Goa Travel

The lesser known of the two districts that comprise the state of Goa, South Goa is popular for its deserted beaches, old mansions, 500-year-old churches and authentic 17th century Portuguese cuisine.


If you want to break away from the city noise, crowd, stress and tension, visit South Goa to find solace amidst the blue seas, beautiful landscapes and fine food.

Extending from Vasco da Gama and Bogmalo to Palolem, beautiful beaches stretch along the Western coast, which includes townships of Bogmalo, Velsao, Majorda, Colva, Benaulim, Betul and Agonda.

Apart from the “virgin” beaches, some beaches like Colva, Benaulim, Bogmalo, Palolem, Varca, Cavelossim, Agonda and Benvali are worth a visit.

While exploring the interiors, you might come across a certain Church of Holy Spirit, which brings back the memories of colonial rule. The uniqueness of the architecture is that it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times since it first came into existence and still stands till date. A perfect place to spend some time by yourself. Check out the walls and inscriptions on them which are truly a work of art.

More popular for its party culture, not many look deeper into Goa’s rich cultural heritage. But a visit to Goa Chitra, a museum in Benaulim may change your mind. Started by artist Victor Hugo Gomes, the place is a contrast between Goa’s past and present. From 16th century palanquins used by the rajas, to ‘ahead of time technology’ used by the farmers then, to modern and antique paintings — the museum amplifies the transition of Goan culture as the administrative rule changed hands from the rajas to the Portuguese to the current Indian government.

Heading to Palacio do Deao, a colonial palace at Quepem, is every foodie’s delight. Originally built by a Portuguese nobleman, the villa was reconstructed retaining its 17th century essence and today is a major tourist attraction. The 300-year-old authentic cuisine, which is a close relative of the Mediterranean cuisine, has some dishes which are virtually un-pronounceable to untrained tongues, but are truly a gourmet’s dream come true.

Ever dreamt of seeing a 300-year-old palace as it was during its days of glory? Located in Chandor village, Braganza House is a magnificent display of colonial architecture and is maintained just as it used to be centuries ago. The spacious rooms, fine furniture, ancient cutlery and other artefacts are a sheer delight. The owners claim that the dining table has just one more duplicate — it’s in the royal dining hall of the Buckingham Palace. The palace houses the largest library in Goa.

South Goa is often seen as the quieter sister of her older party-friendly sibling, North Goa. But nevertheless it’s the perfect place to visit to relax by the seaside amidst beautiful architecture and fine food. Definitely a delight for your tongue, soul and mind

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Karnataka's wild forests

I promptly on the first day of the year left for Karnataka with a group of friends. What a trip. I left every destination wanting a bit more, just with that just small bit of me wanting to stay back yet another day, sure sign of a successful trip I guess.

Kabini
Where we stayed: The Bison jungle retreat was not easy to locate, but what a charming place once we found it. Located on the shores of river Kabini, overlooking the Nagarhole wildlife park, it would be safe to say it is the best place to stay in the region.

The ambience and style is inspired by lodges in Africa. Tents have been imported from Kenya and are mighty comfortable. Service is slightly iffy, but saying that, the charm of the place more than makes up for it. Make sure you make an appointment with Babloo for a head massage. Our friend Mr Chin who experienced it first hand swears that Babloo was “the best thing that happened to the Bison”. In terms of location, it was perfect to explore the lush green forests of the area.

What we saw: Many Asian Tuskers, a pack of wild dogs, wild boars, spotted deer, crocodiles, woodpeckers, mynahs hawks and the babbler.

What we ate: It is shameful even to recount the packets of bread that must have been used every morning for breakfast, devoured with fried eggs and green chillies. The shahi tukra and the chicken biryani deserve a special mention.

How to get there: Fly to Bengaluru and drive via Mysore. Approximately five hours by car, provided you get out of Bengaluru within an hour.

Highlight: Coracle ride on the river Kabini in true “Mani Ratnam” style (yes, I even heard some of the group members crooning away Dil hai chhota sa).

Siddapur, Coorg

Where we stayed: The school estate run by super efficient Rani Aiyappa is what a perfect home stay should be. Nestled in a 250 acre coffee plantation, Rani started this just to earn some pin money and now it is a full time job for her. Her beautifully manicured garden is such a treat, nearly as special as the meals served by her well trained kitchen. Rooms are spacious and have an old English charm to them. The house is over 100 years old and part of it still retains the old-world charm.

What we ate: Now this is going to be a very long list. Each and everything that we ate was pure delight, every lunch, every dinner was a long affair. However, the Pandy curry (Coorg pork curry) deserves a special mention because the entire vessel was licked clean by us.

What we saw: Actually I saw nothing, I was more interested in lazing around in her garden, and reading, and waiting for the next mealtime. The others went to the elephant orphanage expecting to give a pedicure to the elephants, but I believe they were quite disappointed.

Highlight: Walk through the plantation with KK, our co-host and Rani’s shy husband.

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Thar - spectacular desert vistas

Some come for the spectacular desert vistas, others for the unique cuisine, still others for a wealth of textiles and artefacts. It’s a (rare) connoisseur who comes just to appreciate the splendidly individual architecture of the region — Jaipur with its pink glaze, Jaisalmer with its golden stone and Jodhpur with its blue-washed homes. The desertscape, with its gateway at Jodhpur, is a blend of browns, creams and reds; sand and sandstone.
The small towns of Osiyan, Phalodi and Khichan are about 135 km from Jodhpur. Osiyan comes first at 65 km, literally in the middle of nowhere, at the edge of the Thar. It is said that 2,500 years ago, Osiyan had a population in lakhs. The town was called Upkeshpur then and had four lakh Rajputs, who became Jains. It was later called Osiyan. Both Hindu and Jain temples, of red and cream sandstone, reputed to be around 2,500 years old, are superb works of art, easily rivalling those of Orissa and Karnataka. The Jain temple, 2,500 years old, is a masterpiece in creamy sandstone, very well maintained. Graceful thorans (arches), freestanding pillars and fantastic sculptures make this unique temple something of a fantasy. The dome temple has exquisite figures of apsaras in cream and pink stone, quarried locally long, long ago. This temple has been restored with care, using no cement or iron, but the materials used originally.


But it is Phalodi and Khichan that remain in the mind. In typical regional style, the havelis loom up from the road, secluded by jharokhas and jaalis, and thick wooden doors frequently embellished with ivory and brass.

Many of the havelis paint their grand front doors a fantastic shade — so vibrant in the desert scene. Temples prefer bright yellow for the doors, a fabulous combination against pristine whitewashed walls, the sand and the colourful attire of the womenfolk. The wooden doors, small windows (khidkis) and ceilings are usually made of the hardy local Rohida wood, mellowed over the years. The wooden pieces have become collector’s items today.


Many of the large havelis have a basement, as is evident from the raised front. This serves as a cool area in the summer heat, as also suitable for the storage of perishables. Large chutes from the raised frontage send out the rain water into the streets.

A heightened sense of beauty somehow seems to have pervaded the desert region, perhaps to balance or counter the extreme aridity. Correspondingly, workmanship and artistry of a high order also appears to be an inborn gift of the people here. Given the popular hyped attractions of the bigger cities in the State, it is no surprise that this area is not so well known. However, the richness of its architectural heritage brooks no denial, especially as a visit here can be combined with trips to nearby Bikaner and Jaisalmer.

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