II

Day 4: Mangalore to Gokarna. Km: 240 km

We turn north to return. An uneventful drive covering territory we have already seen. The roads are as bad. The scenery as pretty. We reach Gokarna and look around at the resorts available. The prettiest one Swa Swara is out of bounds for us – they need a minimum of 7 nights stay! One day, when I am retired and have all the time in the world, I tell myself. So we settle for second best. Which is not bad except for the 10 minute walk to the beach! Gokarna is a small temple town that still has not seen an influx of tourism. It has some 3 beaches, the best known of which is Om beach (named so because of its shape). We attempt a short foray to the seaside to see Om Beach. It is a bit crowded – mostly Indians and some foreigners. We have little time before the sun sets and we promise ourselves a morning at the beach tomorrow.

Day 5: Gokarna to Goa. Km: 130 km

Today we attempt an early morning excursion to another beach – Kudle. It is smaller, but we feel prettier. It is a bit of a trek getting there. When we do get there, there is no one on the beach except a dog bathing in the sea. We sit around, soaking in the isolation and quiet. And when the sun comes out in full force, we head back to the hotel. The hills are close by and the views from up there are awesome. There is a stretch of road that you drive through on the way to the beaches that has possibly one of the best views I have seen anywhere. The beaches by themselves are a bit rocky and for anyone used to the Goan shack scene, quite lonesome.

We leave Gokarna mid morning and are in Aguada after a Goan lunch by 3 pm.

Day 5, 6, 7: Goa!

We finally get to do a Goa holiday together. We do the normal things people do in Goa – have beer on the beach (Anjuna, this time), climb Chapora fort in Vagator and drink in the exquisite views, go para sailing, watch the dolphins, lie around in the water, eat some glorious food (smoked kingfish and wine!) and generally chill (not normally a word we associate with vacations!). Food, drink and the sea – an almost unbeatable combination to unwind.

The season is not yet fully on. So the flea markets are not open and some beach-side shacks are not either. A restaurant owner tells us he expects a slow down in the influx of tourists (the foreign ones are what he is worried about) this year. It is only to be expected, I suppose with the world economy the way it is. But we do not see any shortage of firangs, especially at Anjuna. At some restaurants, we are the only Indians around! I am always amazed at the utter un-selfconsciousness of the white man with respect to his body. Flabby almost-naked white bodies (and some really well-toned ones, I must admit) on the beaches is a common sight that attracts little attention from anyone.

Aguada is nice luxury to relax in. It is easy to get used to the pampering. But I still cannot give in to the indulgence of a day at the spa (though it is very tempting)

Day 8: Goa to Mumbai. Km: 560 km

Before you know it, 3 days have flown past and it is time to head back. We reach the smog and traffic jams of Mumbai by late evening. And look back at a holiday that is quite different from any we have done before. Being able to drive around and do your own thing, go where you want to go when you want to, not bound by strict itineraries – this anniversary gift to ourselves has been probably worth all the hydrocarbons we released into the atmosphere.