A NEW GOAN GROOVE
Forward-thinking creatives are putting this pocket-sized INDIAN PARADISE back on the map. Carolyn Caldicott explores the former Portuguese colony’s beaches and CONSERVATION AREAS
One writer and her partner fell in love with this hippy hideaway (and each other) in the Nineties. Almost 30 years later, they rediscover its enchanting coast
lush and languid, Goa’s enchanted shores have attracted traders, invaders and travellers for centuries; the Portuguese stayed for almost 5OO years, leaving a legacy of elegant mansions, awe-inspiring cathedrals, lip-smacking cuisine, mournful fado tunes and a general laidback vibe. And Goa holds a special place in my heart, for it was here, in the early Nineties, when my husband and I had just met, that we road-tested our relationship on a hedonistic sojourn. Wowed by miles of palm-fringed beaches, free from development, we rode bicycles at sunrise along deserted shores, stopping to swim with dolphins and sunbathe in glorious isolation.
Since those heady days, I have been wary of returning – a few years ago an assignment took me to a faceless hotel on Calangute beach, and I was shocked by the congested roads, and the explosion of hotels and tacky beach shacks. Goa seemed well past its sell-by date. But a recent heads-up about a brand-new crop of boutique hotels, galleries and cool cafes away from the central coast got us thinking that now was the time to revisit the site of my earlier memories. Play it right, they said, and there are halcyon days to be had here again.
THE STARTING POINT Old Goa
We began by exploring inland, and from Goa’s airport we headed straight to the nearby Amrapali House of Grace, an immaculately restored lakeside IndoPortuguese villa with just five rooms, right between Old Goa and Panaji. Here, sumptuous rooms radiate from a courtyard swimming pool, enveloped by arched verandahs, furnished with lavish day beds and quiet corners in which to hide away, and teak shutters shade elaborate carved windows. Four-poster beds, copper bathtubs and chandeliers are offset by the work of contemporary artists. A funky cafe spills out onto the lakeside deck, popular with stylish locals who come for the excellent coffee, spirulina smoothies and indulgent cakes. When dusk falls, the soul of the house comes alive as candles are lit and guests return to graze on sharing plates of calamari and Moorish chickpeas.
Old Goa was the Portuguese’s original glittering capital and ‘The Rome of the East’, a city of vast gilded 16th-century cathedrals and convents. Today it remains remarkably unchanged – these grand edifices, built to inspire awe, still enthrall – but a good tip is to arrive early to avoid the crowds of pilgrims. We ended the day at
the Capela de Monte hilltop church, with glorious sunset views of soaring bell towers emerging from tropical plains along the meandering Mandavi River. In the 19th century, the Portuguese moved their capital to Panaji (or Panjim, as it was then), where we found that wandering Fontainhas Latin Quarter’s higgledy lanes, lined with candycoloured colonial homes and boutiques, gave a real flavour of the old city, which is still comfortably managing tourism. Seek out the tiny Fundação Oriente’s art gallery, where Goan artist António Xavier Trindade’s portraits depict the area’s past.
THE ECO LODGE Cabo Serai
While it’s true that the Robinson Crusoe-style beaches of Goa’s golden boho days are few and far between now, hidden among a forest of palms on a craggy headland in the sleepy deep south, committed conservationist Riad Fyzee has found one. He has opened Cabo Serai, the ultimate sand-between-your-toes eco-lodge retreat to help you shake off the world and get into serious blissed-out beach mode. Five sleek dark wood cottages and two tents peep through the canopy like treehouses. A palette of natural materials allows the surroundings to do the talking, with light-filled interiors and outdoor living rooms. Tiny birds and giant butterflies flitted around us as we sipped homegrown coffee, chilling slouched on rattan day beds, and we followed a path down through coconut groves to the pristine deserted golden bay on the Arabian Sea, cradled by sheer laterite cliffs. There is little reason to leave this paradise of uninterrupted sea views, wellness-focused cuisine and sunrise and sunset yoga, but don’t miss the dawn fishing boat ride that reveals nearby coves, caves and the ruins of the mighty Cabo de Rama Fort.
THE CULINARY HOT SPOT North Goa
With our batteries recharged, it was time to head for North Goa and to seek out the culturally rich neighbourhoods that have managed to survive mass tourism with integrity. We checked in to the ravishing Ahilya by the Sea on the edge of the Mandovi River, where it meets the ocean just north of Panaji’s old town. This super stylish boutique property’s three quirky Balinese-style villas are brimming with a lifetime’s collection of antiques, art and colonial furniture, and shrouded by creepers, bamboo, palms and scented frangipani. The hotel’s suggestions of ‘things to do’ are spot on, including a visit to Mapusa’s Friday market – a mélange of spices, embroidered bags, throws and kitchen utensils… Coconut grater, anyone? We also visited the Museum of Goa, founded by the artist Subodh Kerkar, which celebrates the state’s history through contemporary art. Kerkar also shares his stories of past times, cuisine and culture on personalised walks to traditional villages where tourists never usually roam.
It’s also fair to say that Goa’s culinary scene is experiencing something of a renaissance. We checked out Norohna’s Corner food truck in Anjuna – where there’s always a queue for its chouriço pão, a pillowy soft bun stuffed with paprika-spiced sausage – and a spot called Edible Archives, run by two women whose passion is to serve fresh local produce and littleknown ancient ingredients. A favourite among savvy residents, Cantare in Saligao village is the place for live music: we went along to join them for a Monday jazz night. The verandah was packed with revellers tapping their toes, sipping boozy iced cocktails and tucking into mammoth plates from an eclectic menu of Goan beef roast, nachos and pad thai, and we finished the night at the dreamy ice cream parlour, Mr Gelato. For a taste of pukka home cooking, try the family-run Bhatti Village cafe, tucked down a quiet street in Nerul. Take a seat at one of the rickety tables in a warren of rooms lined with feni
”A MORNING SPENT WANDERING FONTAINHAS LATIN QUARTER’S HIGGLEDY LANES GAVE US A REAL FLAVOUR OF THE OLD CITY”
barrels and choose from a handwritten menu of fish curry, rice and unbelievably moreish rava fried prawns. The homemade feni is served in the Goan way, mixed with Limca lemonade, hot green chillis and a good squeeze of lime, and is guaranteed to have you rolling home with the broadest of smiles.
LOOKING FORWARD MansionHaus
Excitingly, there’s even more to look forward to in the north: opening soon, MansionHaus is a new concept in space and interaction. Converted from a 19th-century property, all rough edges have been smoothed to create a world of sparkling white and shades of grey, a sort of Miami-meets-Goa private members’ club, with nine polished suites. Workshops, secret suppers, cultural and musical events laid on for like-minded local members will be open to guests of the hotel. And those fond of wellness retreats will soon have the beachside King’s Mansion at the top of their must-visit list, with its promise to blend ancient Indian philosophy with the latest scientific treatments in programmes that will ensure maximum sustainable change.
Goa has always been special, and tangibly different from the rest of India. For a few years, I worried that its appeal was too strong, and the steadily rising tide of tourists would overwhelm what made it so magical in the first place. But the new generation of Goans is imaginatively reinventing what it means to appeal to travellers looking for the easygoing culture of susegad that always made Goa so seductive. If you’ve never been, go. My husband and I are set to return for years to come.
GETTING THERE Greaves India offers a nine-night Goa itinerary with one night at Amrapali House of Grace, four nights at Cabo Serai and four nights at Ahilya By the Sea, plus domestic and international flights and transfers from £2,338 per person